08.06.15
London Assembly set to push for more national rail services to be given to TfL
London Assembly’s Transport Select Committee is to explore the challenges facing the capital’s rail network and how devolution of control to the mayor might help address these.
At this week’s meeting, the Committee will discuss the terms for investigating further rail devolution, which has seen TfL control London Overground services since 2007.
From May this year, TfL has also taken responsibility for services on the Inner West Anglia Route. TfL will also control Crossrail, a new National Rail route, which will open in 2018, with MTR awarded the contract to run the service.
The background report noted that in 2012, the mayor and TfL made a formal proposal to the Department for Transport to devolve control of inner suburban rail services: specifically, parts of the Anglia and Kent/South Eastern franchises.
However, this was only partially successful as DfT transferred control of some of the Anglia inner suburban lines to TfL, but none of the Kent/South Eastern franchise.
The Committee will now seek to understand current problems on National Rail services in
London and how passengers are affected by these. It is expected that this overview of problems will inform the Committee’s exploration of why devolution is needed and what issues it could help address.
In tomorrow’s meeting, the Committee is being asked to agree to arrange site visits London Bridge station and on the new lines added to the London Overground network from the Greater Anglia franchise as part of the investigation.
Additionally, members are being asked to agree to recommend to the GLA Oversight Committee that expenditure of up to £5,000 be authorised to commission an external contractor to carry a survey of London residents on attitudes to National Rail services.
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