Press release -
Wallington school’s footballers sport Southern logo
Young footballers at Tweeddale Primary School in Wallington are now turning out in a new strip sponsored by Southern Railway. The train company answered a plea for financial support from the school, where many of the pupils are from socially or economically deprived backgrounds. The boys, aged 10 and 11, previously had to wear non-matching kit.
Tweeddale’s PE coordinator Daisy Echlin Smith said: “The boys are so pleased with their kit and can't wait for the next match - they look fantastic.”
Angie Doll, Southern’s Passenger Services Director, said: “We believe that helping children to enjoy organised physical activity is a great way to support and be part of our local communities, so we’re extremely proud to get involved with Tweeddale School. I’m delighted to see so many smiling young faces.”
ends
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For more information email press.office@gtrailway.com or call
Thameslink and Great Northern press office: 0203 750 2031
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Govia Thameslink Railway
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) operates Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express services. It is the largest rail franchise in the UK in terms of passenger numbers, trains, revenue and staff. GTR carries about 326 million passenger journeys per year, and employs around 6,500 people. Its aim is to improve services across all four networks.
Ticket revenue is passed to the government, which pays GTR a fee to operate the franchise. The fee is adjusted according to how well the train service is performing.
Southern has the fastest passenger growth in the UK, with numbers into London having doubled in 12 years - compared with the industry as a whole doubling over the past 20 years.
GTR's transformative RailPlan 20/20 modernisation programme incorporates the £7bn Thameslink Programme which will bring hundreds more daily services, increasing the number of trains though the central London core from up to 15 to 24 trains per hour. GTR has introduced more new trains in the past year than all other franchises put together, with 500 new carriages so far. Network Rail has also launched a £300m programme to improve resilience across the GTR network.
Under RailPlan 20/20, GTR is modernising how it works, with new technology in use at our stations and on our trains, smartcard ticketing and a new, flexible on-board role on many Southern services. This ensures fewer cancellations, and with more staff on board our trains now than ever before, passengers are enjoying a much better level of on-board customer service.
The GTR investment programme for stations includes funding for more CCTV, toilet refurbishments, new retail facilities, help points and car park improvements – as well as plans for increased motorcycle storage and improved transport integration.
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