DfT to throw £20m at Southern network

[northwichcat]

Changes to improve the performance of the Southern network and train services and restore passenger confidence were today (1 September 2016) announced by the Department for Transport.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling confirmed a package of measures including a £20 million fund and the appointment of one of Britain’s most experienced rail industry figures to help get the service back running as it should.

Chris Gibb will head a new project board, working with the train operator, the Department for Transport and Network Rail, to explore how to achieve a rapid improvement to services for the public. The board will oversee the £20 million fund and closer working between GTR and Network Rail to improve performance for Southern customers.

A passenger representative will also be included on this review board to ensure commuters’ views are heard and improvements properly reflect passenger demands. The project board will present this plan in the autumn and actions will be implemented as soon as possible.

The £20 million fund will tackle problems on the line placing more rapid response teams on the franchise, accelerating the replacement of worn track, and hiring extra staff at key stations including East Croydon and Gatwick to make sure trains get away on time.

The package of measures follows unacceptable disruption for passengers in recent months, with many of the current issues caused by ongoing industrial action by the RMT as well as unofficial disruption and guards going off sick.

The government is also clear that GTR and Network Rail must work together to resolve issues earlier and ensure a better service for passengers.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:

I want the Southern network to be run by a team of people who work together to make sure passengers get decent journeys and that problems are dealt with quickly. This review will suggest how we achieve a joined up approach to running the train and tracks and make things work better for the public.

We also need to get to grips with things that go wrong on this part of the network. That is why we are putting in place a £20 million scheme to tackle the cause of breakdowns that too often cause frustrating and damaging delays on the network.

I now urge the industry, the train operating company and unions to work together to improve services for passengers.

Chris Gibb said:

I look forward to helping the rail industry improve the passenger experience on the Southern network. Committed railway people across the industry work hard round the clock to provide the best possible service to a growing number of passengers, during a time of much needed major investment. I will bring together the energy of these people to find ways to improve the delivery of this service in the short and medium term.

Key additional benefits of the £20 million include:

£2 million to be spent on more rapid response teams to fix faults more quickly, located close to known hotspots
£2.5 million to be spent on accelerated train maintenance
£0.8 million investment in extra signal supervisors to keep trains moving across the network
£0.9 million investment in a series of measures to minimise the impact of bridge strikes
Chris Gibb’s appointment is a further sign of the government’s commitment to improve services for passengers. Gibb has worked in key leadership roles in rail industry for more than 35 years and is currently a non executive director at Network Rail. He was previously chief operating officer of Virgin Rail Group, responsible for all aspects of the delivery of Virgin’s operations on the West Coast main line.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...o-help-improve-resilience-of-southern-network

He didn't confirm the expected announcement of £1m to fund the hiring of goons to threaten staff that go on strike.

 

[HH]

I wonder how much of the £20m was already committed? /cynic

 

[cuccir]

As someone who doesn't travel in the South East very often or work in the industry can I ask - what changed at Southern? Govia have been running this franchise since 2001 and clearly the problems of the last 12 months haven't been occurring since then - reporting has emphasized that overcrowding and reliability have significantly fallen recently.

Is it associated with the merger with Thameslink? Is it because of the dispute over DOO? Or is it that nothing changed: the current problems have simply developed over many years?

I guess what I'm asking is - given that Govia have been running the franchise for 15 years, and that Southern is a well established brand, why does it seem to have failed so miserably now in particular?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Some of this is Network Rail, not Southern
It isn't a gift to GTR, more a project fund to be spent as directed by Chris Gibb.
Probably as much related to the London Bridge situation as anything else.

 

[swt_passenger]

Probably as much related to the London Bridge situation as anything else.

Is there still a 'London Bridge situation' though? Most of the issues nowadays affect Southeastern.

 

[JamesRowden]

Is there still a 'London Bridge situation' though? Most of the issues nowadays affect Southeastern.

Only 6 `Southern' platforms rather than 9, with no services running through to Thameslink at London Bridge yet.

 

[southern442]

As someone who doesn't travel in the South East very often or work in the industry can I ask - what changed at Southern? Govia have been running this franchise since 2001 and clearly the problems of the last 12 months haven't been occurring since then - reporting has emphasized that overcrowding and reliability have significantly fallen recently.

It would seem that things started to go downhill when they merged with Thameslink - I had absolutely no problems whatsoever with Southern until then, but after that things started going bad - I reckon I could count the number of Southern trains I've been on that were on time since then with my hands. Thameslink had a big issue with running on time ever since they started in 2014, but Southern have only had it since the merger.

 

[DarloRich]

£20m wont buy you a whole lot of anything.

 

[swt_passenger]

Only 6 `Southern' platforms rather than 9, with no services running through to Thameslink at London Bridge yet.

I'm well aware of that. That isn't an 'issue', that is widely known part of the Thameslink project staging, and a sudden £20m injection isn't going to change that plan is it?

 

[jopsuk]

seems a little bit

 

[Blamethrower]

I used to catch Thameslink when Farringdon was being redeveloped - delays were more the norm than not. Farringdon gets completed, delays are again the exception.

Now since London Bridge has been started, it has all kicked off again. Consider that each TL Brighton train has to crawl through E&C and other lines to fit in with southern services, if something goes wrong, it all goes wrong.

Add into this the introduction of a new (currently unreliable) fleet, the constant bickering between southern and RMT over DOO, I'm not entirely surprised it's all gone wrong.

Perhaps RMT thought they were being opportunistic by calling strikes in these very difficult construction times as it would hurt the company more. This has however had the opposite effect, delaying passengers and now costing the taxpayer.

"Unprecedented sick levels" - forgive me but that must be a load of tosh. Either from the company themselves, or the drivers are all coordinating sickies.

Lots of things wrong all at once, not sure 20 mill will sort any of it

 

[JamesRowden]

i'm well aware of that. That isn't an 'issue', that is widely known part of the thameslink project staging, and a sudden £20m injection isn't going to change that plan is it?

Fewer platforms at London Bridge reduces capacity/reliability.

There are other ways to affect reliability.

Maybe:

£2 million to be spent on more rapid response teams to fix faults more quickly, located close to known hotspots
£2.5 million to be spent on accelerated train maintenance
£0.8 million investment in extra signal supervisors to keep trains moving across the network
£0.9 million investment in a series of measures to minimise the impact of bridge strikes

 

[talldave]

Can we blow the whole lot on preventing "signal failures"? I can't understand why the South East seems to be plagued by them. What is it that keeps failing?

 

[WatcherZero]

Also more platform staff at East Croydon and Gatwick among other stations.

 

[Adam01]

Is it associated with the merger with Thameslink? Is it because of the dispute over DOO? Or is it that nothing changed: the current problems have simply developed over many years?

I guess what I'm asking is - given that Govia have been running the franchise for 15 years, and that Southern is a well established brand, why does it seem to have failed so miserably now in particular?

It is a combination of all three. Thameslink had its own problems (such as a shortage of drivers) which only came to light when it was too late, the dispute over DOO has made things particularly worse and Southern has actually had problems of it's own that it has never properly dealt with.
Previous to the merger, the biggest problems were mainly infrastructure related but these issue caused almost as much distruption as we see today. Since the takeover, however, the government has used the new franchise as a means for them to test new ways for the railways to make more money and spend less. This, in my opinion, has been their biggest downfall as Govia are no longer running the franchise and there is little incentive in the current arrangement for them to improve it.

 

[physics34]

Also more platform staff at East Croydon and Gatwick among other stations.

Shouldn't they have enough anyway? Basically they need enough to dispatch trains on.platform 3 and 4 at East croydon at the same time in the Peak.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Can we blow the whole lot on preventing "signal failures"? I can't understand why the South East seems to be plagued by them. What is it that keeps failing?

Nothing to do with all the lovely new computerised signals and abolition of traditional (working) signals and signalbox closures perhaps?

 

[physics34]

More signal supervisors?? This may answer my question as to why many signals are slow to be released in many areas especially South croydon to London Bridge. Alot of small delay minutes are caused by the slow release of signals...or just flicking them over onto automatic mode......

It's pretty frustrating, especially around new Cross gate.

It needs to be understood that train drivers are gonna go slow and will loss time if they are on restrictive signalling.

 

[TheKnightWho]

Nothing to do with all the lovely new computerised signals and abolition of traditional (working) signals and signalbox closures perhaps?

New?! If you count the last 50 years as new!

 

[RichardN]

£20m wont buy you a whole lot of anything.

...except maybe headlines...

 

[Sunset route]

What are "signal supervisors", are a new grade, SSMs or is it a code word for more train running controllers?

Either way they won't make much difference as none of them have their sticky mitts on any of the signalling panels. or workstations.

 

[headshot119]

More signal supervisors?? This may answer my question as to why many signals are slow to be released in many areas especially South croydon to London Bridge. Alot of small delay minutes are caused by the slow release of signals...or just flicking them over onto automatic mode......

It's pretty frustrating, especially around new Cross gate.

It needs to be understood that train drivers are gonna go slow and will loss time if they are on restrictive signalling.

I think you mean signallers, and unfortunately it's not just as simple as employing more. One workstation is one signaller maximum.

Signals are usually at danger for a reason, and can be approach released to ensure a train is under control before reaching them.

 

[Carlisle]

Since the takeover, however, the government has used the new franchise as a means for them to test new ways for the railways to make more money and spend less. .

And what's the major problem with that? Successful Industries of all Kinds have done this continuously, throughout their history in order to remain competitive and stay at the top of their game, or alternatively we can opt for an economy like the former East Germany

 

[J-2739]

Can we blow the whole lot on preventing "signal failures"? I can't understand why the South East seems to be plagued by them. What is it that keeps failing?

I think I read somewhere that it has to do with the third rail?

 

[EM2]

I think I read somewhere that it has to do with the third rail?

As someone who was trained as a signalling technician in third-rail land, I can quite categorically state that that is utter tripe.

 

[J-2739]

As someone who was trained as a signalling technician in third-rail land, I can quite categorically state that that is utter tripe.

Ok, sorry.

 

[physics34]

I think you mean signallers, and unfortunately it's not just as simple as employing more. One workstation is one signaller maximum.

Signals are usually at danger for a reason, and can be approach released to ensure a train is under control before reaching them.

Some of the signals I am talking about are approach controlled but I have also seen them under manual control as well (around new Cross gate). Having to slow down for these from 60mph line speed to a speed you are prepared to stop the train at,only for the signal to ping off to clear (over a 50/60mph set of points) is rather frustrating and adds up to 2 mins per train. It happens fairly regularly.
This could well.be down to workload or lack of staff but it causes some issues. Routing between south bermondsey and Lomdon Bridge often seems odd too.

 

[Bald Rick]

Some of the signals I am talking about are approach controlled but I have also seen them under manual control as well (around new Cross gate). Having to slow down for these from 60mph line speed to a speed you are prepared to stop the train at,only for the signal to ping off to clear (over a 50/60mph set of points) is rather frustrating and adds up to 2 mins per train. It happens fairly regularly.
This could well.be down to workload or lack of staff but it causes some issues. Routing between south bermondsey and Lomdon Bridge often seems odd too.

It's all done manually. The signal you refer to happens to be the boundary between the two workstations. No easy answer to that unfortunately, except ARS, which is coming (through Traffic Management).

 

[Sunset route]

Some of the signals I am talking about are approach controlled but I have also seen them under manual control as well (around new Cross gate). Having to slow down for these from 60mph line speed to a speed you are prepared to stop the train at,only for the signal to ping off to clear (over a 50/60mph set of points) is rather frustrating and adds up to 2 mins per train. It happens fairly regularly.
This could well.be down to workload or lack of staff but it causes some issues. Routing between south bermondsey and Lomdon Bridge often seems odd too.

Aprroach control only applies to a timer circuit on the berth track circuit to axle counter section that holds the signal at danger until enough time has elapsed to check a train down before the signal clears up to a proceed. All approach controlled signals are controlled signals (there's bound to an exception somewhere) and some have an auto working facility on them but all all are still controlled by a signaller.

 

[physics34]

It's all done manually. The signal you refer to happens to be the boundary between the two workstations. No easy answer to that unfortunately, except ARS, which is coming (through Traffic Management).

But sometimes it is cleared in advance (the signal on the up slow after new Cross gate. ).... why is it sometimes cleared and sometimes not...

Of course when all the work is finished it will be better.... and when the down slow/main whatever it will be (uses the diveunder) opens in a few months hopefully more trains from the up fast will be routed straight onto the sussex reversible.