December 2018 timetable consultation outcome report Published April 2018

1 The outcome of South Western Railway’s timetable consultation for December 2018

Thank you to the thousands of people extra capacity and faster journeys. draft timetables. The timetables were who took the time to feedback on the However, to address the most common published on our website alongside a December 2018 timetable proposals request, which was to retain certain consultation paper with insight into our as part of our consultation process. We stations in some of the proposed faster proposals. recognise that any timetable change services, we have had to make some can have a significant impact on our difficult trade-offs between connectivity In addition, we hosted station events, customers and the communities we and journey times. stakeholder events for Community serve, so it was important that we Rail Partnerships, action groups involved you in its development. We and Rail User Groups as well as a now want to share with you how the Our consultation ran briefing session for constituency comments we have received have helped between 29 September MPs at the House of Commons. shape our final proposals. and 22 December 2017 to: The feedback we received in relation to South Western Railway (SWR) has the timetables has been reviewed some of the busiest routes in the ––involve customers, stakeholders, staff as we promised and we have considered country, operating over 1,700 services and community groups in the future how we can adjust our original plans each weekday. We provide commuter, plans for the specification of the train to accommodate, where possible, the interurban, regional and long distance services we provide from December needs highlighted by the communities services to passengers in south west 2018; and we serve. London and across the south and south ––provide a channel to feedback west, as well as providing connectivity to comments – both positive and The timetable plans are submitted to the ports and airports. negative – so that SWR can use this which is responsible for information to help shape the final network wide capacity allocation. They We recognise that our services play an timetable proposals. will review our proposals for compliance important role in keeping our customers with industry timetable rules as well moving across the region and the SWR undertook a comprehensive as assess their compatibility with the timetable must evolve to meet the needs communications campaign to raise timetable bids made by other passenger of both our current and future customers. awareness of the consultation with and freight operators. We have been We know that passengers want a announcements on board trains, discussing changes to the Train Service combination of improved capacity, posters and face to face events at Specification – this details what increased frequency and faster journey stations, meetings with councils, services we are required to operate times. MPs, user groups and travel partners – with the Department for Transport as well as reviewing and, where since the end of the consultation and The December 2018 timetable is a huge possible, responding to thousands of your feedback has helped support the part of the plan to provide much needed emails following the publication of the changes we are asking to be made.

2 The timetable change process is complex and involves discussions and approvals with stakeholders including the Department for Transport and Network Rail. These all take time which is why there is a period where we are not able to give you exact service details and one of the main reasons we have produced this overview document.

Full timetables will be available later this year.

Key issues we are addressing following the consultation:

1 Hounslow loop and Chertsey line connectivity Windsor services including: ––Datchet level crossing ––Sunnymeads and Wraysbury to Richmond connectivity

2 Queenstown Road service provision

3 Martins Heron peak service

4 Whitton peak fast service provision

5 Camberley line and Ascot peak services

6 Farnborough, Fleet, Hook and Winchfield peak service calls

7 West of Southampton to Weymouth service

8 West of England line: ––Clapham Junction calls in West of England line services ––Sunday services

9 Clapham Junction peak calls

10 School service provision

11 Isle of Wight connections via Portsmouth

12 Other areas being reviewed following feedback

3 A clear message was received at local events and via 1. Hounslow loop the consultation that our initial plan to move the existing Wraysbury and Sunnymeads calls from the Waterloo to and Chertsey line Windsor via Richmond service into the proposed Waterloo to Windsor via Hounslow service should be challenged. Many connectivity felt that forcing a change for passengers going to Richmond or Twickenham was not acceptable and we have therefore amended the Windsor to Waterloo service to ensure that the Your feedback Our response current stopping pattern via Richmond is maintained. Please retain the direct We are amending our This however means that our journey time improvements Waterloo to Weybridge via proposals to restore an on the Windsor via Richmond route are reduced from that Hounslow service all-day service from consulted upon. Weybridge via Hounslow loop. The off-peak Windsor services willl reduce to two per hour in order to provide 2. Queenstown Road the capacity to retain this service. service provision

Your feedback Our response Please consider the impact Two services per hour, Please do not cut the We have altered the plans to of additional services on the rather than four, in the service to Queenstown Road retain the eight services per level crossing at Datchet off-peak to and from Windsor will reduce the hour to Queenstown Road. amount of time the level crossing barriers are Our original proposal reduced the services stopping at closed. (Two services Queenstown Road from eight to four per hour. Following per hour will maintain consultation and discussions with MPs it is clear that the today’s level of service development in the area warrants retention of the public off-peak for Windsor.) transport support that SWR can offer so we propose to retain eight services per hour.

We received feedback which asked us to reconsider The requirements for the frequencies of services calling at the removal of the direct Waterloo to Weybridge service the station can then be reviewed once the Northern Line via Hounslow. extension works are complete in 2020, when this will provide the area with further transport links across London. We recognise that this service is relied upon for commutes to some major employers and schools on the route and have therefore proposed to reinstate the service to call 3. Martins Heron at all-stations from Waterloo to Weybridge via Hounslow. This will operate at 30 minute intervals all-day with similar first peak train service and last services as the December 2017 timetable. Your feedback Our response This change does however come at the expense of two of the proposed four per hour Waterloo to Windsor services Please retain four trains per We have adjusted the during off-peak hours. This change means that Windsor will hour during peak times Reading service calling get up to four services per hour in the peak, reducing to two pattern to retain, as a per hour in the off-peak. This will avoid an off-peak increase minimum, the same number in Datchet level crossing barrier down times which was a of peak Martins Heron calls significant concern for local residents. as per today with up to four per hour in the peak periods. Sunnymeads and Wraysbury SWR recognises the feedback from commuters using to Richmond connectivity Martins Heron station for keeping the four services they currently have in peak periods in the December 2018 Your feedback Our response timetable. The reduction of calls at peak time to two was very negatively received. Therefore we plan to maintain the Please restore the We plan to amend the level of service at peak times in both directions to London Wraysbury and Windsor to Waterloo and Reading. This will reduce the proposed improvements to Sunnymeads calls in the services to ensure that there journey times that were originally consulted upon. Windsor via Hounslow is a via Richmond option. services to allow direct services to Richmond and Twickenham

4 5 4. Whitton peak fast 6. Farnborough, Fleet, service provision Hook and Winchfield peak

Your feedback Our response service calls Please do not take away We aim to ensure three the faster services in the faster peak morning Your feedback Our response peak from Whitton services and three peak Retention of four trains per Our plans have been evening services calling at hour at Hook and Winchfield amended to accommodate Whitton station. This is in in the peak periods the requirement of four addition to the half-hourly services per hour in the Windsor service that will peak to serve these stations. also call. We will maintain General connectivity for Our proposals will satisfy the three fast services from Hart area stations the need for connectivity Whitton in the morning between stations on the peak. In the evening peak route and not just to the the three fast services are major hubs. in addition to those provided today. Farnborough and Fleet We have maintained peak should not get a reduced services to and from The initial proposal removed stops at Whitton from the faster service as a result of smaller Farnborough at six services services in the morning peak to London. We plan to amend stations on the line gaining per hour, however to meet a number of Reading services to have their calling patterns more calls the needs of the customers stop at Whitton. across the other stations on the route we have kept the Our aim will be to ensure three peak morning services and number of calls at Fleet to three peak evening services will call at Whitton station the existing four services providing a 28 minute journey time for passengers from this per hour from our original station. This is in addition to the half-hourly Windsor service proposal of six during that will also call at Whitton. the peak.

Our original proposals saw an improvement in peak stops for Fleet and Farnborough as the largest footfall stations and a 5. Camberley line and reduction in peak calls for Hook and Winchfield. We received high volumes of correspondence from Ascot peak services customers using these stations requesting that existing levels of service be reinstated.

Your feedback Our response A supplementary proposal was then published which We need our direct peak We plan to maintain the offered this, however saw more negative feedback than services from Camberley, direct services from Frimley, positive with respondees challenging why Fleet and Frimley and Bagshot to Camberley and Bagshot to Farnborough should lose their additional trains to Hook and Waterloo and back and from Waterloo at peak Winchfield. There is also a requirement for interconnectivity times. We will offer three between stations on this line for schools and colleges at services in both the morning Brookwood and Farnborough. and evening peaks (this represents one additional Our amended proposals will maintain four services per service during the evening hour at Fleet, Hook and Winchfield in the peak times, with peak period compared to six services per hour at Farnborough and we will keep this today). under review to match demand. We have reviewed the requirement to interconnect the communities along the Our face to face meetings, discussions with MPs and route although this will result in less opportunity to reduce feedback emails told us that the loss of the direct Camberley overall journey times. peak service to and from London was not well received even though a faster journey time would be achievable by changing at Ash Vale.

We have re-analysed the capacity for services through Ascot in the peak and will plan that direct services will be maintained from and to Frimley, Camberley and Bagshot with Waterloo in the peak.

In both the morning and evening peaks we propose to run three direct services which would mean an additional direct service in the evening peak period compared to today.

6 7. West of Southampton The off-peak service proposed is: a Half-hourly London to Weymouth service calling to Weymouth service at either or Clapham Junction;

Your feedback Our response b One of these services will divide at Southampton Central, with the front portion going forward calling at Weymouth, and We have reworked the , Poole and all stations to Weymouth, the intermediate stations, need timetable and will maintain rear portion calling at Totton, Brockenhurst, New Milton, more not less direct services two direct services at the Christchurch, Pokesdown, Bournemouth, Branksome, to London – the journey time loss of some, but not all, of Parkstone and Poole; saving does not warrant the the journey time saving. We loss of a whole direct train estimate the journey time c This will increase Totton services to two per hour while reduction to be an average retaining a direct service to London which will have an of 10 minutes quicker for improved journey time compared to today; the faster train in each hour between Weymouth and d Brockenhurst, Branksome and Parkstone will get two London compared to today services per hour to London all-day; (this was an average of 14 minutes quicker in the e Hamworthy, Moreton and Upwey will be served by one initial plan). service per hour in both the London and Weymouth Hamworthy, Upwey and We propose a second slower directions; Moreton should not have Weymouth service that to change on to services will call at these stations to f Holton Heath will be provided with one service per hour to Waterloo ensure a direct service to except on Sundays and late evenings from Waterloo; and from Waterloo all-day. Branksome and Parkstone There will be two services g Through services will be maintained from New Milton, require commuter services per hour all-day and the Christchurch and Pokesdown all-day with one per hour to and from London peak service will match the off-peak with additional peak calls; times and frequencies of the December 2017 timetable. h The new Portsmouth to Weymouth stopping service proposed in our consultation will now terminate and Sway needs good We plan to provide Sway start from Bournemouth rather than continuing through connections to Waterloo with direct services in the to Weymouth. Stations between Bournemouth and peak periods with a change Weymouth will continue to be served by a Waterloo at Brockenhurst in the service; off-peak. i We are also looking to accommodate school flow Another clear challenge to our proposals came from west requirements into stopping patterns of this service during of Southampton, with customers there sending us the most key hours for this passenger group; and correspondence as part of the consultation. j Sway, Hinton Admiral and Ashurst New Forest The clear view was that maintaining direct services and will maintain peak direct services with off-peak more frequent services were preferential to improved travel requiring a change at Brockenhurst or Southampton journey times. Central.

We propose to retain two direct services between London and Weymouth with one service dividing each hour at Southampton Central; this allows connectivity to be retained 8. West of England line whilst improving end to end journey times. Your feedback Our response The peak practice of dividing trains at Southampton is to be Please retain the ability to We are amending the plans expanded into the off-peak. change at Clapham Junction to ensure both Clapham if we have to choose Junction and Woking calls between this station and are maintained in off-peak Woking, but the option for West of England services. both station calls if possible would give alternatives for onward travel planning

7 Clapham Junction calls in West of England services

The consultation asked a specific question to those using the West of England line whether they would prefer either a Woking or Clapham Junction call, or alternate calls at either of these stations outside of peak periods.

The feedback and comments received clearly wanted the connectivity attained by having a Clapham Junction call. However, there were also customers requiring the Woking call, so we have retained both in the services outside of the peaks and at weekends, albeit with an impact on the originally proposed journey time reductions.

Please see section 9 for more information on the Clapham Junction peak calling pattern.

Sunday services

We recognise that so far the weekend timetables have not been made available for review, however, we are responding to a requirement identified and propose that on Sunday mornings the Waterloo to services only call at Andover, between and . However, we will also provide an hourly stopping service between Salisbury and Basingstoke which will then run non-stop to Reading, which will serve Grateley, Andover, Whitchurch and Overton to provide better connectivity.

On Sunday afternoons, this service will run through to Waterloo so as to provide a Waterloo and Salisbury service every half-hour. It will also provide an hourly service for Overton, Whitchurch and Grateley a considerable improvement over the one every other hour serving the stations today.

8 9. Clapham Junction Evening Peak peak calls Time band December 2017 December 2018 Total Clapham Total Clapham Capacity Trains Junction Trains Junction increase Your feedback Our response stops stops from London Please provide more stops We are looking at every Waterloo at Clapham Junction not option to achieve our less customer requirements and 16:00 – 16:59 15 6 17 7 50% appreciate the reduction 17:00 – 17:59 19 1 23 1 28% in calls in the peaks is 18:00 – 18:59 19 4 24 0 29% frustrating; however we 19:00 – 19:59 17 9 18 8 17% need to achieve significant capacity improvement Total 70 20 82 16 32% across our services into London Waterloo. Therefore, Similarly, in the evening peak, overall there will be four fewer we will continue with our services calling at Clapham Junction in the evening peak original plans to reduce the period, which allows us to run 12 additional services providing services calling at Clapham 32 per cent additional capacity departing London Waterloo. Junction in the peak and shoulder peak periods. 10. School service provision We received hundreds of emails from customers that seek more, not less, Clapham Junction calls during the peak hours. and extended days We are aware that the ability to interchange at this station is used by many, however we maintain that the benefits to the majority of passengers is to provide the extra overall capacity Your feedback Our response and faster journeys to and from Waterloo by not stopping as Can you ensure that the With school days starting many services at Clapham Junction in the peaks. services minimise waiting and finishing at different times for our students at times all over the routes By reducing the number of services calling at Clapham stations for their safety and we operate we are doing Junction in the peaks, we are able to tackle some of the key security with minimal need our best to accommodate issues passengers raise, including that of overcrowding. for changes specific needs and to look at The table shows the proposed number of calls at Clapham alternative service routes to Junction compared to that in the December 2017 timetable minimise changes. on the mainline. We have been contacted by many schools, colleges and parents on behalf of their children that use our services Morning Peak to travel to meet their educational needs. We are grateful for this feedback as it highlighted some issues we were Time band December 2017 December 2018 not previously aware of and we have incorporated changes wherever possible. Total Clapham Total Clapham Capacity Trains Junction Trains Junction increase stops stops to London Waterloo 11. Isle of Wight 07:00 – 07:59 18 6 22 3 28% 08:00 – 08:59 25 0 25 1 20% connections via 09:00 – 09:59 16 7 19 7 16% Portsmouth Total 59 13 66 11 21% Your feedback Our response Overall, there will be two fewer services over the morning peak period calling at Clapham Junction, which allows us to Please align trains to We are working with run seven additional services providing 21 per cent additional Wightlink ferries so that Wightlink to ensure the capacity into London Waterloo. journeys are as fast as connectivity is maintained today without long waits including the first ferry Despite the reduction in number of services calling at at terminals connections in the morning. Clapham Junction the overall capacity of the trains that will call is increased by 28 per cent over the morning peak period Rail and sea connections to the Isle of Wight are key due to running longer trains. to those who commute to and from the island, and therefore we continue to work with Wightlink to ensure our timetables align as far as possible. We aim to maintain the current level of connectivity and journey times between the Isle of Wight and London via Ryde and Portsmouth. This includes the first ferry connection in the morning.

9 i There will be revised and additional calls at Liphook, Liss 12. Other areas being and Rowlands Castle at peak and school times; reviewed following j The 16:25 Waterloo to Exeter/ will call additionally feedback at Overton and Grateley; k After the evening peak (ie 20:00) Micheldever and There were numerous other individual service queries and Shawford will see frequencies maintained at those similar comments that we have looked at while reviewing the plans to today; for our December 2018 timetable. This is not an exhaustive list, but we wanted to show that where we can we are l A limited number of stops at Freshford will be introduced accommodating the feedback into our plans. on services to Bristol and the majority of trains will now call at Oldfield Park to serve the university campus NB: The timings in the information below are as per the nearby; timetable plans in our submission to Network Rail, however they may need to be amended slightly in the final timetable m More stops will be provided at and Feniton in light of feedback from their review. and the pathing of certain trains in the evening will be reviewed to improve performance on the single line The new proposals will reflect: section between and Pinhoe; a The retention of the weekday extension of the lunchtime n The 05:50 Exeter to Waterloo will serve all stations Waterloo to via Frome and Bruton service; between Exeter and Honiton and will also stop additionally at Woking; b The first Guildford to London via Cobham service now arrives earlier than planned around 06:30; o 05:40 Southampton to Waterloo will start back from Bournemouth to maintain connectivity to and from the c The 05:23 Farnham to Waterloo will call additionally New Forest stations to Basingstoke and Woking; at West Byfleet, Weybridge and Walton-on-Thames to mirror the existing 05:43 Woking to Waterloo; p The 05:20 from Poole to Waterloo will call additionally at Clapham Junction and the 06:35 from Weymouth d Extra calls at Vauxhall on some morning peak trains will call at Clapham Junction instead of Basingstoke; from Reading; q Two additional calls will be provided at Weybridge e One service per hour in the off-peak from Basingstoke in the morning peak on trains which then run non-stop to (the slow service) to call at Clapham Junction; Waterloo; f Many of the additional semi-fast services between r The 06:35 from Brockenhurst to Waterloo will instead Portsmouth and Southampton will call at Netley start from Southampton; and Woolston; s A fast departure from London to West Byfleet will be g The current 07:17 Southampton to Portsmouth stopping provided between 16:00 and 17:00; and service will be retained at similar times to today; t A fast departure from London to Hampton Court will be h Service frequencies at Liss will be improved to two per provided around 19:30. hour throughout the day and on Saturdays;

10 Next steps

The purpose of holding our consultation on the original proposals for the December 2018 timetable was to give you an opportunity to help shape the final proposal so that it meets the needs of passengers both now and in the future. We have listened to your aspirations and needs and have tried to meet as many of these as possible within the constraints of the network. On such a busy network creating capacity has to be the cornerstone of our timetable, and we have tried to meet the desire for faster journeys whilst still maintaining connections and services to smaller stations.

We recognise we will never please everybody, but we believe with your help, we have created a timetable which delivers much of what you told us was needed and which will still provide more capacity, some faster journeys and new journey opportunities.

These timetables are submitted to Network Rail, who will review it alongside the timetables of other operators who use the network, and provide us with feedback. Their review of this timetable is very technical and it may be necessary for us to amend our plans in-line with their comments.

We expect Network Rail’s feedback in the summer and then will be able to provide you with detailed timetables later in the year.

We will communicate these finalised timetables via our website so that customers can see what their journeys will look like from December 2018.

We are really grateful to everyone that has taken the time to give us their feedback throughout the consultation process.

Thank you.

11 A FirstGroup and MTR company 12