EXTENSIVE improvements have been made to South Western Railway as a result of low passenger numbers caused by Covid-19.

Since the first national lockdown in spring last year, passenger numbers on SWR’s network have remained consistently low compared to pre-pandemic levels.

During this time, SWR took the opportunity to work on initiatives that would have otherwise taken much longer to deliver had they been attempted when passenger numbers were at 100 per cent.

SWR’s Managing Director, Claire Mann said: "While our customers were away, we’ve taken every single opportunity to improve our services.

"We’re investing heavily in our network, our people, and our local areas to improve the quality, safety, and reliability of our services, and better meet the needs of customers and our communities.

"We exist to connect people – with family, with friends, with employment, with experiences, and with opportunities – and we can’t wait to welcome our customers back to the railway as soon as they are ready to travel with us again."

Initiatives included checking and sometimes fixing 1456 train doors if necessary.

Seven 'Duty Control Managers' have been employed to lead the Control Room and make journeys smoother, and all 187 SWR stations now have Wi-Fi, and there has been a 23 per cent increase in onboard connectivity speeds, meaning better access to the internet.

A lick of paint has refreshed 48 stations, which have been completely repainted, brightening up customers' journeys.

Additional seating has also been tackled with the implementation of 280 new benches, along with 40 new waiting shelters across 30 different stations.

Also, 15 waiting rooms have been refurbished, allowing for a more comfortable passenger experience.

SWR has also made 10 stations more accessible and safer through the installation of automatic doors, smoother pavements, sturdier handrails, new ramps, and anti-slip tactiles and treads.

To keep trains and stations clean and sparkling, 160 additional cleaning staff have been employed, with thousands of litres of a long lasting disinfectant being used.

Energy across the rail network has been reduced by 21 per cent thanks to the conversion of 16,180 light bulbs to LEDs.