Oyster-less Sevenoaks passengers miss out on free travel (again) … but can get a free coffee

Sevenoaks Rail Travellers Association Posted on by

free-coffee-mondaysA total of £122 worth of free travel on the TfL system is available over four Mondays in October for passengers who use Android Pay and Mastercard on the Oyster/contactless system.

Because we’re still waiting for Oyster to be extended to Sevenoaks, Dunton Green, and the Darenth Valley line stations it won’t cover journeys here – just as we have missed out on previous similar offers.

However a parallel offer gives one free hot drink at Caffè Nero in Sevenoaks High Street on the same days.

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New “Please offer me a seat” badge trials on Transport for London services

Sevenoaks Rail Travellers Association Posted on by

please-offer-me-a-badge_rdax_400x250Transport for London are trialling a “Please offer me a seat” badge, similar to their “Baby on Board” system. The idea is to encourage other passengers to give up their seat to those less able to stand.

 

Southeastern and Thameslink have existing systems of Priority Seating Cards open to anyone who is elderly (“over 65”), pregnant, travelling with children under three, or has a disability.

 

We’d be interested in your views.

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Thameslink launch consultation on 2018 timetable

Sevenoaks Rail Travellers Association Posted on by

geograph-1888302-by-pam-frayThameslink have launched a consultation on their 2018 timetable, including the Bat & Ball service and the new service to Maidstone East. It’s open for 12 weeks until 8 December.

An initial read shows that Sevenoaks area services are largely as expected, but with some disappointments:

  • only hourly trains London Bridge to Maidstone East in the evenings.
  • non-peak Darenth Valley trains will not go beyond Blackfriars.

We’ll be studying the document carefully and responding fully. 

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15-minute Delay Compensation … delayed again!

Sevenoaks Rail Travellers Association Posted on by

2016-09-14-15-43-12We were excited to hear that Southeastern could be planning to make changes to the Delay Repay scheme from 1 October – perhaps, at last, Delay-Repay compensation that starts after 15 minutes delay rather than 30 minutes?

Apparently not. Southeastern have told us that the changes from 1 October relate to how the existing Delay Repay scheme can be paid: there’s no sign that more generous compensation is coming any time soon.

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