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Please sign the petition Remove the franchise for Southern Rail from Govia Thameslink
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m00ky


Posts: 52
Joined: Nov 2014
Post: #1
21-06-2016 10:58 AM

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/116904

Currently at about 8,800 signatures.

At 10,000 signatures, government will respond to this petition.
At 100,000 signatures, this petition will be considered for debate in Parliament.

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Londondrz


Posts: 1,538
Joined: Apr 2006
Post: #2
21-06-2016 12:12 PM

Signed.8987 signatures now.

This post was last modified: 21-06-2016 12:13 PM by Londondrz.

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Erekose


Posts: 557
Joined: May 2010
Post: #3
22-06-2016 09:22 PM

Signed plus persuaded three colleagues from work to sign.

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Londondrz


Posts: 1,538
Joined: Apr 2006
Post: #4
22-06-2016 10:54 PM

23;53 on Wed and still the trains are delayed.

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Devonish Forester


Posts: 62
Joined: Nov 2015
Post: #5
24-06-2016 01:24 PM

I thought TFL was taking over the London routes operated by Southern.

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Sherwood


Posts: 1,412
Joined: Mar 2005
Post: #6
25-06-2016 07:53 AM

When the franchise expires.

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Mr_Numbers


Posts: 513
Joined: May 2012
Post: #7
04-07-2016 02:59 PM

We shouldn't be trying to get rid of Southern - we should be trying to get it some Arts Council funding.

This from The Daily Mash...

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mrwandle


Posts: 73
Joined: Sep 2011
Post: #8
04-07-2016 03:27 PM

Rumour has it Southern were turned down for this franchise

New Southern 'emergency timetable' to be launched tomorrow. I'm sure I'll be spending at lot more time at Canada Water than I'd like to in the near future.

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m00ky


Posts: 52
Joined: Nov 2014
Post: #9
04-07-2016 03:48 PM

BBC is reporting that the Unions are claiming 350 trains a day are going to be dropped from the timetable tomorrow - oh joy:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36701300

What I'd really like to see some statistics on union membership vs absenteeism. Also it was noticeable that the trains were really suffering on the nights England were playing in UEFA... all very well for the staff to skip work to watch the match, but some of us were stuck trying to get home to see the games. b**tards.

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Devonish Forester


Posts: 62
Joined: Nov 2015
Post: #10
04-07-2016 04:41 PM

The Green MP Caroline Lucas is demonstrating support - reported today in 'The Guardian'.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016...f-contract

Lucas asserts clearly that Govia Thameslink should lose the franchise.

I am not aware of any other political involvement, and would be interested to hear of any.

Whenever I write to Southern to complain, I get the usual pre-scripted 'customer services' c**p. It's very hard in this country to be able to communicate with anyone who is accountable, as they are protected by layers of 'customer services' bureaucracy.

I have complained about trains that are advertised as stopping trains that fail to stop as advertised; trains at night and at the weekends that are too short - sometimes passengers cannot board the trains AT WEEKENDS!

I don't understand the station staffing - sometimes three or four staff at FH station, but sometimes nobody (typically at non-commuter times when visitors to FH might need assistance).

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Decker


Posts: 116
Joined: Nov 2014
Post: #11
05-07-2016 10:15 AM

No point for us really. This dispute and the people most affected are people who rely on regional Southern services. Specifically those that rely on train conductors. Which none of our trains have.


Metro Southern services that we rely on are being transferred to TFL post 2018 anyway.

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mrwandle


Posts: 73
Joined: Sep 2011
Post: #12
05-07-2016 10:34 AM

The last 'emergency timetable' was in Jan 2015 and lasted for months, I think it was May before the West Croydon peak trains came back. I'm sure there were services that never reappeared on the schedule.

It was never confirmed that metro services were transferring to TfL, that reliable geezer Mayor of London Boris Johnson stated it would happen and was quoted in the Standard but the details were never disclosed.... sound familiar? Anyway I'm not keen on waiting two years to get to work on time.

It effects me almost every day. Every train that doesn't get to London Bridge on time then makes its departure late, every driver stuck outside Norwood Junction doesn't get to switch trains on time, late again. A rubbish regional service means our trains are terrible too.

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Decker


Posts: 116
Joined: Nov 2014
Post: #13
05-07-2016 12:58 PM

New Timetable is out.


Following trains are cancelled from forest hill
Morning peak
6:45am to London Bridge
8:09am to London Bridge


That's all I could find.

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squashst


Posts: 129
Joined: Mar 2009
Post: #14
06-07-2016 06:05 AM

That makes the post 08:00 peak into London Bridge very thin - so from HOP that is 08:03, 08:24, 08:47 (the old 08:33 got cut with the Lon Bridge redevelopment). Though I still prefer the commute to Lon Bridge compared to Canary Wharf! Lets hope the missing peak trains come back in due course.

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Decker


Posts: 116
Joined: Nov 2014
Post: #15
06-07-2016 07:44 AM

Yeah the London Bridge commute is far more bearable than CW. Almost always get a seat. Can enjoy a coffee as well. Not to mention I can actually breathe. The overground airflow / air conditioning is disgraceful.

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m00ky


Posts: 52
Joined: Nov 2014
Post: #16
07-07-2016 05:51 AM

The Government response:

Govia Thameslink Railway are delivering plans to reverse decades of under-investment on the rail network. Removing the franchise from GTR will not address the challenges on this part of the network.

The challenges of this part of the network are not new. The industry and Government are addressing the longstanding, historic problems, including driver shortages, rolling stock and network capacity. By 2018 we expect to return the network to the performance that all passengers deserve, and we will do it with increased capacity, renewed facilities and robust, durable infrastructure. Changing the name on the company’s front door would do anything to solve the problems.

This part of the network is extremely complex; indeed it is one of the busiest in Europe. Punctuality on this part of the network has always proven challenging due to the complexity of the infrastructure and the volume of services that operate on it. However, we know that passengers are very frustrated about performance and the service they receive.

The Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) franchise incorporates an unprecedented level of investment in the network. The introduction of new trains, new infrastructure and new ways of working is intended to reverse decades of under-investment on this part of the network and provide passengers with more capacity on more reliable services. Given the recent growth in passenger demand, maintaining the status quo is not an option. But the transformation cannot occur overnight. It will take time and close management across the industry to ensure improvements are delivered to passengers.

Using the contractual mechanisms available, the Secretary of State served a Remedial Plan notice to GTR last year. In response, GTR have developed a Remedial Plan in response which includes obligations for GTR to recruit and train sufficient drivers to operate current and future timetables, improve reliability of rolling stock and provide better customer information. Passengers are still likely to see disruption occurring in the short term as these plans take time to implement, however taking the franchise away from GTR will not help resolve the issues. This would only create a period of uncertainty for passengers and staff alike. While there are plans in place that are addressing the situation, it is right to allow the current operator the time to address and work through the issues.

Over the past six months (as at June 2016), both Southern and Thameslink PPM has been steadily increasing, with the four weekly aggregated figures rising from 75.6% in December 2015 to 83.7% at the end of April 2016 for both services. Unfortunately, the recent challenges have seen a deterioration in the measure.

I’ve been clear that the current situation on Southern and Thameslink routes is unacceptable and that passengers deserve a far better service. However, the situation has been made far worse by union bosses, who are leading their members into a dispute that is in no way justified. During May and June, a significant proportion of the cancellations was caused by the unjustified industrial action on this route, and the operator has a contractual right not to be penalised for events like this that are outside of their control. It is disappointing that union bosses continue to overlook the impact they are having on passengers, and we urge the unions to work with the operator to resolve this issue as a matter of urgency.

The Franchise Agreement sets out the steps the Secretary of State must take should GTR not meet its contractual performance benchmarks. There are further actions available to the Secretary of State should GTR not meet their obligations and be in breach of its Franchise Agreement. At that point the Department will follow its published enforcement process.

Whilst we understand the frustration felt by passengers affected by disruption, we would like to assure you that the Department for Transport is determined to see further improvements and for GTR to provide the service that passengers expect.

Department for Transport

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Erekose


Posts: 557
Joined: May 2010
Post: #17
07-07-2016 12:36 PM

They still have way to go before they reach the depths plumbed by the execrable Connex South Central but they are well on the way. It took a while before Connex had their franchise removed so there is hope yet especially if the level of service falls further.

This post was last modified: 07-07-2016 12:37 PM by Erekose.

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rbmartin


Posts: 1,074
Joined: Nov 2007
Post: #18
11-07-2016 09:01 PM

News report about today's protest at Victoria and also from commuters at East Dulwich who now only have one train per hour in the peak.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_bN3wufOP4

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m00ky


Posts: 52
Joined: Nov 2014
Post: #19
26-08-2016 07:27 AM

Quote:
MPs debated the performance of Govia Thameslink rail service on Wednesday 13 July.

How to find out what was said:

You can watch the debate on Parliament TV: http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index...f99aafbf68

You can read the debate on the Hansard website: https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/20...ailService

Who was involved:

Tim Loughton MP led the debate and other MPs took part. Claire Perry MP, a Government Transport Minister, responded to the points made at the end of the debate.

More about the debate:

Tim Loughton MP successfully entered a ballot system for this debate. This is one way backbench MPs can get debates in Parliament.

The debate was an "adjournment debate". You can find out more about adjournment debates on the Parliament website: http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/busin...journment/

More information:

You can read the House of Commons library information which was written for MPs taking part on the Parliament website: http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/R...-2016-0139

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