1 reply to this topic

[jane pickard]

Save Our Thameslink - DEADLINE 23 AUGUST!
Anyone who values the Thameslink train service which goes through Streatham and Tulse Hill stations and on to Farringdon, St Pancras and beyond without a change will be concerned to learn of plans to end our through route.
Network Rail planners have long wanted to terminate our trains at Blackfriars and force us to change. And now they are close to achieving this – unless a last-minute protest campaign can persuade government ministers to over-rule the plan.
You have until 23 August to comment on a service specification being drawn up by the Department for Transport for the next seven years. This is in preparation for a new franchise which will combine the current Southern and Thameslink services. The service spec will be decided this autumn. Rail operators will then put in their bids, with the new franchise running from spring 2013 to 2020. The termination of our trains at Blackfriars will start in 2018 when work on upgrading other parts of the Thameslink service is complete.
To comment, go to www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2012-23
Look at page 30 of the consultation document
OR simply email thameslink@dft.gsi.gov.uk
The drive to terminate our service – known as the Wimbledon Loop – at Blackfriars is caused by a massive improvement to other parts of the Thameslink service coming up from Brighton and Kent via London Bridge. Blackfriars Station has been remodelled and the viaduct across Borough Market extended so that 18 trains an hour from that direction can use the through route. The Blackfriars tunnel entrance has moved to the east side of the bridge and the terminating tracks to the west.
Network Rail, which years ago promised this would not affect the Wimbledon Loop service, now says that for our trains to cross on points north of Elephant and Castle would be a threat to punctuality. It also has a problem with our line because it wants all the trains running north of Blackfriars to have 12 cars. But many of our stations could not take 12 cars without being completely rebuilt.
If you go to the DfT website and open the consultation document, you will see it has a summary of questions at the end. A critical question is Q.18 which asks: “What services that run via Elephant & Castle do respondents think should run via the Thameslink core route?” It’s useful to read page 30 which discusses our service.
Many rail users – and Lambeth councillors of all parties – think that terminating our trains at Blackfriars is not necessary and is unfair to local people. We think that with a little ingenuity it would be possible to continue our four-trains-an-hour through service.
Jane Pickard
Councillor for Knight’s Hill & former chair of Norwood Rail Users’ Group

[colinf]

The Dept for Transport has extended the deadline for feedback to September 14.

Email views to thameslink@dft.gsi.gov.uk or write to the Combined Franchise Replacement Sponsor, Department for Transport, Zone 3/15, Great Minister House, 33 Horseferry Road, SW1P 4DR.

The termination of our Thameslink cross-London service is picked up in the local Guardian this week:
http://www.streatham...reatham/?ref=mr

It "could isolate Streatham’s economy, hitting house prices, businesses and the leisure industry..." Its not just Streatham of course; any visitable area near the line is affected, including West Norwood, Tulse Hill, W Dulwich etc,

If these changes happen, users of the line will lose a direct connection to the new Crossrail line at Farringdon with its fast trains to Heathrow & Stratford. This change will reduce its appeal for folks who could go from W Norwood, Gypsy Hill and Crystal Palace and change at Tulse HIll for the new line.