TfL to take command of the capital's entire suburban rail network

[whole diary]

[PhilWakely]

I'm not entirely sure whether this is 'news', but....
From the Evening Standard

TfL^» (Transport for London - about) to take command of the capital's entire suburban rail network with London Overground
All suburban rail services in the capital will be rebranded as London Overground

Embattled commuters should finally get more frequent and reliable train services after Transport for London confirmed today it would take control of the capital's suburban rail network.

The long-running campaign to persuade ministers to devolve powers over services should increase capacity, eventually bringing an end to the cattle truck conditions for millions of Londoners, and improve accessibility.

TfL plans to streamline fares and travel information across the whole suburban rail network, rebranding the services London Overground and turning the capital's transport map orange.

Commuter services running from Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Moorgate, Victoria, Waterloo and London Bridge, which has suffered some of the worst delays, would all be transferred under the plans.

With the capital's population set to rise from 8.6 million today to 10 million by 2030, the proposals should ensure the network is able to cope, especially in South London which is heavily reliant on surface rail.

The new era for rail travel was hailed a victory for Boris Johnson who has spearheaded the campaign, which has cross-party support and was first initiated by Ken Livingstone, to take over control of each route as its franchise comes up for renewal.

The Mayor told the Standard: "Our railways have been the workhorse of the London and South East economy since Victorian times.

"They're key to the day to day lives of millions of people and vital to our future prosperity, and that's exactly why this new partnership is such a seminal moment.

"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."

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin added: ^We are committed to making journeys better across London and the South East, and this new partnership represents a huge opportunity to transform travel by putting passengers where they should be ^ at the heart of the rail network."

The first route to come under the next Mayor's control will be Southeastern in 2018, followed by Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern services in 2021.

The South West trains franchise is currently under negotiation but is likely to include a "break clause" that means it could be taken over in 2019.

TfL, which will set up a joint management team with the Department of Transport, will run services which operate within the capital's boundaries while DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) officials will be responsible for the wider South East.

The Mayor's control could stretch as far as Sevenoaks and Dartford in the South East, Epsom and Croydon in the South, Hampton and Chessington in the West and Hertford and Welwyn Garden City in the North.

It could mean that more than 80 per cent of stations have a train every 15 minutes, up from 67 per cent today.

Since TfL took over suburban rail routes from Silverlink in 2007 and created London Overground, passenger numbers on the routes have increased sixfold and the network has become one of the most popular railways anywhere in the country.

The proposal means town halls, local enterprise partnerships and other regional bodies could play a more hands on role in how services are planned.

Unlike most of the existing franchise agreements, income from fares would be handed over to TfL to invest in the network, for example bringing in new walk-through trains with more doors and staffing 100 per cent of stations during operating hours.

However, huge sums would still be needed to bring the network up to scratch, especially across South London where demand is highest, at a time when TfL's finances will be under pressure.

City Hall insiders suggested cash for investment could also be raised from the land value increase around stations, as well as from Network Rail and the Government.

[ChrisB]

Hmmm - it's the launch of a consultation to do this.....typical gutter Evening Standard not to mention it.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/rail-passenger-services-in-london-and-the-south-east-a-new-approach

Closing Date March 18

[IndustryInsider]

If and when it does happen I can see TfL finding it a lot harder to turn these new routes into the amazing success story of the rest of the London Overground network.

[ChrisB]

Indeed - there will be a lot of disgruntled ex-Southeastern/Southern pax in particular who are being persuaded TfL^» (Transport for London - about) can do no wrong!

[paul7575]

Now that I've read it through, the prospectus doesn't really say that all routes will be branded and run by LO, that's just the Evening Standard's usual rail policy coming through.   

They'll probably keep trying to brainwash people into thinking that there'll be no standing passengers, if only LO takeover...

I'm not convinced SWT^▸ (South West Trains) would see such a massive improvement.   TfL^» (Transport for London - about) seem keen on doing away with guards for a start, and guards are generally considered one of the good things about the SWT suburban network.

Another question is rolling stock.   People discussing this on the web generally (since it started being widely 'leaked' over the last couple of weeks) seem to be running away with the idea that TfL would always introduce new rolling stock, but vast areas of Southern already have nearly brand-new 377s, and within a couple of years the SWT inners will have the Desiro City being delivered.   Away from that the GN will have brand new Desiros running into Moorgate.   There's no way TfL will build a financial case to use different stock, they'll have to use what they get surely?

Paul

[Tim]

I find it very strange that a Conservative like Boris, someone who could very likely be the next Tory leader and possibly a future PM, is promoting greater state control of railways and an gradual phasing out of the franchising system.  Isn't that precisely the same thing that Corbyn, that supposedly hard-left dangerous radical is proposing on a national scale?

I also find it incongruous that TfL^» (Transport for London - about) under Boris is running this campaign https://tfl.gov.uk/campaign/reinvesting-in-transport
which trumpets the facts that

^We [TfL] don't make a profit because we reinvest all our income to run and improve your services
^We are a public body, with no shareholders or parent companies, which means we can reinvest every pound of income in the transport network

Is that not making some of the same argument that the RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) makes when it is arguing for renationalising the national network?

Socialism for London, Capitalism for everyone else.

[paul7575]

^We [TfL^» (Transport for London - about)] don't make a profit because we reinvest all our income to run and improve your services
^We are a public body, with no shareholders or parent companies, which means we can reinvest every pound of income in the transport network

They still pay LOROL^▸ (London Overground Railway Operations Ltd) a management fee to operate LO though, and that contractor, a joint DB^» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about)/MTR venture still intends to make a profit, doesn't it?   If it only breaks even why bother competing for the contract in the first place?

Paul

[ChrisB]

TfL^» (Transport for London - about) is a non-profit-making body - those it contracts*are* profit-making.

[paul7575]

TfL^» (Transport for London - about) is a non-profit-making body - those it contracts*are* profit-making.

Exactly, it's just sleight of hand.   If they were to just say that LOROL^▸ (London Overground Railway Operations Ltd) (and various other LU contractors) are paid a predictable management fee with various incentives that might be a bit better...

Paul

[Tim]

^We [TfL^» (Transport for London - about)] don't make a profit because we reinvest all our income to run and improve your services
^We are a public body, with no shareholders or parent companies, which means we can reinvest every pound of income in the transport network

They still pay LOROL^▸ (London Overground Railway Operations Ltd) a management fee to operate LO though, and that contractor, a joint DB^» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about)/MTR venture still intends to make a profit, doesn't it?   If it only breaks even why bother competing for the contract in the first place?

Paul

True.  But TfL doesn't play the silly franchise game which is the cause of many of the national network problems. 

Do you not think that the fact that a Tory Mayor has approved a major TfL advertising campaign telling people essentially that TfL is great because it is publically run (regardless of whether or not that is true) is, how might we say it, incongruous?

[ellendune]

I have only skim read it but I don't see anywhere it defines what services it will cover.  Is it just inner suburban or whole franchises (in which case Exeter (via Salisbury) would be considered part of London & the South East!

[Timmer]

I have only skim read it but I don't see anywhere it defines what services it will cover.  Is it just inner suburban or whole franchises (in which case Exeter (via Salisbury) would be considered part of London & the South East!

That is a good point and its not entirely clear. The way I read it would be just inner suburban with a standard franchise operating outer suburban and long distance services. But would a number of long distance and outer suburban would still stop at inner suburban stations e.g Clapham Junction and Bromley South? Pretty sure they would.

[PhilWakely]

I have only skim read it but I don't see anywhere it defines what services it will cover.  Is it just inner suburban or whole franchises (in which case Exeter (via Salisbury) would be considered part of London & the South East!

I suspect it is just inner suburban services, but was Exeter not part of 'Network South East'?

[ChrisB]

The press I've read all refer to services starting/finishing in/around the M25....so inner suburban.

However, the real problem is that very few if any routes have current spare paths in the peaks - so if TfL^» (Transport for London - about) are going to start these up, what loses out?....either accelerated longer distance (so no stopping in places like Bromley South) or possibly fewer more inconvenient pathings?

[Surrey 455]

They'll probably keep trying to brainwash people into thinking that there'll be no standing passengers, if only LO takeover...

Yes, with sideways seats there will definitely be more seats in the future, not less.