Timetable changes for eight franchises... have been postponed. Industry body The Rail Delivery Group said the "more cautious approach" took into account "recent painful lessons"... The operators which will not make changes to their existing timetable in December are Cross Country, Govia, Thameslink Railway, Great Western Railway, London Overground, Northern, South Western Railway (SWR), TransPennine Express and West Midlands Trains... South Western Railway said it was "disappointed" that it will not be going ahead with its "major timetable change" in December, which would have led to more capacity. The decision was taken "at a national level that a period of stability is needed", it added... [The] chief executive of passenger watchdog Transport Focus said the timetable announcement was a "pragmatic step to help maintain a more dependable service". But he warned that "long-suffering passengers who have put up with much inconvenience ... will be disappointed that promised improvements may be delivered more slowly".