Future Southern rail improvements revealed by MP
Forthcoming improvements to Southern rail services this December have been revealed by Lewisham MP Ellie Reeves.
You may recall that due to overcrowding following cuts enforced on Southern services by the Department for Transport, Transport for London were considering running additional peak time trains into London Bridge.
Southern and London Overground share tracks through parts of south and south east London.
TfL later came back to Lewisham Council stating that Southern would increase services.
In a response to a question at a council meeting they stated:
“During the course of our feasibility study, it emerged that Southern plan to reintroduce the services in 2025. We will monitor the re-introduction of the Southern services and if for any reason that does not progress, we will look at this again”
According to MP Ellie Reeves, following a meeting with Southern they will restore “2x an hour from Penge West and Anerley and increase them to 4x an hour from Sydenham & Forest Hill”.
She then stated “great that they have listened to my constituents & acted”.
However none of what happens be it cuts, rolling stock being scrapped or services returning happens without the agreement of Whitehall. Services, fares, staffing and much else is decided by central government.
Southern, like other rail companies whether directly controlled such as Southeastern or operating under contract like Southern are at the almost complete behest of central government.
And Southern wants more extra trains including Class 387s from Great Northern. With Great Northern to begin using the Class 379s that are replacing the Class 387s as of when the Class 379s have entered service.
This is good news. Let’s hope the services on Southern routes are improved. With so much redevelopment across London. Infrastructure needs to be improved to meet demand.. As demand will continue to grow over the next few years as developments are completed and residents move in. I do not think it is just a Department of Transport problem. Local Authorities and Developers need to provide funding to improve services including train and bus services long with the Government.
GTR Southern could have ordered new trains that would have replaced the Class 455 and Class 313. But they have Class 171 Turbostar and Class 377 & Class 387 Electrostar that they were built by Bombardier (now part of Alstom).