£1bn train improvements promised

Slam-door trains are to be replaced

Rail passengers on a busy commuter route have been promised more than £1bn of improvements.

The deal for train operator South Central includes an £856m investment in 700 new carriages to replace old slam-door trains.

The company has also announced that it is to be phase out its name and replace it with former name Southern Railway, and that all trains will be painted green as they used to be.

Operating out of London's Victoria, London Bridge and Charing Cross stations, the company takes passengers to Kent, Sussex and Hampshire coastal resorts as well as suburban destinations on the way.

As a part of the new deal, South Central will also be running two new hourly services.

From mid 2004 services will begin between Uckfield in East Sussex and London Bridge, and from the end of 2005 trains will run from Brighton to Ashford in Kent.

Connex successors

The improvements were announced on Monday by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) which has signed a new franchise deal with existing franchisee Govia to run South Central until December 2009.

But the SRA will have the option to terminate at 12 months' notice at any point after May 2008.

Govia is part of the Go-Ahead group, which also holds the Thameslink and Thames Trains franchise.

In August 2001 South Central took over from first Connex, which had a poor reputation with passengers.

21st century railway

"This deal is about the future, not the past," said SRA chairman Richard Bowker.

He added that the new investment would "transform South Central into a modern railway fit for the 21st century".

Go-Ahead's group chief executive Martin Ballinger said: "Govia has already invested considerably in this process and I am confident that the terms of the deal we have signed will enable us to generate an appropriate return from the business during the life of the franchise."

South Central also announced new performance targets and plans to award extra compensation for passengers suffering the longest delays.