A major intercity train operator has faced a surge in compensation claims, with payouts exceeding £20 million over three months this summer alone. The refunds for disrupted journeys have already matched the company’s annual profits from the previous two years, with nearly £9.3 million paid out in just four weeks. The financial strain suggests growing challenges in maintaining service reliability on Britain’s busiest rail routes. With the full-year bill expected to surpass £70 million, the operator’s costs are rising sharply amid persistent travel disruptions.
Intercity train operator’s compensation bill likely to top £70m this financial year amid rise in claims across networkAvanti West Coast paid out more than £20m to passengers in just three months this summer in refunds for disrupted journeys on Britain’s main intercity rail network.The intercity operator paid out almost as much in a four-week period to 25 July – £9.3m – as its annual profits for each of the past two years. It repaid a further £12.2m in the subsequent eight weeks. Continue reading...
