Verbal update from Mr Gasche (KCC Principal Transport Planner – Rail)
The next phase of the highspeed franchise is the award of the Direct Award contract for the period covering December 2014 to June 2018. Existing DEAL & Sandwich highspeed peak-time services will be included in the contract and are guaranteed until June 2018. Highspeed peak services will largely stay as they are in terms of pattern and frequency, but some will call additionally at Martin Mill and Walmer.
There will be a new high-speed off-peak loop service which will operate in both directions every hour. This service will replace the off-peak mainline service to Charing Cross, but passengers at Martin Mill, Walmer, DEAL and Sandwich wishing to travel to Charing Cross can do so by changing at Ashford. Subject to the Department for Transport’s agreement, passengers from these stations will be able to travel off-peak on the highspeed service via Faversham at mainline fares.
The off-peak mainline service to and from Dover Priory will reduce from two to one train per hour.
The practice of attaching and detaching trains at Ashford will stop. Passengers travelling off-peak at the weekend from Sandwich or DEAL will pay mainline fares if they travel to and from London via the north Kent line. The premium fare applies to highspeed services operating between Ashford and St Pancras.
The new highspeed timetable is likely to be publicly available from May or June 2014.
