Louie French MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup has called for urgent meetings with Southeastern, Network Rail and the Rail Minister following the significant disruption and severe overcrowding just weeks after the timetable change.
Louie has said: “Given Southeastern stated that the main benefit of the new timetable was to improve reliability and punctuality, the significant disruption and subsequent overcrowding in the first weeks of the new timetable is a real kick in the teeth for local commuters. I recognise the significant impact this has had on passengers on both the Bexleyheath and Sidcup line and have called for urgent meetings with rail bosses.”
“Amongst the significant disruption to other stations, I am particularly concerned for the impact on Albany Park Station passengers who have seen a near 50% reduction in services which often results in long waits when a service is cancelled.”
Since the new timetable, Louie has continued to monitor and document every disruption on the Bexleyheath and Sidcup line, to highlight with Southeastern how the new timetable does not deliver for Bexley residents and therefore requires urgent reversals and concessions.
Louie is also very frustrated that the union strikes on Southeastern are making reversals to the timetable more difficult to argue for because of the reduction in passenger numbers, further loss of revenues/cost to taxpayers and the inaccurate reflection of passenger flows due to the disruption.
Louie is also reminding all passengers to claim delay repay compensation if their train is delayed by 15 minutes or more which can be claimed here.
Ahead of these next meetings, Louie is also asking for passengers’ feedback on the disruption through the below questions to ensure the impact of the disruption is fully represented:
