Experts say SWR and other rail firms will share a Network Rail compensation fund of about £25million. But operators will pass none of it to passengers because they can blame engineering works for delays to services because they are planned disruptions.

SWR routes affected by engineering works and strikes are London to the South-west and London Waterloo to Surbiton in Surrey.

Network Rail figures show compensation payouts average around £1million a day over a year, rocketing at Christmas, the busiest time of the year for works.

SWR received £21.2million in the year to April 2018 and travel expert Ian Baldry said passengers would be “furious”.

He added: “They will be angry rail firms use a get-out clause to avoid paying compensation to them for Christmas services delayed by works.”

Bruce Williamson, of campaign group Railfuture, said: “Passengers will find it hard to understand why rail firms receive compensation for engineering works, but passengers do not for journeys delayed by works.

“They will feel they have a case for ticket prices to be discounted due to engineering works making their journey worse than usual.” SWR said: “Payments are for Network Rail to comment on. Delay Repay is calculated against the normal or amended timetable published in advance for engineering works. If you are delayed by 15 minutes, you can claim.”

Network Rail said payments to firms “are calculated to reflect revenue loss from reduced ticket sales and costs incurred by train operators, such as for running replacement buses. Train operators pay for passenger refunds themselves”.

Great Western Railway is expected to receive the biggest payout this Christmas, due to works around London and Cardiff, with Greater Anglia and East Midlands Railway also receiving significant sums.

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