The Mayor has lost his battle to take control of a key commuter rail service after political opposition to the move.
His bid to run Southeastern services from Kent has been rejected by the Department for Transport, rail industry sources have told the Standard.
Boris Johnson had insisted that bringing the services under Transport for London’s control would have eased overcrowding and improved reliability. Under the plan, TfL would have operated the “metro” routes on the Southeastern line — those within London’s boundaries.
But Kent council leader Paul Carter objected, saying the plans were “totally unacceptable” and would have prioritised London commuters at the expense of its own residents.
Mike Brown, managing director of London Underground and Rail, said today that TfL would focus efforts instead on taking over the West Anglia route out of Liverpool Street station. He said: “We continue to make the case for greater control over suburban rail services in London. We believe we can significantly improve the rail service and station facilities, as we have on London Overground, for customers within the Greater London boundary and beyond.”
The Mayor argues that if he is awarded the West Anglia franchise, he could simplify ticketing, provide more frequent off-peak services and extend train lengths.
