Train firm apologises for disruption after biggest timetable change for decades
A train operator has apologised for disruption caused to passengers after the largest timetable change across Britain for decades was introduced.
Every train run by the UK's busiest franchise, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) - which consists of Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express - was rescheduled from Sunday.
The firm had warned that services could be disrupted as the new timetable was introduced.
?A short-term amended timetable is in place across the Great Northern network.
? - Ticket acceptance on: @CrossCountryUK@EMTrains@greateranglia@LDNOvergroundLondon Underground
i Service updates and live departures - https://t.co/dGPkM54J9Dpic.twitter.com/d1YcywG8u7
-- Great Northern (@GNRailUK) May 20, 2018
But some passengers were left frustrated and confused by cancelled services.
Great Northern, which runs trains north-east out of London to places including Cambridge and Peterborough, said on its Twitter feed: "A reduced Great Northern service is expected until the end of the day.
"A short-term amended timetable is in place across the Great Northern network. This is resulting in a reduced service operating with trains being cancelled or revised.
"Disruption is expected until the end of the day."
Back to work tomorrow? Remember, a new timetable is now in operation.
Make time to check how your journey has changed ? https://t.co/TFwjGmORKzpic.twitter.com/5p1QbWJS8X
-- Thameslink Programme (@TLProgramme) May 20, 2018
Passengers complained to the firm on social media saying they had been told services had been cancelled due to an "operational incident".
A GTR spokesman said: "We are introducing the biggest change to rail timetables in a generation and, as we have been informing passengers, we expect some disruption to services in the initial stages.
"This is a significant logistical challenge as we make rolling incremental changes across more than 3,000 daily services.
"We apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused during the initial stages of the timetable change.
"The improvements we are making will lead to a significant boost in capacity with a 13 per cent increase in services across the GTR network immediately."
Is there anyway of checking to see whether tomorrow's trains are running on the Hertford loop or do we have to just wait with baited breath till tomorrow morning @GNRailUK ?
-- Andrew Brown (@andrewbrown1966) May 20, 2018
Will we be given a proper explanation as to what has gone wrong today? Its not really good enough. Finally managed to get on a train after 5 cancellations in a row!
-- Sam (@Super_SamR) May 20, 2018
@TLRailUK at West Hampstead T/L. Been waiting for a train towards Luton Airport for the last half hour. Board just says delayed. Auto announcements useless. Are trains going to run or not
-- Mo Miah (@MoMiah5) May 20, 2018
I managed to get into work today by catching an earlier train than I wanted. All the others were cancelled. Who knows how I will get home. Do I get delay repay for services that don't run? It seems to me that all of you customers have been inconvenienced today.
-- Steve Chilton (@SChilts) May 20, 2018
Passengers have been warned that disruption caused by the implementation of the timetable could continue into Monday.
More than four million trains across Britain were rescheduled from Sunday in the largest timetable change in living memory.
The number of alterations is seven times larger than normal due to the introduction of new trains and services following billions of pounds of investment.
The shake-up is designed to increase overall frequencies and reliability, but some passengers will find their regular journeys are no longer possible.
??? The new timetable is now in place. We are committed to introducing the biggest change in a generation smoothly and to do this a small number of these changes will take place in phases over the coming weeks.
i https://t.co/mZVqe28bqipic.twitter.com/8bT8tI9LmM
-- Thameslink (@TLRailUK) May 20, 2018
The new GTR timetable was developed from scratch and was designed to tackle existing issues by extending stop times at busier stations and increasing turnaround times at destination stations.
Many of the timetable changes are a result of the £7 billion invested in the Thameslink programme in the South East, including rebuilding London Bridge station, new trains and track improvements.
There will be almost 400 additional GTR trains every day.
Well we are hoping to get to work, but with MORE THAN A THIRD of the key Harpenden services slashed by @TLRailUK - they are not even running the published timetable - no one can be certain they will be able to board a train. What a great way to spend £7billion #saveHPDtrainshttps://t.co/ARphE1cYgg
-- Harpenden Thameslink Commuters (@HPDCommuters) May 20, 2018
Some passengers in a number of locations complained they will be served with fewer or slower services, including in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Kent, East Sussex and Surrey, where many people pay several thousands of pounds for annual season tickets to London.