Govia Thameslink timetable 'threatened mental health of passengers'
Timetabling chaos on Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) last May threatened the mental health and safety of passengers according to a government investigation.
The Commons Transport Committee has revealed that the £7 billion Thameslink project, aimed at introducing more trains across Kent, Sussex and Surrey, was four times the scale of a typical six-monthly timetable change.
MPs say: “Businesses and local economies suffered, children were late for school and anxiety about getting to and from work put a considerable strain on people’s mental health. The situation was chaotic.”
of passenger services across the network were affected by railway changes
of GTR's 3,880 planned daily services failed to run
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has ordered a major review of the industry. He is amongst those blamed by the government who has said he “should have been more proactive.”
MPs say that in future there must be a person or body in control, saying “rail timetabling requires genuinely independent oversight.”
GTR will make no profit this year and have been ordered by the government to pay £15 million in service improvements.