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6 in shortlist for Southern/Thameslink/Gt Northern franchise

by petermount on Thu Sep 13, 2012 9:17 am under Southern
According to This Is SussexSix rail firms have been shortlisted by the Government to take over the combined Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern franchise which will operate services from East Grinstead.

The new franchise, which will run until at least 2020, will initially combine the services provided by rail firms Southern Railway and First Capital Connect and later Southeastern.

The winning bidder will be responsible for improving the service into the capital and Brighton. It will also serve commuters using Dormans and Lingfield stations to London and Brighton from October 2013.

There is, however, no guarantee that rail fares will remain unchanged to meet the costs of a new fleet of carriages and service improvements.
Chairman of East Grinstead Town Council's public services committee, Heidi Brunsdon wrote:It was imperative the winning bid put commuters first.

The railway is a vital gateway to areas such as East Croydon and Gatwick and not just London so I would like to see price stabilisation," Cllr Brunsdon said.

I would also like to see a smoother and cheaper ride for commuters and a greater transparency from operators regarding fares.


A consultation period on the project ends tomorrow (Friday). The Government will then draw up a specification based on its findings to guide bidders for the lucrative contract.

Full story: This Is Sussex
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