Editing Gatwick Express (section)

=== Operated by Southern ===
In April 2007, the [[Department for Transport]] announced that the Gatwick Express franchise was to be incorporated into the South Central franchise and the services transferred to [[Southern (Govia Thameslink Railway)|Southern]]<ref>{{cite web |url = http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/03010919 |title = New Southern Railway Limited: company no. 3010919 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160813212309/http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/03010919 |archive-date=13 August 2016 |publisher = Companies House}}</ref> on 22 June 2008. This reorganisation was part of a plan to use Gatwick Express services to provide extra capacity on the [[Brighton Main Line]] south of Gatwick Airport.<ref name="bbc-remain">{{cite news |title=Gatwick Express service to remain |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6524763.stm |access-date=31 December 2009 |work=BBC News |date=4 April 2007}}</ref><ref name="goahead">{{cite news |title=Agreement to Amend the Gatwick Express and Southern Franchises |url=https://go-ahead.com/media/news/2007news/2007-06-19.aspx |access-date=7 February 2022 |publisher=Go-Ahead Group |date=19 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121123151534/http://go-ahead.com/media/news/2007news/2007-06-19.aspx |archive-date=23 November 2012}}</ref>

On 20 August 2008, the Department for Transport announced that [[Abellio (transport company)|Abellio]], [[Govia]], [[National Express]] and [[Stagecoach Group|Stagecoach]] had been shortlisted to bid for the new South Central franchise.<ref>{{cite press release |url = http://www.whitehallpages.net/news/archive/127489 |title=Bidders for South Central franchise announced |publisher = Department for Transport |date = 20 August 2008 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131102171718/http://www.whitehallpages.net/news/archive/127489 |archive-date=2 November 2013 }}</ref> On 9 June 2009, the Department for Transport announced that Govia<ref>{{cite web |url = http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/06574965 |title = Southern Railway Limited: Company no. 6574965 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160413000255/http://data.companieshouse.gov.uk/doc/company/06574965 |archive-date = 13 April 2016 |publisher = Companies House}}</ref> had retained the franchise, beginning on 20 September 2009.<ref>{{cite press release |url = http://www.go-ahead.com/media/news/2009news/2009-06-09.aspx |title = Retention of South Central franchise |publisher = Go-Ahead |date = 9 June 2009 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121123140524/http://go-ahead.com/media/news/2009news/2009-06-09.aspx |archive-date = 23 November 2012 |df = dmy-all }}</ref>