Japanese co-operation

The deliberate creation of the UK’s biggest franchise with a unique financial deal, so that Govia Thameslink/Southern would get paid a fixed sum whether it ran trains or not, was crazy.

Even before the strikes many services were cancelled, because the franchise chose to have no spare capacity on staffing. So if anyone is sick, services are cancelled - to the franchise operator, this is the most profitable way to work.

Although one-man operation may work on platforms with short (three- or four-car) trains and little overcrowding, on long-distance services with ten or more coaches and crowded platforms it does not.

In Tokyo, many lines run across the city without being operated by a single company. JNR East also operates cross-city services, but they are publicised (often) by a double name (one for one side of the city and the other for the other side) as the Sobu/Chuo line).

No such franchises were created when cross-city lines were built underground, linking to services from Narita Airport through the centre of the city to Haneda Airport to the southwest of Tokyo.

This was constructed and put into operation in 1960. Since then nine more lines have been constructed - they are multipleoperated, with guards on all parts of the operation and changes of staff where one franchise moves to another. Spare staff are employed on standby at the stations.

There have been no franchise changes as the private companies are profitable, have responsibility for their section of track, and own their own trains. Was this option ever examined by the Government? James Whitworth, Shetland