The consultation is phoney as the Department of Transport made it a condition of the new franchise that 2 trains an hour to Corby would run with the first stop being LAP.
The council wanted 4 trains an hour so is putting on a brave face but 2 is better than 1. What has been established is that the non stop service will run from 6am to 10pm. The stock used will be 4 carriage 20 year old second hand trains that will be joined up to form up to 12 cars but there won't be the ability for passengers to walk from one end of the train to the other to find a seat as the drivers cabs will prevent this. On the positive side the 3+2 existing seating will be replaced with 2+2 seating with each seat getting a table.
I would assume this old stock will be replaced with walk through trains eventually but old trains linger on for years.
From the DoT.
East Midlands franchise then select London Corby
Benefits include:
- dedicated Corby - St Pancras express service will be introduced from December 2020 with 12-car trains in the peaks
- Corby - London service doubled to 2 trains per hour all day
- Kettering, Luton and Luton Airport Parkway services provided with 2 trains per hour for most of the day
- enhanced Sunday service throughout the route with regular direct Sunday services between London and Corby
- refurbished modern express trains from December 2020, with:
- increased capacity
- more reliable service
- improved comfort
- passenger information system
- free on-board Wi-Fi
- at-seat power sockets
- USB points
- air conditioning
- tables at all seats
- increased luggage space
- on-board cycle storage