Metro Trains to offer free travel due to poor performance

Metro Trains have been forced to give compensation to travellers after the service missed its delivery targets for the second year in a row.

One day of free travel will be given to commuters in Victoria with monthly or yearly Myki passes, if travellers used the service for at least 10 days in July.

The service reached 91.6 per cent last month, falling short of its 92 per cent punctuality target.

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Metro Trains chief executive Raymond O'Flaherty said the delays were due to equipment faults, staff shortages and illegal trespass activity.

"In July we missed our delivery target, we had a high number of cancellations," he said.

"I want to apologise to customers that we have not provided them with the consistent service that they expect.

"We need to do better.

"It's our jobs as operators to manage those impacts."

However, the Public Transport Users Association's President Tony Morton said many commuters were missing out on compensation due to not meeting eligibility criteria.

"It's becoming a big issue now, people are only coming in to the office three days a week," he said.

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"Monthly passes aren't worth it. We now need a wider band of eligible passengers.

"You should be able to demonstrate you're a regular user of the system."

Morton said automatic compensation for cancellations would be a better idea, to keep the operator "on their toes".

To receive the compensation, commuters have to fill in an online claim by the end of the month.