First MTR South Western Trains Limited has been awarded the South Western franchise which will run for 7 years from 20 August 2017. First MTR South Western Trains Limited will use the experience of one of its major shareholders, MTR, who operates the busy Hong Kong metro, to deliver smooth and rapid journeys for passengers travelling around London’s suburban network.
First MTR South Western Trains Limited will oversee a £1.2 billion (EUR 1.3bn) investment that will improve journeys for millions of train passengers, and provide a boost for the communities served. The next franchise will see: 22,000 extra seats into London Waterloo each morning peak and 30,000 extra seats out of Waterloo each evening peak; a fleet of 90 new trains, providing more space for passengers on Reading, Windsor and London routes; refurbished existing trains; more frequent and additional services across the franchise; faster journeys across the network.
Passengers will be provided with better information throughout their journey, on-board trains, on platforms and through a new mobile phone app, including live information on seating availability and crowding levels.
The new contract will also see: investments to make Southampton Central station a destination fit for the community it serves; new delay repay compensation; free wifi at all stations and on-board mainland trains; investment in station improvements; new smart cards, automatically offering the cheapest walk-up single or day return fare; new flexible season tickets; mobile phone barcode tickets; better connections for the Island Line; at least 1,500 new car park spaces; over 40% reduction in energy use at stations and depots.
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