“I never thought I would hear a passenger say to me bring back First Capital Connect." A quote from Anthony Smith, Chief Executive of the transport watchdog Passenger Focus, emphasizing how poor has been the performance of the Govia consortium since it took over the Great Northern and Thameslink routes last September.
Govia's bad start - three to four per cent of services failed to run in the first twelve weeks of the new franchise - proved to be only a prelude to its appalling performance in the four weeks running up to 3rd January, when six per cent of Great Northern services were cancelled. For Thameslink passengers things were even worse - nine per cent of trains did not run.
The key factor behind these figures is shortage of drivers. The full establishment required for Thameslink and Great Northern is 666, but at the transfer date First Capital Connect only had 611 drivers. Services have for some time depended on overtime and rest day working, but drivers are unwilling to work overtime during school holidays - which will come as no surprise to passengers using Palmers Green station.
A driver recruitment programme has been launched, but because training takes a year its effects will not be felt for some time.
As well as criticising First Capital Connect and Govia for failure, passenger groups have laid some of the blame at the door of the Department for Transport. They say that when the DfT extended the FCC franchise, it should have insisted that First instigate a driver recruitment programme.
A public meeting to discuss poor performance on the Great Northern is being held on 23rd January (7.30pm at St Mary Magdalene Church, Windmill Hill, Enfield Town).
For more reporting, see the Passenger Transport and London Travelwatch websites.
