Stagecoach are delighted to have been shortlisted to bid for the South Central franchise by DfT. The South Central passenger rail franchise includes fast, frequent rail services for commuters and leisure passengers, in south London and between London and the South Coast, throughout East and West Sussex and into Kent and Hampshire. As well as commuters into London, there is a significant business and leisure market to Gatwick, Brighton and the Sussex coast.
South Central will be formed from the existing Southern franchise, including the recently incorporated Gatwick Express services, as well as the Tonbridge - Redhill element of the current Southeastern service that will be included in Southern from December 2008. Services north to Milton Keynes are also proposed.
The franchise will be for five years and ten months, expiring in July 2015, with the final year dependent on achieving acceptable performance levels. The Department for Transport also has the discretion to extend the franchise by up to two years from July 2015.
Timetable
| May 2008 | DfT consult on Invitation to Tender (see DfT website) |
| August 2008 | Pre-qualified bidders for the franchise announced |
| November 2008 | Government issues Invitation to Tender to shortlisted bidders |
| February 2009 | Bids submitted to Government |
| Early Summer 2009 | Preferred bidder expected to be announced |
| September 2009 | New franchise starts |
We are keen to build our plans for the new franchise around the reasonable aspirations of all stakeholders and so we would like to hear your views on how we can improve services on the South Central franchise. If you have any comments, please complete the feedback form.
| Report | Full PDF |
| South Central Franchise Brochure 2008 |  7.33mb |
| East Midlands Franchise Brochure | 3mb |
