JOHN HALSALL, managing director, Network Rail South East Route, discusses the challenges of the improving the ‘busiest, most complicated’ infrastructure in the country
Right from the start of our interview, John Halsall is eager to compliment Govia Thameslink Railway team on its approach to developing the new Thameslink timetable, and highlights that for Network Rail’s part, the most important things are ‘making sure that we secure the renewals and infrastructure investment we need to run this ever growing and complicated railway’.
He is very keen too that Network Rail communicates ‘the reality of running this busy railway – we need to engage with stakeholders and be honest and transparent. Collectively, we have to work together to make sure we get the value from the timetable – though spotting the detailed issues can take a little time, as with the Southeastern timetable introduced from January.’
‘This is an extraordinarily deep change in timetabling – maybe it is the most significant the industry has ever known’, says Mr Halsall. He adds that an important part of the significant consultation and collaboration over the Thameslink timetable has been the work GTR has done with the System Operator withi…
