Thank you for your emails received by us on 30 January and 6 February 2017 asking for information about the scheduling of London Overground and Southern trains from West Croydon to New Cross Gate via Sydenham.

I am seeking the information that refers to the scheduling of and controlling of the decision making process regarding services on the Sydenham line e.g. Overground from West Croydon to New Cross Gate.

To give a specific example, the Southern service from Norwood Junction at 07:59 to London Bridge on weekdays only leaves after your Overground service from West Croydon has passed it. The Southern service then appears to then have to wait (as your West Croydon service is late and delayed the Southern Service) before entering Sydenham station to allow an Overground service from Crystal Palace to go in front as the Southern Service is now late.

Please supply your documentation and any ongoing issues raised and discussion regarding any aspect of the issue. You have a contract with Railtrak to use the line, please supply details of any details regarding regulation of the services.

Mainline trains are regulated in line with the Public Performance Measure, which requires that suburban services arrive within five minutes of their timetabled destination time. A train that has arrived on time can be held by Network Rail’s signallers (formerly known as Railtrack) for up to three minutes to allow a late running train to pass. At the junction in Sydenham, the Crystal Palace service will go in front of the West Croydon service because this is the path that it is booked to follow providing the former is on time or no later than five minutes late.

Network Rail is responsible for this decision making process. Please contact them directly for the National Regulation document explaining further: 

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed. 

Yours sincerely