Appendix to Mayor announces pilot South London metro service news release

LONDON RAIL BACKGROUND BRIEFING

Directions and Guidance

Under Section 196 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999, the Mayor has powers to issue ‘Directions and Guidance’ to the Strategic Rail Authority relating to the provision of railway services for Greater London and these are published for the first time today. Actions required include close liaison on:

• Developing strategy and publishing a TfL Rail Plan for London.
• Joint funding of capital works and operational support.
• Development of major rail projects.
• Consultation on development of rail franchises.
• Progress on integration of rail with other modes and improved interchanges.
• Fares and ticketing issues including development of multi-modal
  travel schemes and a simpler integrated fares structure.
• Progress on new “turn up and go” Metro services and achieving “Orbirail” aims.
• Improvements on accessibility, customer safety and security, and station facilities.
• Development of sustainable freight services.

The Way Forward

The Mayor also commented on the challenge of ensuring that positive action is taken. He said: “Unlike other major world cities, London does not have a Commuter Rail Authority to consult, plan, specify and fund rail services for the City. It would take considerable time - and legislation - to set up such an authority so, for the medium term, I have, through my Directions and Guidance, asked the SRA to work in partnership with me ensure that improvements can be made without undue delay.

“Just over a year ago, a new “Rail Services” division - led by Ian Brown, Managing Director - was set up in Transport for London to deal with rail issues. Considerable progress has been made including:

• Setting up a joint TfL/SRA company (Cross London Rail Links Ltd) to progress the Crossrail projects.
• Establishing a London Programme Office (TfL/SRA/Network Rail) to prioritise and progress more than 300 infrastructure improvement schemes inherited from Railtrack.
• Making good progress on the planned East London Line extension and DLR
  extensions to London City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal.
• Advancing plans for ‘turn up and go’ Metro services.

‘The TfL Rail Services division – now renamed ‘London Rail’ to reflect its growing responsibilities - has also been involved in detailed negotiations, on my behalf, with the SRA to establish a new working relationship between both bodies which should result in passengers enjoying similar benefits to those provided by a commuter rail authority. The ‘London Rail Partnership Agreement’, signed recently by Bob Kiley and Richard Bowker, and also published today, establishes a robust framework for us to work together.’

Priorities

‘London Rail and the SRA now need to get on with the job of improving and expanding capacity of London’s railways – to cope with growth, for the sake of passengers and to maintain London’s status as a world city and gateway to the UK.

‘The immediate priority is to achieve the go-ahead for two key projects – Crossrail and the East London Line Extension. I am hopeful for positive news from the Government on the Crossrail project during February. This new railway – which should have been built years ago – is the key to London’s future railway system linking Heathrow in the west with the City and Docklands and the Thames Gateway in the east.

‘On a smaller scale, but still of considerable importance, is the extension and upgrading of the East London Line – a vital piece of the jigsaw linking rail systems north and south of London system which would help to reduce overcrowding at London termini by providing an orbital route around London. It will also make a major contribution to the regeneration of some of London’s poorest boroughs. The decision now rests with the Secretary of State and I hope, for London’s sake, that he will allow the project to proceed.

‘I am also concerned to see that the Thameslink 2000 project has run into planning problems which will mean serious delays to other improvements of benefit to London’s rail passengers.’

ends

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