Govia Thameslink Railway rolls out amended timetables on Thameslink and Great Northern to tackle rail timetable chaos
Southern rail parent company Govia Thameslink Railway said today it is rolling out amended timetables across Great Northern and Thameslink as it looks to tackle rail chaos brought from a mass timetable shake-up.
GTR's network includes Southern rail, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express.
GTR said an amended timetable was in operation today, and has advised passengers to check before they travel. "Only services we plan to run will be showing in online journey planners," it said. "There may be some additional short notice alterations as the day progresses."
Northern had already announced it was cancelling 165 daily train services from today until the end of July in an effort to curb the major disruption since new timetables were introduced next month.
And yesterday, the Rail Delivery Group, which represents train operators and Network Rail, said GTR would also be introducing a temporary timetable on Great Northern and Thameslink, aiming to provide "a more consistent level of service" to allow passengers to plan their journeys with greater confidence.
Thameslink passengers this morning were complaining that sudden cancellations and numerous delays were causing serious disruption.
Constantly delayed, constantly cancelled. This is really bad.
— Nanayaa Agyeman (@nyagyeman) June 4, 2018
@TLRailUK business as usual #commute #london #Thameslinkpic.twitter.com/sm3m1CTUA4
— Jorge Mendes Lira (@JmmLira) June 4, 2018
Based on today’s cancellations and delays looks like the billed ‘teething problems’ have turned into terminal tooth decay! Hang your heads in shame AGAIN Govia & Horton #thameslink
— Ian (@ian49walmsley) June 4, 2018
Britain's biggest rail shake-up in decades was expected to come with some teething problems, but the scale of the troubles with sudden cancellations and numerous delays has led to much criticism from MPs and passenger groups.
Ultimately, the changes are meant to add 6,400 extra services a week and 7,000 new carriages by 2021, and the RDG said that more than eight out of 10 services across the country have arrived as planned since the new timetable was introduced.
But customers in some parts of the country have experienced "unacceptable levels of disruption", with Northern and GTR taking action.
⚠️ An amended timetable is in operation today. Only services we plan to run will be showing in online journey planners. There may be some additional short notice alterations as the day progresses.
Please check before you travel