Save the South London Line Update

There was enormous support across South London for the campaign against the divertion of the South London Line rail service (London Bridge - Victoria via Queens Road Station).

Our London Assembly Member Val Shawcross took the matter up with Mayor Ken Livingstone and secured his agreement for a proper survey to be done of the use of the line. TfL London Rail are carrying out this survey which will give us not just the numbers of passengers using the line but also the purpose of their journey, their origin and final destination. We hope to have this information in a month or two and then meet again with Network Rail.

So if you see people on Queens Road doing a survey please do take part!

Save the South London Line - our submission

The deadline for responses to the draft South London Line Route Utilisation Strategy is this Friday. We decided that as well as the petitions it would be best to send one response from all the Southwark Labour councillors as together we all represent the areas of Peckham, Camberwell and Bermondsey affected by the proposed cuts to the South London Line. We've also sent it to the council officers preparing the official response from Southwark Council and we hope they will respond in similar terms.

We are writing to express our sincere disappointment in the proposed options for service changes included in the South London Route Utilisation Strategy and strenuous objection to any curtailment of services from Denmark Hill, Peckham Rye, Queens Road and South Bermondsey to London Bridge and Victoria stations. Such a move would adversely affect many of our constituents who currently use the line and is contrary to the interest of Southwark more widely.

The specific reasons for our objection are as follows:

Southwark already has bad public transport links to central London with journey times that are very poor relative to the distances travelled. The borough does not have any underground stations south of Elephant and Castle and large numbers of our constituents have access to no other form of public transport than the bus service. There would be, therefore, no satisfactory alternative for South London Line users (particularly at Denmark Hill, Peckham Rye and Queens Road) to switch to were the service cut, greatly inconveniencing a significant number of individuals who reside or are employed in the borough.

We welcome any investigation into the expansion of existing services including development of a new Camberwell Green station. Any reduction in services, conversely, is not acceptable.
Passenger numbers on the services are high. The report concedes that, despite accusations of under-promotion, overcrowding is already a problem on the South London Line with trains and stations already at saturation, a sentiment that is echoed by correspondence with our own constituents. To suggest that the service is eligible for cuts due to failing demand, therefore, is unreasonable, and the prioritisation of services coming in from outside London unjustifiable.

Making services more infrequent (or scrapping them all together) would have the combined affect of dramatically inconveniencing rail users by decreasing regularity and increasing overcrowding and would discourage individuals from using the line in the future. Whilst we welcome the proposed extensions to the East London Line with enthusiasm, the promise that services to Southwark will improve when the extensions are complete (at some unknown date) is of no comfort to us.

Denmark Hill station is important for access to King’s College Hospital. The primary care trust has expressed particular concern that cutting services to Denmark Hill would severely hamper accessibility to King’s College for patients, many of whom travel from across the borough and from other parts of London. So important is the station for access to the hospital by patients that the Department for Transport recently recognised it as a priority for accessibility works. Any cut in services would render accessibility improvements to the station redundant and run in direct contradiction to the DfT’s current recognised priorities.

Further to this point, we think that issues of access must be a priority for an effective Rail Utilisation Strategy to be realised. We remain confident in the utmost that yet more local people would use the South London Line if all of the stations identified for this proposed cut in service were made accessible for the disabled, the elderly and others.

The primary care trust is also concerned that service changes would make King’s College Hospital more inaccessible for staff and medical students, many of whom currently use the South London Line to move between King’s College and Guy’s Hospital near London Bridge Station, a concern that we would like to reiterate.

The South London Line will act as a link between Southwark’s administrative and civic centres. In the near future, thousands of Southwark Council staff are planned to move into a new administrative centre for the local authority on Tooley Street near London Bridge. The South London Line in its current state will provide a necessary link for staff and residents to Tooley Street. Cutting services to London Bridge, on the other hand, from Peckham Rye, Queen’s Road, and South Bermondsey and scrapping them from Denmark Hill would severely impede accessibility to the borough’s new administrative centre.

Save the South London Line - The Petition!

Update on my last post, Quaywe has kindly set up an online petition. Please sgn up here.

Save the South London Line (again!)

Last night I hosted the inaugrual meeting of the Southwark Rail Users' Group, which is the latest project of Peckham community activist Eileen Conn. With two stations in my ward (Nunhead and Queens Rd Peckham) I take a close interest in overground services in the area.

The most urgent issue facing us is the Network Rail consultation on the future of rail services in South London (aka the draft South London Rail Utilisation Strategy). The document states that due to the proposed Thameslink project in a few years time there will be 2 fewer platforms for trains to terminate at London Bridge (they'll be replaced with two more platforms for through trains going on to Blackfriars or Charing Cross). Network Rail seems to have decided that this means that the South London Line (Victoria to London Bridge via Denmark Hill, Peckham Rye and Queens Road) will no longer be able to go to London Bridge and will have to be diverted - probably to become a Victoria to Lewisham or a Victoria to Catford service. See pages 145 to 148 for detail.

What would this mean for us?
No direct trains between Denmark Hill and London Bridge (currently 2 per hour)
Direct trains between Peckham Rye to London Bridge reduced from 8 per hour to 6 per hour
Direct trains between Queens Road to London Bridge reduced from 8 per hour to 6 per hour
No direct trains between Queens Road and Victoria (currently 2 per hour)

There could be a silver lining for Nunhead residents if the diverted service stopped at Nunhead on it's way to Catford or Lewisham as that would mean two more trains per hour to Catford/Lewisham and Victoria, which would be great, but I know I'd prefer it wasn't at the expense of users of Queens Road.

The people at last night's meeting (including users of Denmark Hill, Peckham Rye, Queens Road and Nunhead) were unanimous.

1 We want to keep the South London Line link to London Bridge
2 We want Network Rail to explore the option of taking the trains on to Charing Cross or Blackfriars or beyond
3 We want assurances that phase 2 of the East London Line extension (linking from Surrey Quays to Clapham Junction via Queens Rd, Peckham Rye and Denmark Hill) will mean 4 East London Line trains per hour serving our stations IN ADDITION to the South London Line trains to Victoria and London Bridge, not instead of them

I get the distinct impression from the proposals that Network Rail place a much higher value on rail users coming into London from Kent and Brighton than they do on South London Line users in Southwark and Lambeth who are just as dependent on rail services as long distance commuters.

We are hoping that Southwark's Executive Member for Transport will agree with us and make representations to Network Rail. I shall certainly be writing to Network Rail to let them know my views. I hope you will too. The deadline is 26 October and they should be sent to
southlondon.rus@networkrail.co.uk

Nunhead Station - Meet the Manager (3)

A quick update. Good news on Oystercard Pre-Pay. Both South Eastern and Southern trains have announced they will take up the Mayor of London's offer and will start accepting Oyster on their services within the next two years. This will allow rail service users to access the discounted fares that passengers on TfL run buses and underground services already enjoy.

Coming soon - the South London Rail Utilisation Strategy. This is a Network Rail/Department of Transport document which sets out the long term plans for rail services in South London. Our London Assembly Member Val Shawcross is meeting with Network Rail in mid April and we expect to see a draft document for consultation soon. If we're going to get more frequent services to Nunhead and in particular services from Victoria later in the evening then it's crucial that we get it into this document.

Nunhead Station - Meet the Manager (2)

A quick report back from our "Meet the Manager" session yesterday morning on Nunhead Station.

Dominic, Althea and I were joined by our London Assembly Member Val Shawcross as well as South Eastern Trains' public affairs manager Mike Gibson and the station manager Lynne.

As well as advertising the session on my blog and in the Southwark News we'd also delivered 1,500 leaflets around the local area so a fair number of people (like the lady in the pink) had come along with plenty of things to say. We were also approached by other commuters who just noticed us on the platform.

Some of the issues
Oyster card - when will South Eastern install Oyster and adopt the zone 1-6 fares system? It's good timing for this question as Ken Livingstone's offer to pay the company £20m for the installation runs out at the end of the month. South Eastern had a few excuses ready and say they'll take a decision by the end of the month. I hope it's the right one!

Cleanliness of the station - the worst problem is behind the fencing at the entrance to the station. South Eastern (SE) point out that this bit of land is the responsibility of Network Rail not them. Bit of buck passing really, but I suppose we'll just have to get onto Network Rail as well. Similar complaints were made about rubbish around the railway bridge over Evelina Rd - this is also Network Rail.

Wetness of stairs and big puddles in the tunnel - again SE claim this isn't their fault. Apparently it's a problem that needs to be sorted out between Network Rail (who own the station, although SE manage it) and Thames Water.

Planting outside the station - SE has now objection to some proper planting being done (although they don't seem willing to do it themselves). Hopefully we can get this sorted out between the council the SE shortly.

The big mast at the end of platform - the manager didn't know what this was being used for (if at all) and will find out if it's still needed. We also asked them to clean up the area around it.

A waiting room - lots of people asked for more seating and ideally a warm waiting place. SE didn't seem keen on this at all, claimed there would be security issues. I don't hold out much hope on this one, but I will push them on it.

More trains, particularly later in the evening from Victoria - this seems to depend on additional capacity opening up at Victoria. Another Network Rail question it appears. We need to look at their plans for the future in the South London Rail Utilisation Strategy the first draft of which should be out soon.

Accessibility - there isn't any indication as yet about when Nunhead Station will be made fully accessible, particularly with a lift. It seems to depend on the Department for Transport coming up with the money (because obviously it would be too much to expect a private company like SE to pay for it!). However, they did say they'd be willing to install a central handrail on the stairs and would consider installing an indicator board at the bottom of the stairs.

So overall I think it was worthwhile. We secured a few promises and items we can follow up with South Eastern and it looks like we'll need to get Network Rail down next.

Nunhead Station - Meet the Manager

Are you a user of Nunhead station?

Friday 26th January 2007 8 to 9.30am

This is your opportunity to raise questions and concerns about Nunhead Station and the local train service with Mike Gibson, Public Affairs Manager from South Eastern, who will be available on the station platform (near ticket office) at the above date and time.

Myself, Cllr Dominic Thorncroft, Cllr Althea Smith, Cllr Robin Cross (our neighbour from Telegraph Hill ward, Lewisham) and London Assembly Member Val Shawcross will also be present to speak to commuters and other residents.

South London Line Saved!

Nunhead Councillors at Queens Road Station
Originally uploaded by Fiona Colley.

Regular readers will remember that earlier in the year we were campaigning against Network Rail proposals make changes to the South London Line (London Bridge - Victoria via Queens Rd, Peckham Rye & Denmark Hill. They proposed to terminate the trains at Clapham Junction rather than Victoria - thus removing the link between Queens Rd and Victoria.

Following a huge response from passengers Network Rail have removed the proposal from the final version of the Cross-London Rail Utilisation Strategy.

There is some danger that the proposal will re-emerge as part of the forthcoming South London Rail Utilisation Strategy, so I'll be keeping an eye out.