Southern and Thameslink timetable fiasco

After slow improvements in the service over the last year, the introduction of the new timetable for Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) services on 20 May has been a fiasco.

Many Thameslink and Southern Rail trains have been cancelled or removed and there is now a revised cut-down timetable. Despite the fact that the new timetable has been long-planned, GTR as failed to provide enough drivers on the new routes.

This reinforces my long-standing view that GTR should lose the franchise, which I have put to the Transport Secretary in the House of Commons.

GTR’s Chief Executive, Charles Horton, has resigned, but I am pushing for the whole franchise to be taken away from GTR due to their serial incompetence.