Commuters of south-east London and north Kent will be travelling on Southeastern trains for a while yet.

The Department for Transport announced in September the Go-Ahead group, which owns 65 per cent of the operator, will run the franchise until June 24, 2018.

The ‘Direct Award’ contract came into force on October 12 and comes as Southeastern sees a new managing director brought in.

David Statham, 46, took up his appointment in September and talked to News Shopper about plans to improve a company so many across the South East rely on.

How are you finding your new role?

"I’m about six weeks in now and I’m 22 years into a career in the railways.

"(The new position) is a steep learning curve - to come in to a big business. I’m responsible for 570,000 passengers a day.

"There’s a lot to do. It’s daunting. I’m getting my head around it all."

One of the biggest parts of your new job must be the Thameslink Programme and the service to Charing Cross no longer stopping at London Bridge for an extended period?

"London Bridge is a huge project. We’re not only rebuilding the station, but we’re making the railway links flow more efficiently.

"This is a big three-year programme, work that only happens every few generations - we’re running around 1,000 services a day through London Bridge. But right now we have to halve the traffic.

"(In the long-term) We’re adding services and increasing the number of platforms. It’s massively important to do this."

News Shopper:

How are you going to manage further disruption?

"We have a communication programme led by Network Rail. There’ll be information on Twitter and emails. We’ll be running ‘meet the manager’ sessions. We know it’s a big change to peoples’ travel.

"In January we’re recruiting 170 temporary staff to help and 100 extra permanent staff - some are already training."

Delays seem to upset a lot of people. Your punctuality targets appear to have been set with Thameslink complications in mind?

"It’s important that we set realistic targets and we’ve got some challenging times ahead but we’re investing billions.

"The changes will reduce flexibility - what we can do when things go wrong. We’ve been planning for the last three-four years and we’re going to try to manage the impact.

"I think there’s a lot we can do. We want to work with Network Rail.

"So far we’ve reduced speed restrictions (for us) from 33 to eight. We want to get to four.

"We’re trying to take the delays out. We’ve spent around £25 million. We’ve taken trees out (along our network) and worked to prevent landslides."

Some members of the public are also concerned with capacity and refurbishments?

"We know that’s really important - in January 2015 we’re bringing in longer trains, carriages will be increased from 10 to 12 on our metro routes.

"We’re also looking at extra trains in the longer term, increasing our rolling stock. And we’re going to be refurbishing trains too so people have a better travelling environment."

News Shopper:

We’re going to have to pay for all this, no doubt?

"We set fares off-peak and we’re looking at making services better value for money - we want to bring in super off-peak tickets in January 2015.

"We’re also going to be look at reductions leading up to Christmas, encouraging people to use the trains.

"Commuter fares are set by the government. They’re pegged to the level of inflation, at 2.5 per cent.

"We know it’s difficult out there. We’re spending about £70 million on more staff, better information, and upgrades. We want to put investment back into the network.

"We’re adding 63 new ticket machines, we’ve got plans to extend Oyster to Dartford and Swanley, and we’re fazing in more services to Woolwich and Lewisham."

And do you use the trains?

"Yes, I live on the network - in Herne Hill - and travel regularly up to Blackfriars. I don’t travel in First Class and do what everybody else does - I have stood up if I’ve needed to."

For information to timetable and service changes, including additional trains to Woolwich and Lewisham, visit southeasternrailway.co.uk

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