Rail services
Posted by Michael Fallon, MP for Sevenoaks, at 13:18, Fri 29 May 2009:
This morning I had a meeting with Charles Horton, Managing Director of South East Trains. I raised several issues - overcrowding on the early morning services, the new timetable to apply from December, and the need to improve Sevenoaks station. Commuters have to put up with an ever more expensive service but too often have to stand all the way to London. They deserve better. Do let me know about the travel issues important to you.
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Posted by Joanne frawley, 13:43, Fri 29 May 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
In addition to the Rail travel issues already mentioned, another concern I have relates to a critical health and safety issue.
At my local station Swanley, the gap between the train door and the platform, is in many places exceedingly large and therfore extremely dangerous. This can causes difficulties to the general traveler, but is particularly problematic and potentially life threatening, to the elderly, children and disabled persons.
Posted by Ray Ellis, 14:01, Fri 29 May 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
Thankfully 2 years ago, after more than 20 years of communting, I stopped travelling into London and now work from home. It is very noticable how much more relaxed and less stressed I am, to say nothing of how much better my pocket is!
May I therefore take a liberty and not respond about rail transport?
My top-of-the-list gripe is the state of the our roads. As a runner and cyclist the broken surface of roads and pavements and the sometimes deep pot holes are not only unsatisfactory but also dangerous. As a driver, 3 years ago our car hit a deep, long, blind pot hole near Leigh. The tyre and wheel were wrecked and the suspension was damaged, yet in a number of exchanges with KCC they steadfastly denied all responsibility.
For me, the state of our roads is a matter that will feature in my decision who to vote for in the coming elections. Are you able to help get Kent's roads improved to the standard we find elsewhere in the country?
Posted by Mr M.P.Howels, 15:03, Fri 29 May 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
We moved into Kemsing, Sevenoaks back in the mid 80's and thought the services that served the area at the time were pretty good. As the years have passed, the service has declined markedly. Although the new trains ( if you manage to get a seat ) are comfortable and quiet and in some cases air conditioned -when it's working- they are frequently shorter so everyone has to squeeze in to the available space and stand, as you have already mentioned, all the way to London.
I find having a near empty 1st class carriage at either end of the train quiet ridiculous during the rush hour especially when so many people have to spend their journey standing..
My sons train to Paddock Wood via Otford and Sevenoaks has also proven to be unreliable especially in the winter, when even a slight frost seems to throw the whole network into disarray. And having recently upgrade, if that’s the right word, the carriages to Thameslink my son tells me they smell dreadful and generally are untidy.
So all in all the Southeast is served by a crumbling pathetic service, and considering the amount we have to pay for the ‘privilege’, we should expect and receive a far better service and much better carriages.
Posted by Mrs J. Shepherd, 16:11, Fri 29 May 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
Does anyone know if we will be getting our lovely trains on the Sevenoaks/Bromley South/Blackfriars line back again. Since the work started at Blackfriars, we've been allocated the worst, oldest trains. The step up into these trains makes it dangerous for some travellers to board, as Joanne says.
Posted by Elizabeth McLaren, 19:15, Fri 29 May 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
I agree - the service is dreadful! What really annoys me is that I would like to travel to Victoria. Every second train at the weekend goes there but not one during the week. Why not? Why do all the trains go to Charing Cross, except 2 peak time trains to Cannon Street? I am just back from a dreadful journey with the train overcrowded by the time it reached Waterloo. And why is it so expensive? My son has just booked a return train from London to Edinburgh in 2 weeks time and it cost him £18. It will also cost him £16.60 to get from Sevenoaks to Charing Cross and back. Lunacy.
Posted by Ian Hersey, 20:41, Mon 1 June 2009: (Is this post abusive?) #
Now that the Station at Dunton Green is much more heavily used it would be very helpful to have a manned ticket office or at the very least a working ticket machine at the station - London Bridge almost always has a large queue (served by one desk) for fares to pay travellers which is usually full of Dunton Green passengers who are then interviewed to determine if they really did, in fact travel from the Station they claim!