South: Commuter conundrum

Peter Henley Politics Editor, BBC South

Railway services run by South Eastern Trains since Connex lost its franchise

The days of steam are not over. Around 12,000 people wrote to the Rail Authority to let off their steam after they re-advertised the old Connex train franchise in Kent.

Some of the comments are reported below.

"These are possibly the most uncomfortable trains I have ever had the misfortune to travel on."

"Up to 35% on top of our season ticket? Disgraceful!"

"There is no sense of urgency from the drivers, they seem content to just dawdle along, taking their time opening and shutting the doors."

... And among the many postings on the Radio Kent message board this month: "John Prescott will be held responsible for my price increase - and it is election year."

Poor financial performance was given as the reason for Connex to be stripped of the franchise to run trains in Kent and East Sussex.

State control?

The Strategic Rail Authority told the French firm they were no longer the franchise holders in June 2003.

Five months later they were replaced by a subsidiary of the SRA, South Eastern Trains.

Effectively Kent's trains were back in public ownership for the first time since British Rail.

On paper it looks like things have improved since then.

Some unions have said they want to keep South Eastern under public control, arguing that reliability has improved in the last year.

Bob Crow of the RMT says "We should leave South Eastern in the public sector, delivering an excellent service with increasing levels of punctuality".

Too much change?

A new franchise holder for the South East is expected to take over in 2005

But others point out the opening of the new Channel Tunnel route would have benefited whoever took over.

Tim Nicholson from the Rail Passenger committee for Southern England says the four bidders bring new skills and experience.

Mr Nicholson continues: "It is an extremely complex bit of network and there some interesting combinations of operator".

Whether public or private ownership is best, others argue that too much change is the problem.

Connex believed they would have been able to turn the railway around, given more time.

And recently South Eastern were only ever babysitting the lines.

Despite a massive investment of taxpayers money into the railways it seems they are still short of cash.

In the franchise consultation this line was telling: "Options that require more rolling stock or significantly increased operating costs cannot be contemplated unless balanced by resource reductions elsewhere."

It was not South Eastern that got the signs wrong at Folkestone, spelling every one of a new delivery "Folkstone".

But there are more than a few long suffering commuters who think that the people who run the railway are taking the "P", as well as the "E".

Politics Show

Join Peter Henley live from Ashford station on Politics Show, BBC One, Sunday, 23 January, 2005 at 12.30pm.

Let us know what you think.

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