Avanti West Coast paid out in excess of £20 million to passengers in refunds under the ‘delay repay’ scheme during a three-month period this summer, the operator said. The payments covered compensation for journeys affected by delays and disruption on Britain’s principal intercity rail network.
A four-week period ending on 25 July accounted for £9.3 million of the total — a sum the operator said was approaching the scale of its annual profits for each of the last two years. In the following eight weeks Avanti repaid a further £12.2 million, bringing the three-month total to more than £21 million.
Compensation burden grows
The company warned that this surge in claims is contributing to a larger compensation bill for the current financial year, which is now likely to top £70 million. The rise in payouts reflects broader pressures on the rail network and increasing numbers of passengers seeking reimbursements for late or disrupted services.
Avanti’s payouts underline the financial impact of disruption on train operators and the scale of liabilities linked to passenger compensation schemes. The operator’s figures will be watched closely by regulators, investors and industry observers as they assess the sustainability of current service and compensation arrangements.