MP raises SWR '701' delay with government as 12th unit is prepared for traffic

A 12th Class 701 unit is due to enter traffic next week as South Western Railway works on a plan to introduce the rest of the fleet “as quickly as possible”.

A Westminster Hall debate on the introduction of the Arterio units on the London Waterloo-Reading line was brought by Wokingham MP, Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat).

He said 42-year-old Class 455s were due to be replaced on the route by the ‘701s’ as early as five years ago, but continue to be used for all services.

“SWR still does not have a final timeline for when my constituents will get to benefit from the new trains. Every year promises have been made, and every year promises have been broken,” he said.

Jones said a response by the government to a written question last month said SWR’s Managing Director “is now developing a detailed plan”, but wanted to know when that plan will be completed and available for scrutiny by MPs.

Speaking for the government, Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood, said the Department for Transport and SWR were working “to ensure the continued roll-out of the 701 Arterio trains as soon as possible”.

He continued: “Prior to transfer to public ownership, the Secretary of State invited FirstGroup and MTR, the then owning groups of SWR, to an urgent meeting to discuss the issues affecting the 701’s introduction, their plans to resolve the issues, the robustness of the roll-out plan and the factors that led to such a material delay in the introduction of the fleet.

“At the time, officials requested an urgent plan for SWR to resolve the issues, and held SWR to account for those plans to introduce further units as soon as possible.”

Lightwood said Managing Director Lawrence Bowman has been tasked with producing the plan.

As of July 1, the day of the debate, 11 out of the 90 units were in traffic, while a 12th was due to enter service the week beginning July 7.

“Since day one of public ownership, four further ‘701s’ have been brought into passenger service. That compares to only one additional unit being introduced in the six months prior to the transfer,” Lightwood said.

181 drivers have also been trained.