Half hourly trains through Brentford, Chiswick and Isleworth in afternoons

An amendment to South West Trains franchise agreement has released funds for a package of improvements which includes an increased regularity to local weekend services.

From this December, Hounslow loop trains on Sunday afternoon will run on a half hourly basis up from the current hourly service. This will mean increased regularity at stations such as Brentford, Kew Bridge, Chiswick, Syon Lane and Isleworth. There will be an additional 10 trains between 1400 hrs and 2330hrs (nearly an extra 500 seats per hour) from London and an additional 11 trains to London between 1230hrs and 2300hrs, again providing nearly 500 more seats an hour.

The move is a small part of an enhancement package across South West Train’s network announced as a result of an agreement with the Department of Transport. It includes the introduction of smart ticketing and 170 new easy-to-use ticket machines plus more than 57,000 additional seats and 73 new services. The company will also upgrade its web site and mobile app to make buying tickets easier. They are also promising more visible staff on station concourses.

Chief Executive of the South West Trains-Network Rail Alliance, Tim Shoveller said, “These exciting changes will deliver the biggest package of customer focused benefits for years. As well as the expansion of our smart ticketing scheme we are also introducing more staff to our concourses so that they are able to help passengers, face to face.

These new benefits follow a number of enhancements already underway including a 7m upgrade to the railway through Wimbledon.

March 26, 2015