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<p>In March 2015, I announced a £50 million investment to deliver improvements across
the South Western franchise before the end of the current franchise in 2017. This
package of improvements included an additional Monday to Thursday late night service
from London to Woking, and new ticket machines at Woking and London Waterloo Stations.</p><p>
</p><p>An additional 108 carriages are being added to the South Western franchise
which should all be in passenger service by March of this year, with a further 150
carriages on order and due to arrive in 2017. These additional carriages provide additional
capacity across a number of the routes operated, including those serving Woking.</p><p>
</p><p>The Department is running a competition to award the next South Western franchise,
which is expected to start in 2017. The detailed franchise specification will be finalised
following analysis of the responses to the public consultation, which closes on 9
February. It is expected that bidders will be asked to make proposals to provide capacity
where it is needed most.</p><p> </p><p>With regard to road links, Highways England
is currently making improvements to the nearby M3 by constructing a smart motorway
between junctions 2 and 4a (13.4 miles/21.6km). The aim of smart motorways is to help
relieve congestion by using technology to control traffic flows, to assist in the
management of incidents and provide information to road users. They deliver these
benefits at a significantly lower cost than conventional motorway widening and with
less impact on the environment during construction. This is achieved by converting
the existing hard shoulder to a permanent running lane. Work started in November 2014
and is expected to be completed towards the end of June 2017.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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