Complaints against train companies in the South East went up last year, prompting a passengers' forum to describe it as the "worst year for rail passengers since the blitz".

The Rail Passengers' Committee (RPC) for southern England yesterday revealed it had received in the year to 2001 the second-highest number of complaints ever about train services.

The number of gripes in the region rose by nine per cent from 1,810 to 1,975, even though figures were down nationally.

Committee chairman Wendy Toms said: "In the first half of the year, complaints to us were actually well down on the previous year's but they shot up in the aftermath of the Hatfield disaster, when Railtrack imposed its emergency speed restrictions."

The committee revealed 36 per cent of complaints were about train performance, 31 per cent about compensation claims and 18 per cent about station facilities and information.

Of the operating companies in the South, Connex South Central drew 707 complaints, which was a big rise on the previous year's total of 545.

The network, which includes the Brighton to London line, was taken over by Govia on Sunday. The company is aiming to improve on these results.

South West Trains saw an overall fall in disgruntled passengers. The number of complaints went down from 526 to 331.

Thameslink had just 42 complaints registered with the RPC. However, the majority of complaints would have been directed to the London Transport Users Committee, which is due to publish its figures in October.

Marsid Greenidge, a spokesman for Govia's South Central service, said: "We only took over on Sunday and all the figures relate to when Connex was in control.

"We hope we are in a position to improve on that performance."

A Connex spokesman said: "The RPC has acknowledged the upsurge in complaints following the Hatfield accident and speed restrictions. This, combined with the very bad weather last autumn and the subsequent flooding, regrettably impacted on South Central rail services as in other parts of the country.

"I am confident Govia will continue our improvement drive, which was bearing fruit in reviving the quality and performance."