Southern Trains Franchise

Toots · Post by **Toots** » 10 Dec 2013 08:29

Does anyone know when this is up for renewal or indeed anyone keen to join me in a 'Stop Southern Rail' campaign?

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biscuitman1978 · Post by **biscuitman1978** » 10 Dec 2013 09:06

A quick search via Google or other search engine is usually quite revealing...

Anyway, try this: http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN01343.pdf (section 2.12).

Willy · Post by **Willy** » 10 Dec 2013 09:39

I currently hate Southern with a passion! I can't remember the last time the 8:18 or 8:28 actually turned up on time

Likelife · Post by **Likelife** » 10 Dec 2013 14:59

July 2015 is the end of the current Southern franchise. Its to be merged with Thameslink Great Northern (currently run by First Capital Connect) from that date. However the Thameslink franchise will end in September 2014. Depending on the winner of that franchise: either First (which I doubt will win), Stagecoach (operator of South West Trains), Govia (operator of Southern & Southeastern), Abellio (operator of Greater Anglia) and MTR (a kind of operator of London Overground). Who ever wins the Thameslink franchise this Spring, will run Southern services (and a few Southeastern services) from 2015.

Caterham trains are expected to become a Thameslink in the franchise, though its not very clear at the moment whether they will stop at Sydenham. The franchise will be very different from any other franchise created as the Department for Transport are to set more rules and standards. It will also be the largest franchise in terms of passengers, fleet and staff. Will performance improve? I doubt it, unless Network Rail get their act together.

If you're interested you can read the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise ''Invitation to Tender'' by the DfT here: (beware! it has a lot of jargon!) https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... tender.pdf

Bunty · Post by **Bunty** » 10 Dec 2013 21:15

FCC are even worse than Southern; delays, weekend works and high fares. I agree with others, service getting worse each week. No doubt there will be a fare increase in 2014.

laurie_sydenhamhill · Post by **laurie_sydenhamhill** » 10 Jan 2014 17:12

Is it just me or have Southern got alot worse since the beinning of December? There was a period befor Christmas where everyday had delays or cancellations. This year has started off just as bad - chaos at London Bridge on Monday and Tuesday evening, trains delayed or cancelled this morning. I wish they'd remove the franchise like East Coast - it now runs really well under (shock horror) state control!

biscuitman1978 · Post by **biscuitman1978** » 10 Jan 2014 21:43

laurie_sydenhamhill wrote:Is it just me or have Southern got alot worse since the beinning of December? There was a period befor Christmas where everyday had delays or cancellations. This year has started off just as bad - chaos at London Bridge on Monday and Tuesday evening, trains delayed or cancelled this morning. I wish they'd remove the franchise like East Coast - it now runs really well under (shock horror) state control!

Welcome to the forum, laurie_sydenhamhill. Sorry to take issue with you immediately, but bear in mind that:

- The East Coast franchise was surrendered by the operator; it wasn't removed from them

- In terms of punctuality, based on data available on the Network Rail website East Coast performance is now worse than it was in the four years prior to transfer to the public sector

- Only delays and cancellations which relate to the rolling stock can reasonably be attributed to the operator (whether Southern, East Coast or any other); those delays which relate to track and signalling are generally the responsibility of Network Rail, a not for dividend company

I don't for a moment pretend that Southern are perfect (far from it), and nor I am saying that the involvement of the private sector in the railway necessarily offers a better service (and in some cases quite the opposite, as we saw from Railtrack), but let's get our facts straight in order that we can have an informed discussion.

Finally, we need to be reasonable: many of the delays before and over the Christmas period were due to the weather, which neither the private nor the public sector have the ability to control.

roundasapound · Post by **roundasapound** » 16 Jan 2014 11:07

Southeastern are the pits! They are a hell of a lot worse than Southern trains.

I'll be moving soon and will soon have no choice but to use SE train service. Absolutely dreading it

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