South Western franchise improvements

Main Line

Main Line services run from London to Southampton, Portsmouth, Bournemouth, Weymouth, Exeter, Basingstoke and Alton. These services make few stops close to London, focusing on calls at larger stations such as Surbiton, Woking and Guildford.

Improvements include:

• more space for passengers including a:
  • 35% increase morning peak capacity into London Waterloo
  • 41% increase evening peak capacity out of London Waterloo
• 35 additional services each weekday and Saturday between Portsmouth & Southsea and London Waterloo
• more Sunday services across the Main Line, with the equivalent of a weekday service after 1:00pm
• faster journeys to London with trains being:
  • 8 minutes faster from Southampton Central
  • 9 minutes faster from Bournemouth
  • 14 minutes faster from Weymouth
  • 5 minutes faster from Portsmouth
  • 11 minutes faster from Salisbury
• comfortable 2 plus 2 seating on all Portsmouth fast trains to London
• refurbishment of Southampton Central station
• replacement lifts at Pokesdown station

Main Surburban

The Main Suburban routes follow the South Western Main Line through Raynes Park towards Hampton Court, Woking, Shepperton, Strawberry Hill, Dorking, Guildford and Chessington South. They include 15 stations within London, among them the major interchanges of Clapham Junction, Wimbledon and Vauxhall, and the Metropolitan Centre of Kingston.

Improvements include:

• more space for passengers including a:
  • 37% increase in morning peak capacity into London Waterloo
  • 48% increase in evening peak capacity out of London Waterloo
• a fleet of 90 new trains
• earlier first trains, including:
  • 5:02am Woking to Waterloo
  • 5:40am Waterloo to Twickenham
  • 5:37am Shepperton to Waterloo
• later last trains including:
  • 0:02am Twickenham to Waterloo via Kingston
  • 0:01am Waterloo to Dorking
  • 0:28am Waterloo to Epsom
• more services on Sunday

Windsor Lines

Windsor Lines operate through the boroughs of Wandsworth, Hounslow and Richmond-upon-Thames to Strawberry Hill, Whitton, around the Hounslow Loop and out towards Windsor and Reading. They include 24 stations within London, among them Putney, Richmond and Hounslow.

Improvements include:

• more space for passengers including a:
  • 78% increase in morning peak capacity into London Waterloo
  • 62% increase in evening peak capacity out of London Waterloo
• a fleet of 90 new trains
• more frequent services, including an:
  • increase from 2 to 4 trains per hour between Reading and London Waterloo
  • increase from 2 to 4 trains per hour between Windsor and London Waterloo
• earlier first trains, including:
  • 5:33am Reading to Waterloo
  • 5:52am Waterloo to Hounslow
  • 4:53am Waterloo to Reading
• later last trains, including:
  • 0:05am Waterloo to Reading
  • 0:22am Waterloo to Hounslow
• more Sunday services
• faster journeys to London with trains being:
  • 10 minutes faster from Reading
  • 12 minutes faster from Hounslow
  • 7 minutes faster from Windsor

Non-London

The Non-London group includes services between Portsmouth, Southampton and Weymouth, between Salisbury and Southampton, Yeovil Junction and Westbury, and the Lymington branch line.

Improvements include:

• more space for passengers including a lengthened 8:10am Romsey to Salisbury service
• new direct Portsmouth to Weymouth services on weekdays and Saturdays
• 29 additional weekday and Saturday services between Portsmouth & Southsea and Southampton Central, including more and faster peak services
• 36 new direct services on weekdays between Guildford and Farnham
• more conveniently timed services for Yeovil Pen Mill
• an earlier first train from Lymington Pier to London Waterloo
• faster journeys between:
  • London Waterloo and Camberley, Frimley and Bagshot
  • Reading and Camberley, Frimley and Bagshot
  • Lymington Pier and Bournemouth
• refurbished trains with new seat covers, new power sockets and reconditioned toilets

Island Line

The Island Line is on the Isle of Wight and includes services between Ryde Pier Head and Shanklin.

Improvements include:

• better connections with hovercraft, ferry and mainland train services
• improved information and ticketing with:
  • through-ticketing to Island Line destinations being available from mainland stations, the website and a mobile app
  • better information about connecting services
• an Island Line customer and communities improvement fund to be spent to improve passenger experience and local station environments
• working with the Isle of Wight Council and local bodies to develop a business plan and an option for a more sustainable long-term future for the Island Line