– New TfL map shows how London commuters will benefit
Ahead of the Autumn statement, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced that he will formally outline the business case for the devolution of London’s suburban rail services to TfL.
Since taking office, Sadiq Khan has been urging the Government to press ahead with plans to devolve more powers over rail services in order to improve the service for passengers, and tackle repeated delays, cancelations and overcrowding at stations such as Victoria, Waterloo and London Bridge.
In setting out the business case to the Government over the next month, the Mayor will outline in detail how a better connected, more reliable suburban rail network could have substantial economic benefits, supporting new homes and jobs, in addition to improving the service for millions of passengers.
As the Mayor prepares to put together the business case for further rail devolution, TfL has produced the first ever map showing what London’s transport network would look like with an expanded London Overground network under the Mayor’s control.
The map using the iconic TfL design shows London suburban rail routes joined up to key London Underground and Overground stations, and also shows connections to the Elizabeth Line set to open in 2018/19.
The map is part of a new leaflet produced by the Mayor outlining the benefits to passengers of additional rail lines coming under the Mayor’s control, including cheaper fares, more reliable and frequent trains, and a more integrated transport network across London.
The case for the further devolution of suburban rail services has already been agreed by the Government in a joint DfT/TfL prospectus in January 2016. The prospectus included proposals for a range of suburban rail services to transfer to TfL through to the early 2020s, linked to the DfT’s refranchising timetable for the existing franchises.
Under these plans, the first franchise to come under the Mayor’s control would be the Southeastern suburban services when the current franchise ends in 2018, followed by the South Western franchise in 2020 once capacity works at Waterloo are complete. Suburban services running to London Bridge and Victoria serving south central London would transfer when the current franchise ends in September 2021.
Sadiq Khan said –
‘Passengers on London’s suburban rail routes simply aren’t getting a good enough service. They face increasing rail fares year after year, yet face daily delays, cancellations and overcrowding.
‘The Government has already agreed that devolving rail services would improve the daily commute for millions of Londoners. Ahead of the Autumn Statement, I’m looking forward to presenting the full business case for how a transformed and modernised suburban rail network could also unlock new homes and provide other substantial other economic benefits for London.
‘As our new TfL map demonstrates, devolution will help us deliver a truly integrated transport network where rail passengers get the same standard of service and reliability they get on the tube, allowing people to connect quickly with all parts of inner and outer London.’