South West Trains pays for improved timetable

A dramatic improvement in the reliability of South West Trains means parent company Stagecoach will have to pay the Government more than £40 million. SWT was worst of 10 train firms serving the capital for peak-time services in the final quarter of last year. But a new timetable in December - which cut trains on some routes and

slowed other services - has improved timekeeping by up to 90 per cent.

More passengers now use SWT leading to an expected rise in profits which must be shared with other rail firms under a deal with the Strategic Rail Authority.