Gatwick Express Finishing?
Sep 10th, 2004, 09:35 AM
#4
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There was an article in the Telegraph today regarding the end of the gatwick Express. No date was given for the end of service. According to the article many express trains are close to empty whil commuter trains on the same lines are SRO. There will be train service from Gatwick- but with additional stops.
Sep 10th, 2004, 09:51 AM
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The proposal is from the Strategic Rail Authority (and the recent history of strategic flip-flopping there means there's no evidence the proposal will actually materialise), which decides which franchises will be put out. The operator has nothing to do with the decision, which is why there's nothing about it on the website.
The basic problem is that most lines in SE England are saturated, and it makes little sense to allow a service to run empty when other services on the same line are overcrowded.
Why the Gatwick Express runs empty is an interesting question, as traffic through the airport is growing. Presumably most people have the sense to take the cheaoer services - which is partly why they're overcrowded.
There's absolutely NO proposal to stop running trains from LGW into central London. Just to stop running empty non-stop trains.
Quite right too.
The basic problem is that most lines in SE England are saturated, and it makes little sense to allow a service to run empty when other services on the same line are overcrowded.
Why the Gatwick Express runs empty is an interesting question, as traffic through the airport is growing. Presumably most people have the sense to take the cheaoer services - which is partly why they're overcrowded.
There's absolutely NO proposal to stop running trains from LGW into central London. Just to stop running empty non-stop trains.
Quite right too.
