Avanti West Coast paid out £20m in ‘delay repay’ passenger refunds this summer
News Source
•Sat, 31 Oct 2026 07:00:35 GMT
📰 What Happened
Avanti West Coast paid more than £20 million in delay refunds to passengers this summer. It paid £9.3 million in just four weeks to 25 July.
That is close to its yearly profit in each of the past two years. Another £12.2 million went out in the following eight weeks.
The company is expected to pay more than £70 million this financial year. Fewer than half its trains ran on time in July, when heatwaves hit the network.
🔍 The Backstory
Delay repay schemes pay passengers back when trains are late or cancelled. Claims have risen across Britain as punctuality has fallen.
In 2024-25, all operators paid about £150 million in compensation, up 8 percent. Avanti accounted for about 27 percent of that.
Since the pandemic, private operators have run services on government contracts, which carry the risk of fare income and refunds. Avanti moves into public ownership next year.
🎯 Why It Matters
If your train is late, you may be owed money, and many people never claim. These figures show how common delays have become on a main line.
Avanti West Coast paid more than £20 million in delay refunds to passengers this summer. It paid £9.3 million in just four weeks to 25 July.
That is close to its yearly profit in each of the past two years. Another £12.2 million went out in the following eight weeks.
The company is expected to pay more than £70 million this financial year. Fewer than half its trains ran on time in July, when heatwaves hit the network.
Delay repay schemes pay passengers back when trains are late or cancelled. Claims have risen across Britain as punctuality has fallen.
In 2024-25, all operators paid about £150 million in compensation, up 8 percent. Avanti accounted for about 27 percent of that.
Since the pandemic, private operators have run services on government contracts, which carry the risk of fare income and refunds. Avanti moves into public ownership next year.
If your train is late, you may be owed money, and many people never claim. These figures show how common delays have become on a main line.