Dear all,
A Lib Dem PPC I wanted to share Liberal Democrat London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon’s (Chair of the Transport Committee) response to the consultation that she has released today.
I am concerned that we need to keep our direct connections to East Croydon. I am also concerned by any loss in capacity at a time when all of our services are overcrowded. I would encourage everyone to respond to the consultation before it closes at 5 PM tomorrow. The Forest Hill Society has an easy guide here
Going forward I will see what I can do to campaign for 10 car trains on all of our services.
Here is Caroline’s response:
Dear Sir or Madam
Timetable consultation 2018
I would like to respond to Govia Thameslink Railway’s extensive consultation proposals for changes to the timetable that will be operated by GTR in 2018 following completion of the Thameslink Programme.
As an overall comment I would like to say how much I welcome such an extensive consultation taking place so far ahead of the proposed changes to the timetable coming into force. In many respects this does feel like a genuine consultation where there is sufficient time to listen and properly respond to the concerns of passengers and to make changes.
My overall comments relating to the consultation are:
• I would welcome more information about the process and the timeframe for the second phase of the consultation for the 2018 timetable which I believe will take place sometime in the summer of 2017. I believe opportunities for further input from the public will very much be needed during 2017.
• The current consultation does not set out information about the number of carriages that will exist on each train. While the regularity of trains is of course a key consideration for commuters the degree of capacity being provided is vitally important as well.
• While not wishing to comment on most of the proposed changes I do want to raise some very serious concerns that have been brought to my attention relating to the reduced services affecting Forest Hill and Sydenham stations. I believe both the Forest Hill and the Sydenham Societies have forcefully raised their concerns over the reduced services being proposed for these two stations, which I would entirely endorse. In addition to a reduction in frequency of services being unacceptable there is also a serious access issue that needs to be addressed. At present the proposals would divert all East Croydon services to West Croydon, making it a longer journey to get to Gatwick and other destinations in Sussex. To get to East Croydon residents travelling from Forest Hill will be forced to change at Norwood Junction, however at present this station has very poor disabled access.
I hope these changes can be reconsidered, and if you decide to proceed, then it will be vital that Norwood Junction station becomes step free as soon as possible.
I look forward to a further update on your new timetable in due course
Yours faithfully
Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM
Liberal Democrat Member of the London Assembly