DfT and TfL set sights on London rail improvements
THE Department for Transport (DfT) and Transport for London (TfL) plan to develop more frequent and improved rail services in London and the South East, under a new partnership announced on January 21.
TfL and the DfT will work closely with train operators, Network Rail and the wider supply chain, and provide a forum for local authorities, enterprise partnerships and other bodies to influence the specification of rail services. Among the measures proposed is the transfer of responsibility to TfL for inner suburban services that operate mostly or wholly within Greater London.
More frequent services are a cornerstone of the ambition, with a London Suburban Metro service proposed. This could provide 80% of stations within Greater London with a train at least every 15 minutes, an increase from the present figure of 67% of stations.
New railways to connect poorly served areas and support development may also be considered, while improved signalling, faster turnarounds at termini and other improvements could lead to inner suburban trains via Clapham Junction increasing in frequency from 14 trains per hour to 24.
New trains featuring better performance characteristics and interiors better suited to metro- style operation will be considered, as will new interchanges at locations such as Streatham, West Hampstead and Brockley.
However, as a prospectus issued by the DfT and TfL acknowledges: “A London Suburban Metro will require significant investment and take some years to achieve. The partnership will work to identify options for funding this.”
A new fares structure is being considered which would mean passengers in London paying the same for journeys in the TfL zones irrespective of which trains they travel on. There is also an ambition to simplify fares valid across the Greater London/South East networks.
All-night services on London’s inner suburban network could be considered, while other proposed improvements include all-day station staffing on the most intensively used parts of the network, better use of surplus station space, integrated travel information and open data feeds that allow passengers to receive travel advice directly.
“By working closely together and taking on these new services, we’re going to emulate the success of the London Overground and give the entire capital and surrounding
areas the services they truly deserve,” said London Mayor Boris Johnson.
London Transport Commissioner Mike Brown added: “We will work with the DfT to radically improve the service that rail customers experience - integrating fares and information and bringing inner suburban rail services into the public transport network. This will bring us closer to delivering what customers want and London’s economy needs - a reliable metrostyle rail service.
“The development of London Overground has shown what can be achieved by giving greater focus to suburban services, with customers benefiting from staff at stations at all times while services are running, improved safety, and a ‘turn up and go’ service for customers with reduced mobility.”
Rail Delivery Group Chief Executive Paul Plummer said: “The rail industry works closely with both TfL and the DfT to run services, and will work with them to help continue to improve services for passengers and make the best possible use of scarce capacity on our network.
“The railway in and around London is full in many places and, even with planned improvements to allow more trains to run, the desire for more services for passengers in the capital will have to be balanced with the needs of passengers further away and with the needs of rail freight. With around 70% of journeys starting or ending in London, getting this balance right is crucial to both the country and capital.”
Tobyn Hughes, leader of the Urban Transport Group on rail issues, said: “Devolution of responsibilities over rail services has led to better services for passengers, more investment, and rail networks that are far more responsive to local needs. London Overground is one such success story, and the prospect of integrating more of the capital’s rail network under the TfL umbrella is great news for London and its rail users.”
Stephen Locke, chairman of London TravelWatch, said: “The publication of this joint rail prospectus is a very welcome step towards more consistent and joined-up rail services for passengers in and around London.
“We have long supported the concept of rail devolution, and hope that this new partnership between the DfT and TfL will allow them to build on the success of London Overground. We will now start to look at the details in the proposals and will produce a detailed response to the questions they pose.”
He warned, however: “A lot of work will be needed to turn these positive commitments into actual service improvements. The new arrangements for co-ordination need to put passengers first and will require close working with passenger bodies to ensure that the identified improvements are delivered on the ground.”
Sadiq Khan, Labour’s candidate for Mayor of London, said: “Many of London’s train users face a daily nightmare of delays, cancellations and overcrowded trains. That’s why I’ve been campaigning for some time for the Mayor to take control of who runs London’s commuter routes and insist on a better service for passengers.
“While today’s announcement is a step in the right direction, it’s still a consultation with no sign of a proper agreement with the relevant authorities. It will do little to address the anger and frustration of commuters who deserve action now.”
The prospectus is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/493754/dft-tfl-rail-prospectus.pdf. Responses are sought by March 18.