Go-Ahead warns it may need taxpayer support for Southern rail services

[Drsatan]

Wow, really?! You should try taking a public transport journey outside of London, you might be in for a shock!

True, try taking a bus anywhere outside of London where bus operators only have to give a 56 day notice before withdrawing a bus service, and where bus times, fares and vehicles used are unregulated. Try catching any Stagecoach in Hampshire bus and then any TfL-contracted bus and the difference is quite stark.

I'm also assuming you've never had to force yourself onto an overcrowded 150 at Manchester Oxford Road during the rush hour - again, notice the contrast between that and a 10 car 444 on SWML fast services.

However, the OP's post has vanished. Is he trolling?

 

[paul1609]

Im actually a critic of the London centric investment programmes when you compare Crossrail, Thameslink etc.. with the large investment programmes elsewhere in the country (Birmingham New Street, Leeds Station, Lancashire Triangle, Northern Hub)

However on this point rail/Underground/Tramlink/Bus fares in London are actually the lowest as a percentage of average income than they are anywhere else in the country. In London a season ticket is on average something like 10% of annual income whereas elsewhere its as high as 30%.

Really? i find it hard to believe that overall London is cheaper than PTE places such as Manchester, West Yorkshire, Strathclyde and Merseyside.

 

[WatcherZero]

Yep, average wage in the North West is £19,236 (but in many areas like Blackpool as low as 15k) while in Greater London its £27,560 (if you only count South London its actually £36,000) with an average season ticket being 3-4 thousand in London and 2-3 thousand in the North West. Basically in simple terms if you live in London you earn 43% more but only pay 33% more in transport costs.

 

[Monty]

Which Toc are you thinking of? Up here all the Tocs have increased their physical and manual gating over the last five years or so, even the ones in revenue support. First with their strategy to gate all West Coast stations are trying to squueze the last drops of revenue out as they say they believe only 4% of revenue is being lost from evasion/fake tickets and they think they can cut that down to 2%.

The Revenue Protection department at South West Trains has taken a pretty big hit in recent years. No new assistants and inspectors have been recruited in since mid 2007, when I joined in February 2007 we had 80 inspectors to cover the Reading/Windsor area, by the time I had left to become a guard they were down to about 30.

 

[BestWestern]

The Revenue Protection department at South West Trains has taken a pretty big hit in recent years. No new assistants and inspectors have been recruited in since mid 2007, when I joined in February 2007 we had 80 inspectors to cover the Reading/Windsor area, by the time I had left to become a guard they were down to about 30.

The same thinking which is presumably also behind the gateline at Southampton Central going from a ring of steel to a wet paper bag! Quite often find them left open now, sometimes even during the day. Very poor show, but again, who cares if it's all underwritten by the taxpayer?!

 

[HH]

From the full year results:

Our rail operations performed well during the year, with operating profit ahead of last year on an underlying basis. Last year included £13.0m of one-off rail contract management benefits.

Overall, Southern performed well in the year, although as previously highlighted in June, the economic environment has started to present challenges. The bid model, which was put together in 2009, assumed stronger underlying economic growth rates than are currently being experienced.

Southern have actually performed ahead of their bid in revenue terms before this year. We have seen no actual revenue figures for last year yet. This talk of revenue problems strikes me as a possible management ploy to take attention away from their real problem - that they haven't made the cost savings they said they would.

 

[Stats]

Southern have actually performed ahead of their bid in revenue terms before this year. We have seen no actual revenue figures for last year yet.

They are in the full year results aren't they?

Southern
Passenger revenue growth was 7.9% (2011: 8.6%) and passenger numbers increased by 1.2% (2011: 2.3%) when compared to last year.
The current economic environment presents challenges going forward as the bid model in 2009 assumed stronger underlying economic growth rates at this stage in the franchise. At the year end the franchise was delivering revenue around 2% below the bid assumptions.

In 2012 financial year passenger revenue was £615.2m and other revenue £51.7m from which they paid a premium payment of £106.9m.