UK rail infrastructure operator Network Rail (NR) has announced that its alliance with South West Trains (SWT) will be reshaped to focus on areas that benefit its passengers.
The work to reshape the alliance will be completed by the end of August and will see SWT and NR aiming to retain the best and most successful parts of the alliance.
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The SWT-NR alliance was established in 2012 to deliver better rail services through reducing delays for passengers, provide better customer service, deliver more effective management of disruption.
Both the parties envisage retaining the fully integrated control centre based at Waterloo (WICC), the one-station team at Waterloo, and the joint integrated capacity, planning and performance teams established to deliver real benefits to passengers.
The reshaped SWT-NR alliance will involve changes to management structure and commercial arrangements.
The alliance joint strategy will deliver planned infrastructure improvement works on the Wessex route and bring the former Waterloo International Terminal back into full use.
It is expected that the development, including new trains, will provide 30% extra capacity at peak times by 2018.
In the future, NR post of route managing director will be reintroduced and current infrastructure director John Halsall will assume this role, whilst Tim Shoveller continues to be managing director for SWT.
Shoveller noted: "We have learned a huge amount over the past three years. It makes sense to have a look at our alliance with a view to continuing the areas that have worked really well, and stop doing the things that haven’t.
"The strong ethic of teamwork, close working and collaboration will continue as we reshape the alliance to concentrate time and resource on the most effective areas."
The new rail operating and training centre at Basingstoke, a project jointly delivered by the alliance, is already delivering training for SWT and NR employees and will continue under the new arrangements, NR said in a statement.
Image: SWT and NR envisage retaining the fully integrated control centre based at Waterloo. Photo: courtesy of Network Rail.
