Yesterday (Saturday 1st April), Prospective Conservative Mayoral Candidate Ross Archer and other local Conservative campaigners attended I the Department for Transport’s consultation event at the Glass Mill Leisure Centre in Lewisham on the future of the areas local train service after the current South Eastern franchise expires in 2018.
The Department for Transport (DfT) is proposing to axe services from Blackheath to Charing Cross and Victoria and instead only run direct trains to Cannon Street station via London Bridge. The DfT argues that it can increase the number of trains per hour by scrapping these services but local residents are concerned that only having one route into central London will increase journey times and lead to greater chaos on the lines when delays occur. At the meeting Ross challenged the representatives from Network Rail on the contingency plans when delays occur under these proposals.
Speaking after the meeting, Ross said: “Let me make this clear I and the whole of Lewisham Conservatives do not agree with this potential proposal. We made this point very clear at the consultation event and will do so in our forthcoming consultation response.”
“At this event I heard the Department for Transport’s consultation proposals and plans in more detail, but most importantly I heard local residents concerns and anguish at what is being proposed.”
“At the Consultation meeting I asked the Department for Transport representatives if they will host another event in Lewisham and most importantly in Blackheath; they said they would actively consider doing so. I will keep up the pressure.”
“In Lewisham, we are incredibly reliant on the train services from South Eastern, be it from stations like New Cross, Lewisham, Lee, Grove Park or Blackheath.
Delays and cancellations have, unfortunately, become part of life, and for many of us, the last time we got a seat is a distant memory. This is why it is important we all respond to this consultation and talk about our need for more, not fewer, trains in our borough and the need for having multiple Central London final destination points.”
The Conservatives are urging all residents to respond with their views. You can do this by clicking on this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/future-of-south-eastern-rail-services
To see the latest updates on this campaign please like my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Archer4Mayor/