TRANSPORT Minister Charlotte Atkins has been accused of ducking the problems plaguing Worcestershire rail services.

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff last night set out a string of difficulties which are holding back improvements for train passengers in the county.

He told the Minister, in a Parliamentary debate that he received regular updates from constituents about poor punctuality and overcrowding on Central Trains services to Birmingham.

Mr Luff also complained about the sparseness of services between Worcestershire and London.

"Two to three-hour gaps are a regular feature of the timetable. That is not the way to build passenger volume on a potentially lucrative route," he said.

He was joined by Worcester MP Michael Foster in calling on Ministers to improve the county's rail links.

Mr Foster said Ministers should use their extra powers, after the forthcoming abolition of the Strategic Rail Authority, to exert their influence.

"Worcester needs to have a top-class rail service to Birmingham if my constituents and those of colleagues in Worcestershire are to gain the economic, social and wider environmental benefits that rail services and good public transport links can have," he said.

"I urge the Minister to use the department's new-found influence to put right the historic wrong of the way rail services in Worcestershire have been built up."

But Ms Atkins gave no new commitments about future rail strategy and would only say that the MPs' concerns would be considered in a new route utilization strategy, currently being drawn up by the SRA.

"I am sure Mr Luff and other stakeholders, such as Mr Foster, will play a full and valuable role in developing the conclusions," she said.

After the debate, Mr Luff said: "Despite the fact that I gave her advance notice of the issues I would be raising, she didn't really deal with my concerns about the Birmingham services at all."

But he added he had "one crumb of comfort from a meagre feast", when the Minister said Network Rail was investigating the signalling situation at Evesham, where drivers have to stop twice to collect a token.

"That will be good. It will make a difference and improve timekeeping," he said.

Mr Luff added that he would be tabling a series of Parliamentary questions to obtain detailed questions on the issues Ms Atkins failed to address.