Category Archives: Southeastern

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

Posted on by March 11, 2018

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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SRTA sets out proposals for 2018 Southeastern Franchise

Posted on by May 21, 2017

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

Posted on by September 20, 2016

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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