Going nowhere fast: tourists arriving at Gatwick avoid the expensive Express trains to Victoria, causing more crowding on Southern and Thameslink services used by commuters
The recently re-nationalised Thameslink rail franchise would do better for the majority of passengers by making more south-bound Gatwick Express trains stop at Clapham Junction, and removing the expensive fare supplement.
That’s the view of passenger lobby group RailFuture, which argues against moves by Greater Thameslink Railways – the new, publicly operated franchise which also runs Southern trains – to double the number of expensive Gatwick Express services, to four per hour.
RailFuture says that the London to Brighton Main Line is one of the busiest lines in the country, and it is likely to get busier still when Gatwick’s second runway comes into service. But running four Gatwick Express trains an hour which are virtually empty between the airport and Victoria is not an answer, says RailFuture.
“Those in the know avoid the Gatwick Express due to its premium pricing,” RailFuture says.
“Our own research suggests that only around 12% of passengers travelling from Gatwick to London by rail choose the Gatwick Express. This results in passengers standing, due to overcrowding, on the cheaper Southern and Thameslink trains.”
Four-sight: RailFuture’s report last October laid ou the reasons why doubling the number of Gatwick Express trains is a bad idea
Gatwick passenger numbers could soar from 41million per year to 75million within 10 years with a second runway.
“Governmental permission for such expansion has been granted, dependent on specified matters, including a requirement that at least 54% of airport passengers must arrive at or leave the airport by public transport,” a report from RailFuture says.
“This creates issues for passengers on the Brighton Main Line.”
It is almost a year since RailFuture wrote to Lord Peter Hendy, the Minister of State for railways. The letter was copied to Natasha Irons, the MP for Croydon East. The letter was accompanied by a researched report, Is GatEx Right for Gatwick?
RailFuture is calling for simplification of fares (they found 14 different rail fares for a journey from Gatwick to Euston: “unnecessary complexity of this nature is unjustifiable, confuses passengers and may even deter some from using the service”) and for the scrapping of the premium fares for Gatwick Express which are hardly ever used by savvy passengers.
“We think dedicated Gatwick Express trains should instead be integrated into the Southern service with airport services branded Gatwick Express where there are just stops at Clapham Junction or East Croydon between the airport and central London, and that this should happen now.
“We believe the current Gatwick Express services should stop at Clapham Junction to improve connectivity between there (and the 200+ stations served from there) and Brighton.”
And they added: “These are not permanent solutions to capacity issues on the line, bearing in mind the huge increase in passengers envisaged as a consequence of airport expansion, but will provide some respite and some opportunities whilst the necessary longer-term solutions are considered and implemented.”
Coulsdon resident Charlie King is the chair of the East Surrey Transport Committee and works with RailFuture. He told Inside Croydon: “The Gatwick Express supplement can make the single fare up to £20 more expensive. A lot of guidebooks and travel websites tell visitors to avoid the Gatwick Express.
“Six out of eight trains an hour from Victoria are cheaper and only two minutes slower as they stop at Clapham Junction and East Croydon. There are also eight Thameslink trains per hour stopping at East Croydon, which is also a lot cheaper than the Gatwick Express.
“We took the view that the Gatwick Express could still operate, but it should be integrated with Southern trains and stop at Clapham Junction.
“The supplement should go as only the uninitiated or those on expense accounts use it.
“We met with GTR, and they take a different view. They see Gatwick Express as premium service, although they agreed it wasn’t performing well in its present form. They want to increase the service to four trains per hour and keep the supplement.
“We are not convinced. They have agreed to meet us again to discuss fares.
“Although we welcome additional trains to Gatwick Airport, increasing the number of expensive Gatwick Express trains will do nothing to relieve overcrowding on Southern between Clapham Junction, East Croydon and Gatwick Airport.”
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Removing the supplement for GE services make sense. Adding a small fee to all trips to and from Gatwick would raise more revenue and if the fee is correctly applied it would not deter rail passengers. People traveling by car pay a fee so why shouldn’t rail passengers. Adding stops is completely wrong. Pax to Brighton used to run non stop. I would run 30 minute services from Victoria to Gatwick and Brighton only and 30 minute services from Luton Airport to Gatwick airport fast from London Bridge, these continuing to Brighton via Haywards Heath and Three Bridges in the rush hours. Where possible I would upgrade rolling stock to those built to run for long stretches at 100 mph with ECTS which would facilitate higher speeds and increased safer density of traffic.
Not sure that reducing services to intermediate stations is the right way to go. It would result in even more overcrowding on trains to East Croydon in particular.
Do the information boards at Gatwick still suggest that all non-Gatwick Express trains do not go beyond Clapham Junction?
The more stops is makes the less express it is.
Having the GEX means there is a lot less mixing of commuters with no luggage and airport passengers that have it and that actually speeds up the service for everyone.
It also diverts those passengers who want to go to Brighton away from the stopping services leaving more space for people who actually need the stoppers to get their destination.
Though I do agree that the extra fare for the GEX should go as this would lead to more airport passengers to use it (especially those with luggage) which would again free up space on other Brighton mainline services.
S you’ve never played sardines on a north-bound Southern or Thameslink train, where there’s no seats, or there is tourist luggage on seats, because so few people use the overpriced Gatwick Express, and tourists off flights head into London on the routine, stopping trains?
It is perverse stupidity to take a service which is running almost empty and think it serves any purpose to double its frequency.
Those four slots for Gatwick Express trains every hour would be much better utilised providing a service to commuters who might board at East Croydon or Clapham Junction.