Current operator South West Trains Stations called at 213 | Fleet size 367 Stations operated 185 | |
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Main Route(s) South West Main LinePortsmouth Direct LineWest of England Main LineWaterloo to Reading Line Franchise dates 4 Feb 1996 - 31 Jan 20041 Feb 2004 - 3 Feb 20074 Feb 2007 – 19 Aug 201720 Aug 2017 - Aug 2024 | ||
South Western is a railway franchise for the provision of passenger services from London Waterloo to destinations in Surrey, Hampshire, Dorset, Berkshire and Wiltshire on the South Western, Portsmouth Direct and West of England main lines. In 2007 the franchise was combined with the smaller franchise for the Island Line on the Isle of Wight.
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South West Trains
In December 1995 the Director of Passenger Rail Franchising awarded the franchise to South West Trains, a subsidiary of Stagecoach. Operations started on 4 February 1996.
In April 2001 the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) awarded Stagecoach a new franchise after it beat bids from First/NedRailways and Sea Containers. The 2001 franchises awarded were (as promulgated) to run for twenty years but in 2002 the SRA reduced the duration of franchises and South West Trains was awarded a three-year franchise starting on 1 February 2004.
South Western Trains
In December 2005 the Department for Transport (DfT) announced that Arriva, First, MTR/Sea Containers, National Express and Stagecoach had been shortlisted to tender for the new South Western franchise, which combined the South West Trains and Island Line Trains franchises. National Express and MTR/Sea Containers later withdrew. In September 2006 the DfT awarded the franchise to Stagecoach, the new franchise starting on 4 February 2007 for a period of ten years.
In March 2013 the Secretary of State for Transport announced the DfT were in talks with Stagecoach to extend the franchise until April 2019. However after failing to negotiate an extension, in July 2015 the DfT announced the franchise would be relet.
In February 2016, the DfT announced FirstGroup and Stagecoach had been shortlisted to bid for the next franchise. In June 2016 MTR Corporation of Hong Kong took a 30% shareholding in the FirstGroup bid.
In July 2016 the DfT issued the Invitation to Tender. In March 2017 the DfT awarded the franchise to First/MTR with their new joint venture company South Western Trains to commence on 20 August 2017. It will run until at least August 2024 with an option for the DfT to extend for a further year.