HAMPSHIRE'S train operator is spending £750,000 telling passengers how good it is - four days after statistics revealed it has the worst record for lateness.

Stagecoach-owned South West Trains, which serves stations across the county and London Waterloo, is spending the cash on cinema, TV and newspaper advertisements.

Statistics from the Strategic Rail Authority for the period April-June 2004 showed that SWT had the worst record for train timekeeping of the ten operators serving London, with only 78.2 per cent on schedule.

SWT said the campaign was "justified", adding that it was proud of its record of new trains and passenger enhancements.

But passengers, fed up with delays, criticised the promotion.

Commuter Mark Field, 52, a conference organiser, said: "This is an obscene amount of money for SWT to be spending blowing its own trumpet when the service is so bad. The money should be spent on improving the service."

One of the advertisements singles out the new

£1m-a-carriage Desiro

train, another highlights SWT's investment of £1

billion on new trains and equipment.

Although it details the trains special features such as increased passenger security, it does not go into actual timekeeping.

A SWT spokeswoman said: "Since June our performance has improved and our 82.4 per cent punctuality record from the period from August 22 to September 18 was our best four-week figure for three years.

"We want to tell people what we are doing. They talk about poor performance and we are showing them in these adverts what we are bringing in to improve things."