You would have to be living under a rock (and therefore perfectly placed for social distancing!) to not know that we’re all undergoing a dramatic change of lifestyle through this persisting pandemic. Very few people are using the trains compared to this time last year and the numbers would not be enough to sustain Southeastern’s finances.
Back in March the Government put Southeastern and other operator on new management contracts to see them through the crisis. This involved the Government taking the revenue risk and paying companies a fixed fee to operate the train services. In Southeastern’s case the franchise was up for renewal anyway, so it got a slightly longer-term contract running until 16 October 2021.
The Government has now decided to adopt this model of running the railway as long-term strategy rather than just a temporary measure. For you as a passenger, you’ll see very little difference. Southeastern will still be on the trains and it will still take an age to get through the Lewisham area.
For this system to work though, we need the Department for Transport to drive change and make it work and we are not sure they are up to it at the moment. We would encourage them to engage with stakeholders like Tonbridge Line Commuters and not micro manage the industry but set an ambitious framework and then let the operating companies get on with it.
Top item on the agenda is more flexible tickets for those working part time. Let’s get it done!