Category Archives: Southeastern

The next Southeastern Franchise: fewer peak hour trains to London and 50% cut in trains to Tunbridge Wells

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Sevenoaks Rail Travellers Association are still working through the over 900 pages of small print of the Department for Transport’s specification for the new Southeastern franchise. Main points so far are:

  • A cut in peak hour fast commuter trains to London – from ten in 2013 to eight in 2022. That means more overcrowding.
  • A 50% cut in direct trains to and from Tunbridge Wells. Local commuters and school students could have to wait 30 minutes.
  • No more direct trains from Sevenoaks to Hastings.
  • No extension of the proven TfL Oyster/Contactless payment system to Sevenoaks.
  • No extra seats between Sevenoaks and London

 

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Senior Railcard Moments – December 2017

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Our Bat & Ball correspondent, Keith Alderman, has now retired. However he’s now making good use of his Senior Railcard! This month’s delays: a total 53 minutes for four days travelling, Southeastern 22, Thameslink 31. Delay Repay Claims; total 1 … Continue reading →

SRTA sets out proposals for 2018 Southeastern Franchise

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The Sevenoaks Rail Travellers Association has responded to the Consultation Paper on the 2018 Franchise.

Our recommendations for the next Franchise include:

  • the extension of the Oyster-Contactless system to Dunton Green and Sevenoaks.
  • a “carnet” ticket system for part-time and flexible workers.
  • an obligation that ticket machines should sell the cheapest ticket for the journey.
  • staffing at all stations and station toilets to be open throughout train service hours.
  • a “turn up and go” service for assisted travel.
  • all-night services from London via Sevenoaks to Tunbridge Wells.
  • an additional refund for season ticket holders in case of chronic under-performance.
  • measuring performance by whether customers are on time, not whether trains are on time
  • recycling into a performance improvement fund excess compensation paid by Network Rail to Southeastern.
  • representatives of customers and of local authorities on the board of the operating company.
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Southeastern franchise consultation event: Monday 10 April at Sevenoaks Station

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The Department for Transport are holding one of their series of public consultation events at Sevenoaks station concourse on Monday 10 April from 1600 to 1900. This follows their session at our Annual General Meeting last year; now they are … Continue reading →

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

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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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