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Fury as new Thameslink train timetable sparks mass cancellations... as passengers warned of further disruption

Every service on the UK's biggest franchise was rescheduled on Sunday: AFP/Getty Images
Every service on the UK's biggest franchise was rescheduled on Sunday: AFP/Getty Images

Rail passengers hoping to use the £7 billion upgraded Thameslink service were today met with mass cancellations - hours after its new timetable began.

Train operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) was forced to apologise for disruption after it rescheduled every service on its Great Northern, Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express franchise.

The changes to services came into force on Sunday as part of an overhaul billed as the biggest in the UK.

The firm had warned of possible delays and cancellations during the transition, but some passengers were left frustrated and confused by cancelled services.

New departure times caused disruption to services (PA)
New departure times caused disruption to services (PA)

A GTR spokesman said the changes had caused a "significant logistical challenge" and apologised for "any inconvenience caused".

They added: "We are introducing the biggest change to rail timetables in a generation and, as we have been informing passengers, we expect some disruption to services in the initial stages.

"This is a significant logistical challenge as we make rolling incremental changes across more than 3,000 daily services.

"We apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused during the initial stages of the timetable change.

"The improvements we are making will lead to a significant boost in capacity with a 13 per cent increase in services across the GTR network immediately."

Passengers on Twitter complained of disruption across the network throughout the day.

Great Northern, which runs trains north-east out of London to places including Cambridge and Peterborough, said on its Twitter feed: "A reduced Great Northern service is expected until the end of the day.

"A short-term amended timetable is in place across the Great Northern network. This is resulting in a reduced service operating with trains being cancelled or revised.

"Disruption is expected until the end of the day."

Frustrated commuters vented their anger to the firm, with some saying they had been told services had been cancelled due to an "operational incident".

One person accused the rail operator of cancelling five trains in a row between London and Stevenage.

But people look set to endure further travel misery as the working week begins.

Passengers have been warned that disruption caused by the implementation of the timetable could continue into Monday.

More than four million trains across Britain were rescheduled from Sunday in the largest timetable change in living memory.

The number of alterations is seven times larger than normal due to the introduction of new trains and services following billions of pounds of investment.

The shake-up is designed to increase overall frequencies and reliability, but some passengers will find their regular journeys are no longer possible.

The new GTR timetable was developed from scratch and was designed to tackle existing issues by extending stop times at busier stations and increasing turnaround times at destination stations.

Many of the timetable changes are a result of the £7 billion invested in the Thameslink programme in the South East, including rebuilding London Bridge station, new trains and track improvements.

There will be almost 400 additional GTR trains every day.

Some passengers in a number of locations complained they will be served with fewer or slower services, including in Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Kent, East Sussex and Surrey, where many people pay several thousands of pounds for annual season tickets to London.