South West Trains honoured at National Rail Awards

South West Trains, part of the Stagecoach Group, received a special commendation for its outstanding operational performance at the National Rail Awards on Thursday 16 September.

The company received the highly commended award in the prestigious category of Passenger Operator of the Year, beating off stiff competition from other train operators throughout the country.

At the awards ceremony, the judges praised South West Trains for its continued strong operational performance in what is the largest and most complex of all UK rail franchises.  South West Trains has a consistent record of excellent punctuality, and the most recent figures released by Network Rail show that 94.9% of its services ran on time during August proving that the company continues to be one of the country's most punctual train operators.

The judges were also impressed with some of the challenges the company had faced over the last year and the approach taken to ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction.  The latest National Passenger Survey results show that passengers travelling on South West Trains continue to be highly satisfied, with 85% overall passenger satisfaction.

Commenting on the award, Andy Pitt, Managing Director, said:  “This award is testament to the hard work of the whole team at South West Trains, particularly our front line staff, who work tirelessly every day to provide the best service possible for our passengers, sometimes under very difficult circumstances.

“We are proud of our record of being one of the UK’s most punctual train operators and continuing to offer a consistently high level of customer service, and I would like to thank all of our staff for their part in this success.”

The National Rail Awards are now in their 11th year and are designed to recognise excellence and achievement in Britain’s rail industry.