Railfuture is questioning whether train services to Moorgate would be best served by Transport for London (TfL) or Great Northern, which, as part of Govia Thameslink Railway when it is nationalised in May 2026, will come under the auspices of Great British Railways (GBR).

Before a decision is made, Railfuture is seeking answers to ten questions encompassing financial risk-taking and governance, how it will handle disruption, stations, integration and interfaces, and capacity.

Financial risk taking & governance:

• Who would take on the financial risk for service costs and revenue for stations in Hertfordshire? Would it be TfL and London council taxpayers?
• How would Hertfordshire residents be able to hold TfL accountable?
• Would TfL offer any incentives to Hertfordshire residents, and would their fares actually reduce?

Handling disruption.

• How would disruption at stations such as Hatfield, Potters Bar and Welwyn be handled, since GTR is currently responsible for looking after passengers on all services at those stations?
• Services from Kings Cross and Moorgate are controlled from York Railway Operating Centre, so is TfL planning on basing staff there? During periods of disruption, would TfL have the same influence as present?

Stations

• Who will operate those stations on the East Coast Mainline served by GN Inners and GN Outers, and stations in Hertfordshire served only by GN Inners? Will TfL pay for future improvements to Hertfordshire stations, or would there be complexity, probable delay, and extra cost because GBR is funding them?

Integration and interfaces@

• Many parts of the GN Inner and GN Outer services are fully integrated, including drivers and a single maintenance depot, which are key aspects. If the services are split, inefficiencies will occur, and who would pay for them? Also, where are the compensating savings?
• GN Inner services utilise rolling stock from Siemens, which differs from the Bombardier/Alstom stock used elsewhere on London Overground and the Elizabeth Line, and the signalling systems are also distinct, with GN Inner services employing next-generation ETCS. Would the promised synergies be realistic?

Capacity

• One of the main reasons for the change in operator is because of a new town planned for Crews Hill, but has there been a study to find out if there is capacity at Moorgate and between there and Alexandra Palace, and are there enough trains?

Railfuture has also been active elsewhere in the country, including forming an alliance to campaign for the reopening of the railway line between Barnstaple and Bideford, and responding to the target for the growth in freight moved by rail.

“Railfuture would like to see the most cost-effective, efficient and reliable train operator running services serving Moorgate. We want to see improvements to the service for reliability, for delivering four trains per hour and for station staffing. The question is, who is best placed to deliver these at the lowest cost to the taxpayer and ticket buyer, Great British Railways or Transport for London? “

Neil Middleton, Railfuture Vice Chair and Hertfordshire resident