London Assembly Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson Caroline Pidgeon AM led a delegation of Greenwich Liberal Democrat councillors to lobby South East Trains Public Affairs Manager Mike Gibson about plans to cut commuter train services at Blackheath Station.
Caroline Pidgeon, who is Chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee commented: “It does seem extraordinary that with more and more passengers using rail to get to work, a train operator is withdrawing commuter trains.”
Councillors Brian Woodcraft and Paul Webbewood drew attention to the withdrawal of trains in the morning peak in favour of increasing services from Orpington to Lewisham. They stressed that Blackheath was a busy commuter station and now functioned as an interchange, with passengers coming from Charlton and changing there.
Mike Gibson from South East Trains maintained that the timetable changes, due to be implemented in December, were required by the Department for Transport in the terms of their franchise. The DfT wanted to encourage rail passengers to change to the DLR at Lewisham to relieve the pressure on central London rail termini.
Mr Gibson indicated that travel patterns and passenger usage would be closely monitored during January and February. It was agreed that when these outcomes were known, further consideration could be given to amending the timetable in May 2010.
“I hope that South East trains will look very carefully at the impact the change of timetable will have on local passengers and lobby for more stopping trains to Government” added Caroline Pidgeon AM.