Strategic Rail Authority

Three year South West Trains deal signed
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date 11 July 2003
source Strategic Rail Authority
type Press release

The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) today announced that it has signed a three-year franchise with incumbent Stagecoach Group plc to operate South West Trains until 2007.

The deal is focused firmly on improving punctuality and the introduction of new trains to replace slam-door carriages. The signature seals an agreement announced in principle in November 2002, and secures:

Continued implementation of a detailed performance plan to improve punctuality and reliability.
Delivery into service of new Siemens Desiro carriages over the next two years to replace the existing 576 slam door carriages. The deal
also underpins financing of the upgraded depots necessary for the new
trains, including the brand new Northam Depot.
Continued investment in CCTV at stations, an improved train cleaning
regime and an accelerated station repainting programme.
Overhaul and refurbishment of 'Class 455' metro carriages to improve
reliability and passenger comfort.
The continuation of service improvements - some longer peak hour
trains and improved Sunday and late night frequencies - which were
introduced following the SRA's extension of the SWT franchise to
February 2004.

Richard Bowker, SRA Chairman, said: "This franchise agreement focuses on delivering real improvements for passengers: better reliability, new trains, refurbished trains and cleaner trains. The very things we know passengers expect and care about."

Notes to Editors

1. South West Trains operates services from London Waterloo to Woking, Basingstoke, Guildford, Southampton, Weymouth, Portsmouth, Exeter and Reading, serving a mixture of long and short distance travellers, with a high percentage of commuters.
2. The new franchise will run from 1 February 2004 to 4 February 2007. Stagecoach Group has operated the South West Trains franchise since February 1996.
3. As announced on 6 November 2002, and reflecting the SRA's policy focused on shorter franchise terms, elements of the original 20-year franchise plan will not be taken forward during the three-year franchise.
This includes the extension of suburban trains to 10 carriages, and major remodelling of Clapham Junction and Waterloo stations.
4. The agreement provides for some platforms to be extended as necessary as part of the programme to replace ageing 'Mark 1' slamdoor trains with new, Desiro trains.
5. The additional services confirmed in November 2002 are: - four additional weekday evening services from Waterloo to Southampton - three additional weekday evening services to Portsmouth - three additional weekday evening services from Waterloo to Dorking - one additional weekday evening service to Guildford via Cobham -
Waterloo to Portsmouth Summer Sunday service frequency now applies all year.
6. Subsidy payments for the franchise will be approximately £170m per year as against £48m per year currently. This is to cover new trains, refurbishment costs, a new depot at Northam and a range of performance focused measures.
7. A revenue share and profit share arrangement is in place as part of the deal.

Railhub Archive ::: 2003-07-11 SRA-001