SOUTH West MEP Molly Scott Cato is demanding Great Western Railway bosses stage a series of public meetings to hear passengers' concerns.

She said: "I am sick of being shunted around the region in overcrowded, often filthy, trains that frequently run late or not at all.

"The South West has some of the most ancient rolling stock in the country and receives less rail investment than any other region in the UK bar one.

“Nonetheless, the fact that Great Western Railway does receive public subsidy and provides such a shoddy service means that they should be accountable to the travelling public.

"It is high time that company bosses listened to the many woes their customers have through a series of public meetings.”

The call to meet the public head-to-head comes at a time when the Government has announced controversial plans for a fully privatised railway line between Oxford and Cambridge, with track and trains operated by the same company.

Transport Minster Chris Grayling has also announced that future rail franchises will see integrated operating teams between train operating companies, such as Great Western Railways, and Network Rail, which maintains the track.

Molly Scott Cato added: “We also want to see better integration between train companies and track – it’s called public ownership.

"Greens have always believed that a publicly owned and publicly accountable railway system is the way to get our railways back on track.”