The Strategic Rail Authority says that 82.1% of the company's services were on time between April and June, compared to a national average of 80.5%.

First Great Western Link, which runs between London Paddington, Oxford, Stratford-upon-Avon and the Cotswolds, improved punctuality by 5.3% to 80.7%.

The company says that much of its improvements are down to a new control centre in Swindon.

They say they centre, which is jointly run with Network Rail, has helped improve communication.

First Great Western's operations manager, Kevin Gale, said: "We will... work hard to continue this improvement and raise levels of performance further."