Ongoing fears since September 2000 that the Gatwick Express service could be scrapped have been put to rest today (4 April), as the UK Department for Transport (DfT) released its plans for the line.
Gatwick Express trains will continue to run non-stop between the airport and London Victoria station at 15 minute intervals. From May 2008, Southern is to take over the franchise (although the trains will retain the same branding) and from December 2008,the trains will run beyond Gatwick to Brighton at peak times.
Extension of the airport express route will instantly double services between Brighton and London during busy periods. Unused coaches will be taken from storage to provide extra trains for the route and remodelled to include luggage storage units, with at least two to be added on the Redhill-London line. These changes will provide an additional 3,700 seats to and from London at peak times.
Another improvement to benefit travellers by the end of 2008 will involve an additional 8,000 seats on the First Capital Connect (FCC) Thameslink service, which runs from Bedford to Brighton through central London. The 12 Class 319 trains (amounting to 48 carriages) are currently operating on the Southern network.
FCC anticipates a phased transfer, taking delivery of four trains by the end of the year and the remaining eight by December 2008. ”This is fantastic news for our customers,” said FCC managing director Elaine Holt, adding: ”We have always said that crowding is our biggest issue, and we have worked hard to secure these extra trains. Initially these will enable us to strengthen many four carriage services to eight.
”We will work in partnership with the DfT to implement a revised timetable making maximum use of these additional trains in reducing overcrowding further, when we get all 12 units,” she added.
Southern is to replace the 12 trains with 48 new Electrostar coaches ” the same model as the rest of its fleet. A spokesperson for the DfT confirmed that delivery of the new carriages will coincide with those transferred to FCC and Southern is confident that "there should be no gap" which would affect train capacity.