AFAICS▸ It really isn't possible for a proposed 'LO inner suburban service' to have its own dedicated routes into, and platforms in, any of the 'SR‡' terminii, so the advantages that you see with the dedicated routes such as the NLL and WLL isn't likely to happen.
The plans definitely exist at
TfL» as it was in Ken's masterplan, for sure. He mentioned this at meetings more than once. Whether Boris will pick it up, he hasn't yet said. I don't think Ken was worried about sharing stations, but he had the
DfT» 's ear, that's for sure.
Like in many subject areas, as I see it Ken Livingstone announced that he hoped to take over all the inner suburban routes rather prematurely, just like many other completely unfunded transport plans. I think it was one of TfL's proposals for the new SN franchise as well. Unfortunately for Ken, the DfT didn't seem to agree, although they gave TfL a fairly detailed remit for certain
TOC▸ services that run mostly within the GLA boundaries.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/passenger/franchises/sectflrailfranchise/guidancetfldftrailfranchise.pdfHowever the document says nothing about TfL actually expanding LO at all, and the original proposal seems to have gone very quiet again. For example the latest Mayoral master plan doesn't mention TfL taking direct control of any more services.
I'm still far from convinced it would be easy to run all inner suburban services separately. Maybe experienced railwaymen had the same advise for the DfT?
Now as an alternative method if
SWT▸ , for example, were to relivery all their inner suburban routes as LO, and man the stations like
LOROL▸ do the LO ones, what would be the difference as far as the public are concerned?
Actually transferring all the routes to a separate LO franchise would surely just create duplication - how would you share out all the different fleets, depots and staff for instance? Again, new stock was needed for the NLL, ELL at the same time as the reorganisation, but the same wouldn't be true for Southeastern by any means.
I take your point about Crossrail to Reading btw...
Paul