asked Her Majesty's Government:
What consideration they have given to the fact that the Watford to Brighton service will from December terminate at Clapham Junction, as the rolling stock is to be transferred to Thameslink, and there are no other Electrostar units to provide this service. [HL1324]
The Brighton to Watford rail services, which run on an hourly basis each day, commencing after the morning rush-hour, will be amended to run only between Clapham Junction and Watford Junction from December 2008. Journeys between the Brighton Main Line and the West Coast Main Line, avoiding the London Underground, will still be possible, albeit with a change of trains at Clapham Junction, as happens in the morning peak today.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the solution to the shortage of Electrostar units to service Thameslink is to take them from the Watford to Brighton service, thus curtailing the West London service to Gatwick airport. [HL1325]
To facilitate the construction of the Thameslink programme, significant infrastructure and timetable changes will occur in December 2008. This will necessitate a substantial increase in the Thameslink fleet of specialised dual-voltage rolling stock, which will be achieved by making an allocation of Electrostar units. Some of these units will be new-build, and some will be reallocated from the West London Line service.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
In light of concerns about the curtailment of the Watford to Brighton rail link which serves Gatwick airport, whether they will press Southern Rail to provide the investment needed to purchase sufficient Electrostar units for both this route and Thameslink. [HL1326]
The Secretary of State for Transport recently announced the intention to introduce 1,300 additional vehicles to the railway network in England and Wales between 2008 and 2014. This will involve a small number of fully competitive procurement processes that will ensure that the new rolling stock orders represent the best possible value for public money.
asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the conversion of a small number of single-voltage trains into dual voltage to enable an increase in the Thameslink service would be preferable to taking the Electrostar units from the current Watford to Gatwick airport service. [HL1327]
It is technically feasible to convert single-voltage Electrostars to be dual-voltage, but, even if it were possible to make a value-for-money case to invest in such conversions, it is not possible, at present, to procure any alternative stock to replace any further Electrostars removed from Southern.