South Eastern Trains or SET is a British Train operating company set up to provide train services in the south east of England including some of the busiest London commuter routes, following the loss of Connex South Eastern's franchise. The new company took over on November 9, 2003. The London termini of the services are Charing Cross, Blackfriars, Cannon Street and Victoria, from where trains run to south-east London, Kent and East Sussex.

Part of the company's public information leaflet reads: "South Eastern Trains, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) will operate the franchise until a private company is appointed to manage the new 'Integrated Kent Franchise' planned for early 2005."

Train fares and schedules remain the same and trains and stations are manned by the same staff. Indeed, the company also claimed in its handout that services would be improved and staff levels increased over the following months. However, subsequent proposals by the SRA involve reducing services on some South Eastern lines, and have been strenuously opposed by local councils in the affected areas.

The Integrated Kent Franchise shall encompase the current region of SET in addition to domestic high speed trains on the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. The franchise was put out to tender to four pre-qualified candidates on 18 January 2005. The invited parties are consortiums of DSB and Stagecoach Group, Sea Containers and MTR Corporation, and Go-Ahead Group and Kelios. First Group is the only qualifier to submit a lone bid.

External link

• Official South Eastern Trains site (http://www.setrains.co.uk/)
• Station information from South East trains (http://www.setrains.co.uk/stations/index.php)
• Invitation to tender (http://www.sra.gov.uk/news/2005/ikf_franchising) for the Integrated Kent franchise, from the Strategic Rail Authority website.

 

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