The rail tender for the south is up for grabs again- and will go out to tender in April 2016, to start in 2017.
I have met several times with County officers to press for improved services, stop using the 3 and 2 trains, better broadband and less evening service disruption if there are rail works.

Today I asked for more additions to the paper to be presented to DfT as part of the consultation- this is what I asked for today.Thank you for the opportunity to talk on the item relating to rail travel

I am grateful to the team, and especially Nicola,our HCC senior transport planner, for taking the time and effort to include many of my comments in her response that you see before you today.
I fully endorse the paper, and it has captured the needs of Hampshire residents, but I would like to elaborate on a number of points that I would like to see in the response.

The paper discusses toilet facilities on the platforms, but not toilets on the trains. You mention long journey times!
Simply put, toilets must be working on all trains, non polluting, accessible and clean. On the station they should be open at all times when passengers are there.

The paper explores the use of ‘mass’ or carnet type ticketing. This is an area where the DfT and the TOC’s have failed to respond to customers.
Part time commuting is becoming the norm, and yet staff are paying for a full season ticket.
Workers often have a part time job, or share time between two places, such as Reading or London, but are forced to pay full journey rates. Students going to college three days a week have to buy a full season ticket.
A carnet style system could provide a more value for money scheme for students and workers- the current rates often drive them to taking the car.

SW trains have provided broadband on some train services, but the service provided is woefully inadequate and does not serve commuters at peak times at all.

Finally, as possibility of devolution draws near, perhaps we can finally tackle the principle of an integrated transport scheme, as they have in other conurbations.

Bike travel is important for commuters- it offers the chance to be car free, cycling to the station,and transport at the other end of your journey..
So- as a woman-you’ve bought your train ticket- but where do you stand or sit? Usually by the bar in the ‘van area’ and toilets with a lot of drinking men! And that’s only if they accept your bike on the train. A gentleman recently complained that he couldn’t get on an evening train for over two hours, because there were no bike spaces.
Bike hire is free for first class season ticket passengers- but why not standard class too?

Commuters do not automatically commute to London, and the paper rightly makes the point about the journey times east to west. This has to be improved as our lifestyles and housing increasingly requires journeys to work by at least one member of the family, often travelling in two different directions.

Finally, the comments about parking are very helpful- but the ‘one size fits all’ schemes built by SW trains has resulted in schemes that provide the parking spaces, but not the public realm for walking, cycling through to the station, or close by disabled parking, for all day or drop off.

This must be addressed in the next tender, if Hampshire is to encourage multi modal transport with access for all.

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