KCC threat to frequency of services via Bat & Ball

One of the recommendations in the otherwise sensible KCC Rail Action Plan is that the frequency of services via Bat & Ball be reduced to accommodate improvements in services on the Maidstone East line.

SRTA consider the thinking behind this proposal to be deeply flawed.  We have submitted our counter-arguments both to the KCC itself (via a briefing to the Council's Rail Summit held on 27th April) and have also written to Sevenoaks MP Michael Fallon who has written to Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond.

An attachment to that letter, reproduced below, sets out our arguments.

SEVENOAKS RAIL TRAVELLERS ASSOCIATION

Kent County Council (KCC) has proposed the diversion throughout the whole day of one of the two all stations stopping services each hour currently running between Blackfriars and Sevenoaks to operate between Blackfriars and Maidstone East.

The SRTA contend that KCC has failed to demonstrate any credible demand for such a service while ignoring the substantial value of the existing service pattern to the local community.

Off Peak services

KCC’s new proposal is for a service stopping at all stations to Blackfriars and forming part of the Thameslink service. This would be provided by diverting trains to run to/from Maidstone East rather than Sevenoaks.

During 2008/9 an hourly off-peak semi-fast service was operated between Maidstone East and Cannon Street but was withdrawn due to the lack of usage. KCC has presented no evidence to demonstrate any material change in demand while the proposed significantly longer journey time makes the proposed service appear even less attractive.

More importantly, the reduction of the existing service to Sevenoaks via the Darenth Valley to an hourly one will cause very substantial hardship and inconvenience to a significant number of local travellers due to excessive waiting times. This would probably force them to use cars if available given the paucity of alternative public transport in the area.

Substantial hardship to those affected would result from:

1.   there being no practical alternative public transport links exist (no bus link) between Sevenoaks and the county town of Maidstone giving access to hospitals, college, shopping centre, County Hall, etc

2.   removal of the main public transport link between the towns of Sevenoaks and Swanley, the two biggest communities in Sevenoaks District Council area.

Peak Services

KCC’s proposal is that in the peak the service would provide a link between the stations between Maidstone East and the City. While this is true, the proposed journey time would be at least 80 minutes and typically save less than 10 minutes over existing services, admittedly with one brief change of trains.

It should be pointed out that commuters from Maidstone now have a substantially enhanced variety of termini following the introduction of the high-speed HS1 service from Maidstone West. Consequently demand is likely to be relatively small for any new service. The remaining stations, which would be served by KCC’s proposed service, have a combined total annual footfall of just 1.4 million compared to that of Sevenoaks station with 3.75 million alone.

The existing service provides a vital link for several identifiable groups who would be severely harmed by KCC’s proposal during the peak period would be:

1.    School children living in Darenth Valley and attending schools in Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells

2.    Significant numbers of commuters between London and Darenth Valley stations via Sevenoaks.

3.    Others travelling southwards to work in Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells

Summary

The Sevenoaks RTA believe that the proposal by KCC for the diversion of the existing service fails to offer any significant enhancement to existing services between Maidstone East and London while causing substantial damage to important services for users of the Darenth Valley stations. Consequently we believe the proposal lacks any logical justification in the face of demonstrable damage to the interests of users of the existing service.

The Sevenoaks RTA urges that KCC’s proposal be rejected.

Why have fares gone up so much?

It's hard to find any season ticket on Southeastern's network that went up by as 'little' as RPI + 3pp. SRTA has taken a look at what lies behind the very large increases in fares that took effect from the beginning of 2011.

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Page last updated: 09 August 2011 06:16