The Clown of Pevensey Bay
Well-known member
AIRPORT RAIL LINK TO IMPROVE SEASIDE SERVICE
By Peter Woodman, PA Transport Correspondent
Rail links to one of Britain's busiest seaside towns will improve under a new
deal announced today.
The number of London to Brighton express train services will double at peak
times from December next year, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.
And there will be a new hourly direct service between Brighton and Southampton
from this December.
The improvements are part of the changes to the London to Gatwick airport
Gatwick Express service which the Government announced in April would be
carrying on after fears it would be scrapped.
The DfT said today that the current Gatwick Express franchise - run by National
Express - will end on June 22 2008 and from that date it will be integrated into
the current Southern franchise operated by the Govia company.
Gatwick Express services, which run every 15 minutes between the West Sussex
airport and London's Victoria station, will continue as normal until December
2008.
A new-style Gatwick Express will then start running, with the same frequency
and non-stop services to Gatwick but trains will also run beyond Gatwick to
Brighton at the busiest times of the day.
The DfT also announced that the Southern franchise - due to expire at the end
of 2009 - will end three months earlier in September 2009.
The department said it will pay Govia a subsidy of #103.6 million for running
Southern, with the money covering the period from the beginning of 2008 until
September 19 2009.
Keith Ludeman, group chief executive of Govia's parent company the Go-Ahead
Group, said today: "We are delighted to have reached agreement with the DfT on
the implementation of this important new franchise which will significantly
increase capacity to the benefit of passengers, particularly at peak travel
times."
end
190837 JUN 07
By Peter Woodman, PA Transport Correspondent
Rail links to one of Britain's busiest seaside towns will improve under a new
deal announced today.
The number of London to Brighton express train services will double at peak
times from December next year, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.
And there will be a new hourly direct service between Brighton and Southampton
from this December.
The improvements are part of the changes to the London to Gatwick airport
Gatwick Express service which the Government announced in April would be
carrying on after fears it would be scrapped.
The DfT said today that the current Gatwick Express franchise - run by National
Express - will end on June 22 2008 and from that date it will be integrated into
the current Southern franchise operated by the Govia company.
Gatwick Express services, which run every 15 minutes between the West Sussex
airport and London's Victoria station, will continue as normal until December
2008.
A new-style Gatwick Express will then start running, with the same frequency
and non-stop services to Gatwick but trains will also run beyond Gatwick to
Brighton at the busiest times of the day.
The DfT also announced that the Southern franchise - due to expire at the end
of 2009 - will end three months earlier in September 2009.
The department said it will pay Govia a subsidy of #103.6 million for running
Southern, with the money covering the period from the beginning of 2008 until
September 19 2009.
Keith Ludeman, group chief executive of Govia's parent company the Go-Ahead
Group, said today: "We are delighted to have reached agreement with the DfT on
the implementation of this important new franchise which will significantly
increase capacity to the benefit of passengers, particularly at peak travel
times."
end
190837 JUN 07
