Summary
South Western Railway (SWR) reports a loss of £45.5 million annually due to passengers not paying for tickets. The company is addressing fare evasion, and it also reimburses passengers for delays. SWR became the first rail company nationalized by the Labour government in May.
Key Facts
- SWR loses an estimated £45.5 million each year from passengers not paying fares.
- The fare evasion rate is around 3.9%.
- SWR's efforts have reduced ticketless travel by 40% since 2017.
- Across the UK's rail industry, fare evasion costs nearly £240 million annually.
- SWR spent over £370,000 on hotels and taxis for delayed passengers last year.
- 7,293 train services had fewer carriages than planned due to issues.
- SWR was renationalised by the Labour government in May.
- SWR aims to improve customer experiences and has a "duty of care" during disruptions.
