A new route director has been appointed to oversee one of the busiest and most congested networks in the country.

Network Rail’s Southern region has announced that Mark Goodall will lead the Wessex route, taking up his new role in late February.  The Wessex route includes all services out of one of England’s busiest railway stations, London Waterloo, as well as the complex metro services across south west London.  He will also oversee key locations such as Guildford, Portsmouth, Salisbury and Bournemouth as well as the major freight route from Southampton. Each weekday, more than 1,600 trains run on the Wessex route.   Mark rejoins Network Rail from CrossCountry, where he is presently the service delivery director.

At CrossCountry, Mark is responsible for a wide range of teams, including performance, control, fleet and engineering. He also played a central role in the implementation of the May 2023 timetable and guided the company through periods of  industrial action. Before taking up his present role, he spent 12 years at Network Rail which followed on from another 11 years working for train operating companies, including West Midlands Trains, Chiltern Railways and CrossCountry.  He brings with him a wide-ranging experience, having worked across freight as well as in station management, alliancing and operational management at both area and director level.

Mark said: “I’m thrilled to have been appointed as the Wessex route director to oversee this vital part of the railway network for both passengers and freight. Now feels like the right time to return to Network Rail having spent the last decade working for train operators with a focus on the successful delivery of operational services. This wider industry background should prove valuable in shaping future plans for the route with the drive to deliver reliable services and the best for customers.

“I’m looking forward to close collaboration with our train operators, freight customers and the thousands of colleagues working so diligently across the Wessex network. My key focus will be to build on the good work already in place, focus on great journeys every day and help make the Wessex route a positive and inclusive place to work.”

Ellie Burrows, regional managing director for Network Rail’s Southern region, said: “I’m delighted to name Mark Goodall as the new route director for Wessex. His extensive rail industry experience including time at Network Rail and a number of train operators will be invaluable in delivering improvements to safety, train service performance and efficiency and helping to make the Southern region a great place to live, work and travel.

“The Wessex route is one of the most critical in the UK and I know Mark is the right person to lead the team as we head towards the start of our new control period in April 2024. Mark’s clear focus and determination will ensure our passengers and freight customers experience safe and reliable services and we continue to put passengers at the heart of everything we do.”