London mayor election: Sadiq Khan wants TfL to run more commuter trains

Sadiq Khan has made a renewed bid to seize greater control over London commuter rail services.

He wants Transport for London to oversee services operated by Southeastern into Victoria, Charing Cross and Cannon Street stations, and the Great Northern services between Hertfordshire and Moorgate.

Such a move would be unlikely to change all rail fares as many already mirror TfL fares within the London fare zone system, especially for passengers buying Travelcards, though some Southeastern fares are more expensive.

It could also mean extending the Oyster card system to stations such as Welwyn Garden City.

Mr Khan would also hope that TfL could run more frequent services – a minimum of a train every 15 minutes – and may be able to upgrade stations and improve rolling stock more quickly.

Transferring Great Northern services, currently run as part of the GoVia Thameslink contract, to TfL was also a 2021 manifesto pledge that came to nothing.

Mr Khan hopes that a Labour government – now committed to “renationalising” the railways within five years of taking office – would be more willing to transfer control.

However this would be unlikely to happen until the Department for Transport contracts with the private rail firms expire.

The Great Northern contract runs until next March but can be extended by the DfT to 2028, while the Southeastern contract is due to run until 2027.

Mr Khan’s manifesto pledges to “work with a Labour government to explore greater devolution of rail and end the misery of non-TfL rail lines letting Londoners down”.

He wants TfL, which subcontracts the running of the Elizabeth line and the London Overground to private rail firms MTR and Arriva respectively, to run Southeastern trains to Dartford, Hayes and Sevenoaks, and Great Northern services to Welwyn Garden City, Hertford and Stevenage.

It had been thought that Mr Khan would confine his ambitions to Southeastern’s “metro” services but Sevenoaks station is part of its wider network.

Mr Khan said: “The operators running our suburban rail services have been letting down Londoners year after year.

“The experience of commuters has been one of delays, a poor service and unjustified hikes in fares. Rail devolution would bring huge benefits for Londoners.”

Southeastern is already effectively nationalised as it is run at arms-length by the DfT under its “operator of last resort” system.

The franchise system was abolished in 2021 due to the pandemic and replaced with national rail contracts, which have less financial risk for the privately-run train firms.

According to the On Time Trains website, Sevenoaks, which is served by Southeastern, was ranked worst of 30 big commuter stations used by London commuters in 2023/24. Only 31 per cent of trains ran on time and fares were expensive at 44p per mile

Welwyn Garden City, which is served by Great Northern, was second worst. Over the last 12 weeks only 60 per cent of trains have been on time.

However rail industry figures for Friday morning show 82 per cent of Southeastern trains running on time - better than London Overground - and zero cancellations. In contrast, only 72 per cent of Elizabeth line trains were on time.

Separate figures from the Office of Rail and Road show that, in the three months to last Christmas, 62.3 per cent of trains across the wider Southeastern network and 64.5 per cent of GoVia Thameslink trains – which include Great Northern services - were on time.

This was in contrast to 76.5 per cent on the Elizabeth line and almost 70 per cent on London Overground.