In the three months leading up to Christmas, Southern Rail cancelled or delayed the Wallington to Victoria journey 1,101 times, analysis by the Sutton Liberal Democrats has revealed.

The revelation comes as rail fares across England and Wales are hiked by an average of 3.1 per cent from this month, which Sutton Liberal Democrats have called “unjustifiable”.

The government’s Office of Rail & Road (ORR) has a definition of train punctuality which says: “A train is defined as on time if it arrives within five minutes (i.e. four minutes 59 seconds or less) of the planned destination arrival time for London and South East and regional operators.”

In the three-month period from September 24, 2018 to December 22, 2018, the Wallington into Victoria train journey was cancelled 205 times and delayed by at least five minutes 896 times.

Sutton Liberal Democrats have condemned the rail fare hike in light of these figures.

Commenting, Wallington councillor Mo Saqib said: “It is truly astonishing that the Wallington to Victoria train was cancelled or delayed 1,101 times in just three months.

"That’s 1,101 times that Wallington residents faced misery at the hands of Southern Rail. Liberal Democrats have long demanded that Conservative ministers sack Southern Rail, but instead, out-of-touch Conservatives have responded by hitting Wallington residents with a hike in rail fares. That is completely unjustifiable.”

A spokesperson said: "We run more than 2,000 services a month on this route alone, which shares some of the busiest track in the country with other routes and operators.

Over four out of every five trains arrived on time during this autumn period, despite unusually high disruption caused by leaf fall, which was particularly heavy in areas south of Wallington where Southern and South West Trains services intersect.

"Further, this combination of poor traction and congested track means that any other incident such as a signal or points failure will be even more disruptive than at other times.

"The Department for Transport approves all fares and receives all ticket sales money for Southern and other Govia Thameslink Railway services."