South Western Railway’s new timetable starting today continues to run pandemic-era service cuts on routes serving Putney, nearly six years after Covid restrictions ended – just as the government announces rail fares will rise 4.6% from March.
The double hit means Putney commuters will pay significantly more for a service that has never recovered to pre-pandemic frequency. SWR still runs eight trains per hour off-peak on the Waterloo to Reading line via Putney, down from ten trains per hour before December 2022 – a 20% reduction that has never been reversed.
The new timetable, which came into force on Sunday December 14, makes “no significant changes to train times,” according to SWR’s official statement. Services remain at reduced frequency despite passenger numbers recovering substantially elsewhere on the network.
Putney station struggling while others recover
The continued service cuts hit Putney harder than neighbouring stations. Our analysis last week showed Putney station has lost 2.4 million annual passengers – a 30% decline to just 70% of pre-pandemic levels.
By contrast, Barnes has recovered to 86% of pre-Covid passenger numbers, and Clapham Junction to 85%. Even Wandsworth Town, where overcrowding prompted the local MP to demand action, has reached 95% recovery – though this figure is boosted by 2,000 new homes built since 2013.
The uneven spacing of the eight trains per hour creates gaps of 15 to 20 minutes between services – a pattern readers identified as the “biggest disincentive” to using the service. Transport economists have warned that such service cuts risk a “doom loop” where reduced frequency drives passengers away, leading to further cuts.
National rail fares frozen, but not SWR
The fare increase adds financial pain to the service failures. While the government froze fares on many National Rail services in its November 2024 Budget – the first freeze in 30 years – this protection does not extend to all SWR routes.
Regulated fares, including season tickets and most commuter fares, will rise by 4.6% from March 2, 2025. This is above July’s retail price index (RPI) inflation of 3.6%, meaning fare increases are outpacing the general cost of living.
The Campaign for Better Transport has called the increase “unfair, especially for those on low incomes,” arguing that raising fares while keeping fuel duty frozen “sends the wrong message.”
The timing is particularly poor for Putney passengers. Major engineering works on the Woking line from December 23 to January 5, 2026 will significantly affect services, with longer journey times and some bus replacements during the crucial Christmas and New Year period.
Queenstown Road (Battersea) will be closed entirely from December 27 to January 4, and Vauxhall will have no SWR services on December 27-30 and January 1. Normal service doesn’t resume until Monday, January 6, 2026.
The combination of unchanged off-peak service, rising fares, and holiday disruption represents a perfect storm for Putney commuters who have already endured six years of reduced frequency.
Pattern of service cuts
SWR permanently reduced off-peak services in December 2022, citing pandemic-era passenger numbers as justification. But while passenger recovery has been slower at Putney station than elsewhere, the network-wide picture shows substantial recovery – raising questions about why service hasn’t been restored.
Our investigation documented how the timetable cuts created uneven service gaps that actively discourage passengers from using the train, even for journeys to Waterloo where the station is the logical choice.
One reader commented that the unpredictable gaps were the “biggest disincentive” to rail travel, with passengers often finding tube journeys more reliable despite Putney’s direct rail connection to Waterloo.
The new 4.6% fare increase means passengers will pay more for this diminished service, with no indication from SWR of when – or whether – pre-pandemic frequency will be restored.
