Chiltern Railways moves into public ownership with more services promised
Chiltern Railways has become the sixth operator to transfer into Great British Railways
Chiltern Railways has moved into public ownership, with passengers set to benefit from more services, new trains and improvements across the network.
The operator is the sixth rail operator to transfer into public ownership under the Government's plans to establish Great British Railways.
Rail Minister Lord Hendy said: "Every transfer into public ownership gives us the chance to tackle the bread-and-butter issues people care about – more frequent, comfortable trains that turn up on time."
Chiltern services connect London Marylebone with communities across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands, carrying almost 20 million passengers a year.
From December, passengers will have 25 additional services every weekday, providing almost 10,000 extra seats each weekday.
The new timetable will also introduce a half-hourly service throughout the day on the Chiltern Main Line between London and Birmingham, helping to tackle overcrowding.
Six more new Chiltern Explorer trains will enter service in December, completing a fleet of 13. The trains will increase capacity and provide improved accessibility, air conditioning and enhanced Wi-Fi.
Work will also continue on a £12 million refurbishment programme for Chiltern's existing Class 168 trains. The upgrades include improved Wi-Fi, power and USB charging at every seat, as well as refreshed interiors.
Stations across the network will also receive investment, including painting, deep cleaning, graffiti removal and refurbished toilets.
At Haddenham and Thame Parkway, 200 previously closed car park spaces will reopen.
From today, passengers whose train is cancelled will be able to use another operator's service at no extra cost.
Chiltern Railways interim managing director Tony Baxter described the transfer as a "significant milestone".
He said: "Over the next 12 months, our customers in London, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands will benefit from more new trains, more services, thousands of additional seats, improvements to stations and on-board facilities."
He added that public ownership would "further strengthen that progress through closer collaboration across the industry, helping us share best practice, drive innovation and focus on what matters most to customers, businesses and communities across our network."