Edenbridge and Uckfield

[Chrisgr31]

Had to ponder where to place, and whether it should go in a new thread or what so a Mod feel free to move it if appropriate.

I was looking at our local newpapers website when I found this article http://www.courier.co.uk/end-line-commuter-chaos-Edenbridge/story-23260449-detail/story.html

"CRAMPED commuters on Edenbridge’s “misery line” service into London should see an improvement to packed trains by July next year.

The service from Uckfield through the town – nicknamed the misery line by the hundreds of passengers regularly left standing each morning – will have its capacity increased 18 months earlier than originally planned.

The news has been welcomed by passengers and Edenbridge MP Sir John Stanley, who has been lobbying Secretary of State for Transport Patrick McLoughlin for a rethink on the line.

He said: “The end of the gross overcrowding on the Uckfield line to London through Edenbridge appears to be in sight.

“My constituents in Edenbridge have had to endure cattle truck conditions on the Edenbridge line up to now – paying thousands of pounds each year – having a rotten start to their day. Our campaign has finally paid off.”

In a letter addressed to Sir John, and seen by the Courier, Mr McLoughlin confirmed that the new franchise contract would include a commitment by Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) to deliver “increased capacity by July 26, 2015” - rather than the December 2016 deadline.

The letter also confirmed leases were “in place” for new carriages.

The service, which is being taken over by TSGN at that time, currently runs with a maximum of five coaches but travellers say ten are needed to ease the daily fight for a seat.

Chairman of the Edenbridge and District Rail Travellers' Association Bob Howes welcomed the news.

He said last week that a survey by the organisation had revealed more than 200 people standing on the 7.08am Edenbridge to London Bridge service.

“I am very pleased,” he said. “We thought we had to wait but this increase in capacity is coming 18 months in advance.

“The difficulty is the platforms are not long enough at the moment. We are chasing Southern to get them to chase Network Rail to increase the length of the platforms by July next year.”

Platforms at Ashhurst, Cowden, Hever, and Edenbridge Town currently have space for five carriages only and running extra services to ease overcrowding looks doubtful because another service – the East London Line – uses the same tracks.

Sir John said it was not clear exactly how the much extra capacity could be freed up by longer trains.

He said: “The exact timetable will be published in the early part of next year and then we will get an idea of the length and the timing of trains we will have through Edenbridge from July.”



Read more: http://www.courier.co.uk/end-line-c...tory-23260449-detail/story.html#ixzz3Ga79lXLE
Follow us: @KSCourier on Twitter | kentandsussexcourier on Facebook
Read more at http://www.courier.co.uk/end-line-commuter-chaos-Edenbridge/story-23260449-detail/story.html#utGRBDqO9sXGoE8s.99"

Presumably the story is getting its rail routes mixed up? Whilst the platforms on the Uckfield Line are due to be extended Network Rail told me via twitter about 3 weeks ago that was scheduled to happen by November 2016. The maximum length of an existing train on the Uckfield line is 8 coaches not 5 and I have yet to see an East London train anywhere near the Edenbridge tracks!

So do I assume there is some truth to this story or is the reality that they will be putting longer trains on the service Tonbridge to London via Redhill which goes through the other Edenbridge station?

 

[physics34]

what poor reporting!!!!

its being talked about on here...

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=107267

 

[Busaholic]

what poor reporting!!!!

Also a poor MP, but the people of Tonbridge and Malling keep re-electing him on account of the true blue rosette he flourishes at election time. He's been around so long I can remember him from the early 1980s when he was Minister of Housing and I was working on specialised housing schemes in Kent, including his constituency, and he was about as much use....I heard a very amusing anecdote from one of the civil servants in his department about when he was a junior minister at the Northern Ireland Office, but I'd probably be in trouble telling it even though it's not libellous.

 

[physics34]

........