The current Southern franchise expires in September 2009, and the DfT have just published the consultation document for its replacement.
Of note:
The mooted handover of London area services to TfL/London Overground is off, though TfL are being consulted heavily both before and during the franchise.
London Overground style frequency and operating hour increases are suggested, as is gating of stations (required to operate full time) and monitoring ticketless travel.
East London Line phase 2 is still treated as not confirmed, but something about the language makes me think they're assuming it's likely to happen.
Future Southern services on the West London Line are likely to be Milton Keynes-East Croydon augmented by Shepherd's Bush-East Croydon services, as well as the future 4 trains per hour run by London Overground. Full details are given in the document.
They expect Oyster PAYG to have been implemented before the end of the current franchise.
Attached to this posting is a draft response regarding the consultation document. If you have any feedback on this document please send it to me michael@foresthillsociety.com or post your comments here.
So having just got rid of the French in Connex if I am not mistaked Ned Railways are The Dutch National Railways.
I think Southern are doing quite a good job.
I think we should remember how well run the French and Dutch Railways are. It is good that there are a number of bidders as it should enable DfT and TfL to make sure passengers get the best possible service.
Yes I do travel by train a lot in Europe and agree the Dutch and Belgian Railways are first class. We must not remember that the British Rail System in The South East runs more trains than any of these.
I would say the service has improved massively since Connex stepped in. Not that many years ago I'd find myself waiting for well over half an hour at least once a week for a train in the morning. Plus the line is much busier now, so overall, better the devil you know I'd say.
Hilltopgeneral - the biggest chunk of Govia is owned by the Go-Ahead group - a bus company that started in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne!
Wye aye man, ye can tek yer croissants and shove em up ye hahahahaaaa
Seriously, Govia have done a much better job than Connex with the south central and south eastern rail franchises, so much so that they were given a new franchise last year operating Birmingham's local services and the stopping services from Birmingham into Euston as well.
And I believe there are plans to extend Southern's Clapham Junction - Watford Junction services further north to Milton Keynes as well.
Yes I do travel by train a lot in Europe and agree the Dutch and Belgian Railways are first class.
Last time I was in the Netherlands the train service was just like ours: regularly late and despised by the locals. Admittedly that was 5 years ago, so may have improved since.
So who would you rather have running Southern from September 2009?
NedRail (currently running Merseyrail and Northern Rail with the help of Serco)
Stagecoach (run South West Trains and own a big chunk of Virgin Trains)
National Express (operate the old GNER intercity routes out of Kings Cross to Yorkshire, the Northeast and Scotland, intercity services out of Liverpool Street to, and local services within, East Anglia, and out of Fenchurch Street to Southend, along with loads of coaches and buses)
Or Govia, the incumbents, who took over and turned around the old Connex operations, Southeastern and South Central, and were recently awarded a new franchise operating local services in Birmingham and the stopping services between Birmingham and Euston.
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