MORE than £2 million has been paid to rail customers in compensation since 2018 – showing just how unreliable train services can be in Wales.

Figures obtained by the Welsh Conservatives show £2,229,114 has been paid out by Transport for Wales in as a result of delayed or cancelled trains or seat reservations not being honoured.

The party believes the whopping figure further highlights the dire state of rail services across the country and says commuters deserve better.

Nearly £1.5 million was paid to customers in 2019/20 – the highest amount by far compared to other financial years. The major jump came in the same year the transport body dropped its delay repay scheme from 30 minutes to 15.

In comparison £321,515 was paid out in 2018/19, passengers were compensated nearly £195,000 in 2020/21 and just over £244,000 the following year, despite services being reduced due to the pandemic.

The Welsh Conservatives claim that Transport for Wales, owned by the Welsh Government, has been plagued with problems since it started looking after train services in 2018.

The party says trains regularly struggle to turn up on time, and when they do passengers are often crammed onto them like sardines because not enough carriages are used.

A recent poll deemed Wales had the worst train services in the UK with 22 per cent of Welsh residents saying rail provision is bad in their area and 11 per cent saying they did not have any local train services at all.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Transport, Natasha Asghar MS, said: “Just think, if we had a fit-for-purpose railway network with trains that turned up on time, Transport for Wales wouldn’t have to fork out millions in compensation.

“The fact that more than £2.2m has been given back to commuters in just four years because trains have been delayed or cancelled goes to show how bad and unreliable services are in Wales.

“It is high time Labour ministers in Cardiff Bay work with bosses at Transport for Wales and come up with a realistic plan setting out how they plan to improve services because commuters deserve better than this.

“They deserve to use trains without fear of regular delays, cancellations and overcrowding, and if we are to get more people out of cars and onto public transport then we need to see urgent improvements.”