21.11.17
GTR unveils Thameslink improvements but pushes back 24 TPH promise
GTR expects to have introduced 70% of additional services as part of the £7bn Thameslink Programme by May 2018.
Focusing on south east services, the work is expected to increase capacity into London by up to 40,000 passengers in each three-hour peak across the network.
However, the previously promised aim of 24 trains-per-hour has been pushed back from December 2018 to 2019.
The plan was to have trains run like inner-city trams, with new services coming every two to three minutes through London at peak times, but officials have agreed to push plans back a year in order to ensure they are effective.
GTR does expect its Class 700 stock to be spread across the expanded Thameslink network, while there will be new cross-London connections for Cambridge and Peterborough (via Gatwick), Littlehampton, Greenwich, Dartford, Medway Towns, East Grinstead and Horsham.
The new timetable will also see the return of cross-London Thameslink services at London Bridge – up to 12 trains per hour on peak as the station reopens following track and signalling upgrades.
GTR’s chief executive, Charles Horton said: “Passengers will see a transformation in services in May next year, when 70% of the overall capacity benefits of this exciting programme will be delivered including the full implementation of the new more reliable Southern timetable, extended routes, additional services and new trains.
“Overall there will be a massive increase in capacity for passengers into London on an expanded Thameslink network that will give passengers at Cambridge, Peterborough, Littlehampton, Medway Towns, East Grinstead and Horsham new services north-south across London.”
Chris Gibb, chair of the Thameslink Programme Industry Readiness Board, explained the method behind the new timetables introduction.
“By phasing the introduction of the new timetable in this way, we have front-loaded the benefits for passengers and then spread further changes in such a way that they can be more reliably introduced,” he commented.
“Passengers will still enjoy almost as many additional trains in May as previously planned and we are doing some things earlier with an early introduction of some off-peak Thameslink trains through to the East Coast Mainline in April and the early use of the London Bridge route to give performance improvements.
“We have also spread out the introduction of the rest of the cross-London services over three further timetable changes instead of just one.
“This will reliably embed new operating principles in a progressive manner, enabling a smoother introduction with reduced risk of passenger disruption from too much change at any one time.”
In addition to timetable changes, GTR has also announced that Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink services could be affected by improvement work this year between 23 December and New Year’s Day.
The work means the Redhill area will have no train services between that period, while on Boxing Day there will be no trains to and from Gatwick Airport but only a very limited bus service.
Southern and Thameslink’s London Bridge services will also be busier due to major temporary alterations to Southeastern’s timetable.
Nick Brown, chief operating officer for GTR, explained: “There are significant changes to our train services this festive period, particularly at Redhill and Gatwick Airport.
“This supports our programme to modernise the network with new infrastructure, new trains, new technology and new, faster, seamless journeys. I would urge passengers to check and plan ahead.”
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