Thameslink and Southeastern Franchises: any news ?

[Jturner98]

Afternoon everyone,

just wondering if there’s any news on the Thaneslink and Southeastern franchises. Both are due to expire this year. Will they be taken over by the government? Or will a new company take over?

 

[thedbdiboy]

The franchising process is dead. Until there is a longer term strategy agreed by Government the options will be to negotiate a time limited direct-award operating contract with GoVia (the current operators of both Southeastern and GTR) or, failing that, to appoint the Government 'Operator of Last Resort' to manage one or both of them.

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Will the branding change?

 

[thedbdiboy]

Very unlikely at this stage, they will most like carry on with the small print changing if needed

 

[Hadders]

GTR is already a management contract with the DfT taking the revenue risk so I assume they'll just continue with that for the time being.

As for branding I doubt there'll be any change. The branding on GTR is pretty minimalist anyway.

 

[Energy]

OLR is unlikely, they are run by consultants of which there aren't many and they are currently running Northern and LNER. Direct award seems more likely.

 

[bramling]

OLR is unlikely, they are run by consultants of which there aren't many and they are currently running Northern and LNER. Direct award seems more likely.

Yes I think GTR will simply be kept going. There’s no really pressing need for either party to end it. It’s probably near the bottom of the DFT’s worry list.

To be fair GTR has somewhat got its act together since 2018. They’re reasonably competent now, we’re not seeing the schoolboy errors of a few years ago.

 

[pdeaves]

Southeastern is likely to have a direct award 17 October 2021 to 16 October 2023 (with possibility of a further four years).
GTR is likely to have a direct award 19 September 2021 to 18 September 2023 (with possibility of a further four years).

Sorry, I cannot remember the source for this.