The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today submitted proposals to the Government to make millions of pounds available to bring London's suburban rail services up to the standard set by the Mayor's hugely popular London Overground.
Under direct Mayoral management passengers would benefit from more frequent and reliable services, simpler ticketing, cleaner and safer stations and better standards of customer service. Superior suburban services would also boost the capital's competitiveness by delivering major improvements to mainline rail services, supporting economic growth and jobs for Londoners.
Currently, with the exception of the London Overground network, rail services into the capital are provided by several private train operating companies, each with their own franchise agreement with central Government. This has led to a less efficient network, a confusing mix of ticket prices and fare arrangements for passengers, varying service quality standards and poor public information provision.
Bringing the franchises under direct Mayoral control would not only improve the service, but also save millions of pounds, which would be reinvested into further improving the network. Savings from the Southeastern and West Anglia franchises alone could amount to £100m over 20 years. TfL would use that money to improve some 104 stations, bringing them up to the superior London Overground standards.
The Mayor also wants to introduce a smartcard-based, more flexible ticketing strategy to deliver a coherent and integrated fare structure across London. |
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Source: transportweekly
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