An increase in ticket revenues has seen South West Trains deliver a £16 million dividend to Stagecoach.

As well as the increase in revenue from £866.8 million to £910.1 million, the rail provider enjoyed an increase in its government subsidy - which jumped from £133.5 million to £160.2 million in the year to April 26 2014.

As profits were elevated, South West Trains also saw the cost of its franchise rise, from £415.1 million to £461.2 million. This meant the company was left with pre-tax profits of £29.7 million - up from the previous year’s £23.7 million, the Daily Mail reports.

The company directors put this increase in sales down to the launch of new marketing campaigns, adding that they plan to do more of this sort of thing this year.

The South West Trains network includes routes through Devon, Hampshire, Somerset, Dorset, Surrey and Wiltshire.