Membership is open to all. It costs £20 for life or £5 for two years (currently until 31 December 2017). Over 80% of our members have chosen life membership, which gives the Association the greatest security for the future and saves the administrative burden of regular renewals. You can join easily in two ways:
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Our work needs the continuing support of local rail travellers and our influence with the train operating companies and with politicians depends not only on the quality of our interventions but also on the size of our membership. The membership subscription helps defray the administrative and other costs of the Association. We are proud of the positive feedback we receive from members and supporters.
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Incidentally while our primary focus is on the Sevenoaks, Darenth Valley and Otford/Borough Green areas, that also means that we campaign for improvements to the South East Main Lines through Sevenoaks to Ashford and Hastings and to the Maidstone East line . We also press for improvements to Southeastern services more generally. For that reason we have members and supporters from elsewhere in Kent.
If you have any questions about membership, please contact us at membership [at] srta [dot] org [dot] uk.
Dear SRTA,
When I was more able bodied, I used to cross the line just South of Otford station with a cycle carried over the stiles on the public right of way footpath. For safety reasons, network rail has closed the footpath and replaced it with a footbridge. Takeing cycles over footbridges is aided by the fitting of a gutter like addition for wheeling bikes on the inclines. As far as I can discern the new bridge has no such features. Are you able to request network rail to add these too the bridge please.
Hi, I don’t want my name to be published but I feel you need to know, if you don’t already, what is going to happen at Otford station from October.
It has recently come to light that at a number of stations, (I believe around 20 on Southeastern), have had the Schedule 17 times for the opening of the ticket office changed, apparently around 4 years ago? One of these stations is Otford. Previously the Schedule 17 times was Monday to Saturday around 0600-1930hrs, and Sunday 0810-1530hrs.
Southeastern are now stating that the opening times are now only 0600-1300hrs, Monday-Friday, and just the one shift at weekends.
On the Southeastern website Otford is still being advertised as per the original opening times, and where possible, staff availability etc, this has been the case.
But recently local managers have been told/instructed by senior managers that in October, (I don’t believe a specific date has been given), that they follow the new reduced opening times? Not only does this reduce the opening hours of the ticket office but also de-staff’s the station after 1300hrs!
Local managers have been trying to oppose and stop this from happening but they have been told that this is not negotiable!?
Whether the Schedule 17 times were changed 4 years ago or more recently the fact remains that they have been changed without following any consultation process. So customers and local residents have not had the chance of giving their views or the likes of Travelwatch too?
It seems that Southeastern are trying to deem this change as a ‘minor’ change? The Schedule 17 document does allow companies to make ‘minor’ changes without the need to go through the consultation process. Up till now this has not been abused, there has been minor changes in the past, 20 minutes here, that sort of thing, and there has never been any argument or disagreement with this from the company or the unions.
But to try and argue or suggest that a removal of a complete turn, basically 50%, is a ‘minor’ change is quite frankly ridiculous! So if this goes ahead at some point in October customers at Otford, without any warning or chance to say, will suddenly find the ticket office closed and station de-staffed from 1300hrs onwards!
I have worked at Otford on a number of occasions and it is a busy station and we also have issues on this line, basically St Mary Cray – Bat & Ball, mainly from youths and anti-social behaviour, so I really fear as to what will happen and cannot understand the logic and reasoning for this change?