London St. Pancras High Speed, the operator of the fast rail link between London and the Channel Tunnel, delivered a notable boost in train performance over the past year. According to the Office of Rail and Road’s (ORR) annual report, services ran more efficiently even as passenger numbers surged.
Between April 2024 and March 2025, the number of delayed train services dropped dramatically—from roughly three in every 400 services the previous year to just one in 400. Average delays per train also fell to just 4.2 seconds, slicing previous figures by nearly two-thirds—all while coping with an 8% increase in traffic.
However, the report highlighted that recent disruptions stemmed mainly from rare but impactful events, including a major points failure and two power supply issues. ORR is calling on the operator to strengthen its recovery processes for these high-impact incidents.
Beyond train performance, concerns remain around infrastructure reliability. ORR has instructed London St. Pancras High Speed to step up its asset management, particularly regarding lifts and escalators. One serious incident at Ebbsfleet International Station resulted in two passengers requiring hospital care, underscoring the urgency.
The regulator also flagged the need for better forecasting of asset condition and greater readiness for extreme weather events. In its Final Determination for PR24, ORR mandated accelerated improvements to station facilities and promised continued close monitoring.
London’s high-speed service may be moving in the right direction, but staying on track requires more than punctual trains—it means building trust through resilient infrastructure and smarter asset strategy.
Feras Alshaker, Director, Planning and Performance, said:
"London St. Pancras High Speed continues to deliver a good experience for its users overall, with reliability and punctuality much higher than the mainline network.”
“As the high speed line nears two decades of operation, it is important that London St. Pancras High Speed learns lessons from its own and other networks to sustain these high levels of performance as its assets age."
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