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Rail Franchise SAGA: 5 more years with southeastern
* Souutheastern franchise extended to 2018
* ...but Deal and Sandwich HS1 service funded by Kent until early 2014.
* Trains4Deal to campaign for compensation payments to cover any gap in funding until new franchise in place for HS1
The Government has announced (26 March 2013) a new timetable for re-letting rail franchise following the West Coast fiasco - meanwhile extending the franchise of the existing operators..
They've given the biggest extension to Southeastern, who'll now be running our trains until 2018
If it is, then Trains4Deal will lobby for a formal announcement that the operator will be compensated to keep our services running until the new franchise is in place. With continually growing passenger numbers, the sum involved will be small compared to the huge amounts already being wasted by delays to the franchising process but KCC can't be expected to keep on paying the bill indefinitely.
Trains4Deal will also press for experimental weekend direct HS services to Deal to be included in the contract negotiations for this extension. Just as the first commuter trains from Deal and Sandwich prove the demand IS there, so carefully timed weekend HS services will grow the market - paving the way for a full 7-day service.
* ...but Deal and Sandwich HS1 service funded by Kent until early 2014.
* Trains4Deal to campaign for compensation payments to cover any gap in funding until new franchise in place for HS1
The Government has announced (26 March 2013) a new timetable for re-letting rail franchise following the West Coast fiasco - meanwhile extending the franchise of the existing operators..
They've given the biggest extension to Southeastern, who'll now be running our trains until 2018
If it is, then Trains4Deal will lobby for a formal announcement that the operator will be compensated to keep our services running until the new franchise is in place. With continually growing passenger numbers, the sum involved will be small compared to the huge amounts already being wasted by delays to the franchising process but KCC can't be expected to keep on paying the bill indefinitely.
Trains4Deal will also press for experimental weekend direct HS services to Deal to be included in the contract negotiations for this extension. Just as the first commuter trains from Deal and Sandwich prove the demand IS there, so carefully timed weekend HS services will grow the market - paving the way for a full 7-day service.
New Late Night Service Gets Them Home
It's 11 pm and the shows are out but there's time to "Get the morning train to Deal"
The long awaited late night service from St Pancras to Deal has started running and now leaves the London terminus at 11.13pm and arrives in Deal at just after half-past midnight (00.36) providing a much-needed and greatly appreciated connection for those anxious to get back after a night out.
Trains4Deal campaigned hard to get this additional train which at the moment only runs from Monday to Friday but we are fighting to get the times extended to the weekends when the new rail franchise starts in 2014.
A recent straw poll carried out by Trains4Deal found an average of 55 commuters getting off the 19.06 early evening train during a week in August, an increase of 25 per cent on the figure from a similar survey six months ago.
The focus of the campaign has now moved to lobbying for inclusion of the two towns in the HS service for the 2014 franchise.
Click the button below to see our submission to the Department for Transport
One Year on from the first HS1 service for Deal and Sandwich
It is 12 months since the first regular HS1 services started to serve Deal and Sandwich.
As part of our new campaign to get a full service for the two towns included in the 2014 franchise we were asked to do a big interview for the BBC Radio Kent Breakfast Show on Friday 7 September.
Click the button below to listen to the interview.
As part of our new campaign to get a full service for the two towns included in the 2014 franchise we were asked to do a big interview for the BBC Radio Kent Breakfast Show on Friday 7 September.
Click the button below to listen to the interview.
Extra morning service confirmed and the early train to be retained
Last month we asked your opinion on possible timetable changes for the three direct HS trains from Deal and Sandwich in the mornings in the Dec 2012 timetable. Should they drop the 05.56 in favour of a new 07.26?
Your detailed feedback resulted in KCC signing a contract with Southeastern to pay for the first 3 trains to run as now (05.56, 06.24 and 06.56). On balance it was felt important that the core of regular travellers on the early trains should be able to rely on those services continuing while numbers built up.
But your replies did show strong evidence of demand for that new 07.26 service to arrive at St Pancras at 08.49.
Your observations via Trains4deal on how useful this later train would be persuaded Southeastern to consider running this 4th morning train as well, as a commercial service. They say "subject to costs we'll also look to operating an additional 07.21 departure from Sandwich".
Hope that's good news! ....and of course we'll need your continuing support as we work towards getting a full service included in the new franchise. Let us know what you think
Your detailed feedback resulted in KCC signing a contract with Southeastern to pay for the first 3 trains to run as now (05.56, 06.24 and 06.56). On balance it was felt important that the core of regular travellers on the early trains should be able to rely on those services continuing while numbers built up.
But your replies did show strong evidence of demand for that new 07.26 service to arrive at St Pancras at 08.49.
Your observations via Trains4deal on how useful this later train would be persuaded Southeastern to consider running this 4th morning train as well, as a commercial service. They say "subject to costs we'll also look to operating an additional 07.21 departure from Sandwich".
Hope that's good news! ....and of course we'll need your continuing support as we work towards getting a full service included in the new franchise. Let us know what you think
Why Deal and Sandwich deserve a full day-long High Speed Rail service NOW
...because that is what every other town of comparable size and population in Kent already gets.
The new Kent rail franchise comes into operation in 2014. Trains4Deal wants the Government to include a full day and evening High Speed service in the service specification for the new franchise when it is published later this year.
It’s the only way we can be certain of keeping the level of service already enjoyed by every other community.
Kent’s railways are massively subsidised. Everywhere else in the county is featherbedded in comparison.
Deal and Sandwich shouldn’t have to go on being the poor relation. We are dealt with more harshly than every other Kent town on the HS1 network.
The new Kent rail franchise comes into operation in 2014. Trains4Deal wants the Government to include a full day and evening High Speed service in the service specification for the new franchise when it is published later this year.
It’s the only way we can be certain of keeping the level of service already enjoyed by every other community.
Kent’s railways are massively subsidised. Everywhere else in the county is featherbedded in comparison.
Deal and Sandwich shouldn’t have to go on being the poor relation. We are dealt with more harshly than every other Kent town on the HS1 network.