Wimbledon MP reveals eye watering £5.5 million monthly bill for new SWR fleet stuck in depot

In Parliament today (26.6.25), Wimbledon MP and Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson Paul Kohler revealed £5.5 million monthly bill of the public money is being wasted mothballing almost all SWR’s Arterio Fleet. 

The Government admitted only two more trains have come into service since Mr Kohler last asked them in April - bringing the total up to just eight. But she refused to comment on why the issue had not been resolved, as previously promised by the Secretary Of State, Heidi Alexander, by the time SWR was nationalised last month. 

The Minister also failed to answer whether he thought the £5.5m being paid each month on a fleet of trains in which over 90% are still in storage was a good use of public money. 

SWR acquired 90 increased capacity Arterio trains back in 2019 to boost passenger capacity, yet 6 years later only 8 have entered service. 

Mr Kohler has previously pressed Transport Ministers about poor reliability on SWR and the failure to restore the frequency of trains to pre-Covid levels. He was told the Government has no plans to increase the frequency, despite increased likelihood of overcrowding, and the inconvenience discouraging rail use and pushing residents into greater car dependency. 

Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson and MP for Wimbledon, Paul Kohler said:

“It is simply unacceptable that taxpayers are footing a monthly bill in excess of £5.5m for trains gathering dust in a depot, whilst commuters in Wimbledon and the South West still have to deal with overcrowded trains.” 

“Ministers must come clean on why the Arterio fleet is still not fully in service, and when this costly farce will finally end.” 

“I'll keep fighting for answers and to get our transport system back on track.”