This is wildly overstated. In the period Jan-Mar, 86% of station stops were made within 3min of the timetable, with a cancellation rate of only 3.2% of services.

However, extensive hot weather is playing havoc with everything, rail no exception. Heat affecting equipment, medical emergencies, buckling track, even the ground drying out so much the trackbed is becoming unstable in some places.

British rail travel is quite punctual as a whole, despite being complex and near-saturation and prone to knock-on delays.