TFL to take over London's entire suburban rail network

[Helenalexandra1]

I, for one, can't wait not to be reliant on the terrible commuter services operated by Southeastern and Thameslink from Denmark Hill

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/tfl-to-take-command-of-londons-entire-suburban-rail-network-a3161586.html

[Otta]

Great news, but imagine it will take ages to actually happen.

[healey]

About time...

I wonder if this will put the reopening of Camberwell station on the cards?

[Monkey]

Yes, about time. I do worry that in the meantime, southern's service will get worse.

[dirac]

Yes this is great news and hopefully it wont take too long. The service from Southeastern and Southern are absolutely shocking.

[DulwichFox]

Can't see why anyone would be keen for TFL to take over London's entire suburban rail network....

Take a look how they run the bus services... It would be a complete disaster..

DulwichFox.

[Sue]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Can't see why anyone would be keen for TFL to take

> over London's entire suburban rail network....

>

> Take a look how they run the bus services... It

> would be a complete disaster..

>

Fox - think positive!! :)

[Lowlander]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Can't see why anyone would be keen for TFL to take

> over London's entire suburban rail network....

>

> Take a look how they run the bus services... It

> would be a complete disaster..

>

> DulwichFox.

What's wrong with the buses? As an admittedly infrequent user I find them excellent?

[dirac]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Can't see why anyone would be keen for TFL to take

> over London's entire suburban rail network....

>

> Take a look how they run the bus services... It

> would be a complete disaster..

>

> DulwichFox.

For me coming from somewhere where there are only 5 buses per day, and usually more than an hour late I find the bus service great!

[Earl Aelfheah]

"...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."

[eastdulwichhenry]

This is bad news. Point to point season tickets will no longer be available, meaning a commute from ED to London Bridge will cost ?140 per month instead of ?68.

[Otta]

rahrahrah Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> "...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."

So lets not get too excited right now (although still good news in the long run).

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Can't see why anyone would be keen for TFL to take

> over London's entire suburban rail network....

>

> Take a look how they run the bus services... It

> would be a complete disaster..

>

> DulwichFox.

Buses are actually run by a number of different companies, so TfL often not directly to blame for issues. Personally I find the bus services pretty bloody impressive when you consider the numbers using them, especially at school run times.

I use the London Overground every day from Sydenham to Canada Water, followed by tube and DLR. The overground is bloody great, and if we end up with nice new trains that you can walk all the way through (like we have on the existing overground routes) then that would be brilliant.

[Penguin68]

This is bad news. Point to point season tickets will no longer be available, meaning a commute from ED to London Bridge will cost ?140 per month instead of ?68.

I am not sure this is certain - point-to-point will presumably still operate on trains starting outside the TfL area (i.e. outside the furthest zone) - I suspect that this will be more complex (and thus offer perhaps some changes from) the Oyster style charging on the existing Overground. There may well be opportunities to make representations about exactly how these lines will be taken over, and its impact on customers. Certainly, for you, this may be a worse case scenario (although presumably you would also welcome the opportunity for flexibility inherent in a fully integrated and comprehensive trains: buses: tubes system in London).

[eastdulwichhenry]

Yes, Penguin, in general it would be good news, and hopefully as you say it would be worked out in consultation with passengers.

I'm just worried about the specific issue of season tickets. It's already more complicated for people living in Wandsworth Rd etc. who have to buy tickets for journeys longer than they really do, just to still be covered by a national rail fare.

[Bic Basher]

eastdulwichhenry Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> This is bad news. Point to point season tickets

> will no longer be available, meaning a commute

> from ED to London Bridge will cost ?140 per month

> instead of ?68.

They've kept season tickets from stations they took over out of Liverpool Street. It's very likely they'll keep that model for Southern and Southeastern.

Southeastern services will move to TfL in 2018 (Victoria to Dartford via Peckham Rye, Victoria to Orpington via West Dulwich). This should mean improvements to late evening and Sunday services and fully staffed stations at Nunhead, West Dulwich and Sydenham Hill until the last train.

Southern moves across in 2021.

However it appears Thameslink trains on the Wimbledon Loop and to Sevenoaks will stay with them, along with Denmark Hill station.

[ednewmy]

Excellent news. In a few months time my nearest station will be Kent House on the Orpington-Victoria route so to have it brought into the Overground network is a real reassurance that the service to and from Victoria will be reliable.

This whole endeavour is surely only good news for SE London.

[dbboy]

Be careful what you wish for.

[rabbitears]

TfL can't help be better than useless, useless Southern.

[Annasfield]

I can only see this as a good thing. I'm made up!

The service from Catford is diabolical at present

[Zebedee Tring]

If the future service will be anything like the Overground services to Clapham Junction and W. Croydon, this can only be good news. Shame though that we won't see the change for Southern services until 2021/

[rabbitears]

I expect BoJo when he becomes Tory leader to take his London experience and make resumption of state operation of railways official Conservative policy rofllollol

[trefford21]

Very good news. The think tank report published earlier this month would have been quite influential in this decision, and that report included recommendations for a new station at Camberwell, and also a new tunnel between Wandsworth Road and Herne Hill that would allow for a Brixton interchange on the Southeastern line to Denmark Hill and Peckham Rye. Here are two extracts from the report...

"The high costs of this approach lead us to propose a different solution for both Brixton and Herne Hill. The common feature at both locations is the Victoria/ Kent fast services, which could be put into a new tunnel running from near Wandsworth Road to a location southeast of Herne Hill. This would incur tunnelling costs but avoid the need for a tunnelled station on the Thameslink route at Herne Hill. It would free track capacity for additional stopping services and new Brixton platforms on the Southeastern line towards Peckham. In turn the ELL trains using the South London Line (SLL) might be able to use those tracks and platforms, and so avoid the need for an expensive new raised station. The existing ELL tracks through Brixton would then be freed up to provide additional capacity. Fast trains should gain more line capacity through the busy inner suburbs and a faster run giving shorter journey times. The full costs and (much larger) benefits of this scheme should be explored in detail."

"Taking all this into account, we propose that new stations be considered at: Battersea (near Battersea Dogs Home, on the South London line); Beddington; Brockley; Camberwell; Clapham High Street and Wandsworth Road (southeastern platforms); Clapham East; and Tooting St Georges. Interchanges should also be considered at: Streatham (as discussed); Penge West to Penge East; New Cross to New Cross Gate; Lewisham and Lewisham South."

Link to full report here - http://centreforlondon.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Turning_South_London_Orange.pdf

[nxjen]

Sorry, I'm unclear who the "us" and "we" in your post refers to - would this be Centre for London or another organisation?

[trefford21]

It refers to the authors of the report (ie. Centre for London).

[nxjen]

Thanks for clarifying, I didn't realise the second and third paragraphs were quotes from the report