Fight to save fast off-peak rail service
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by Alan
Smith
A petition to stop a fast off-peak train service from
Maidstone to Cannon Street being cut from December has been
launched.
Southeastern has published its proposed timetable to take effect
from December 13 and is planning to abolish off-peak fast trains
from Maidstone to Cannon Street.
Managing director Charles Horton has boasted that the new
timetable - by taking advantage of the opportunities from the new
high speed rail link - will result in a "five per cent increase in
capacity on peak services across the entire network".
But the move will increase journey times for many Maidstone and
Malling commuters as they seek to connect to services from other
stations. The hourly fast train presently makes the journey in
around 58 minutes.
It's in stark contrast to passengers from other towns. From
December, Ashford commuters will be able to reach London in just 37
minutes, while it will take just 69 minutes from Dover - faster
than many services from Maidstone.
Southeastern has already
received many complaints about the loss of the Cannon Street
service, but has remained unmoved.
The company argues there is no business case for the service as
there are, on average, fewer than the commercially viable 600
passengers per train.
It has lead to two commuters launching a campaign to keep the
Cannon Street service.
Matthew Nash, from Maidstone, and Huw Whitethread, from West
Malling, have launched their Keep Our Trains Campaign. The pair
have met with Ann Widdecombe MP who is backing the campaign.
Mr Whitethread said: "It's surprising how few people know what's
happening but if these off-peak services go, many City workers will
be faced with a nightmare journey back to Maidstone.
"The only available service to commuters from Maidstone,
Bearsted or West Malling will be via Victoria. That journey takes
around an hour and 20 minutes compared with the Cannon Street
service at less than an hour, plus we would be faced with an extra
tube journey across London.
Mr Whitethread and Mr Nash want people to support their campaign
by writing to their MP and by signing their online petition - 544
people have done so already.
Mr Whitethread said: "We are having a meeting with
Southeastern's commercial director Vince Lucas next week, but I
don't think the company will budge."
The new Southeastern timetable has yet to be approved by the
Department for Transport. It is due to be signed off in July.
To join the campaign, visit www.keepourtrains.com
Thursday, May 21 2009
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