Bexhill and Battle MP Greg Barker secured a debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday to fight against proposals to axe the Hastings to London Cannon Street train service.
The Westminster debate on our local train service followed a failure by Labour Ministers to guarantee that the essential commuter services will be retained.
The plans to cut the service are contained within the Kent Rail Utilisation Strategy. The final Strategy document, which was published at the end of January, proposes the removal of the Cannon Street service during peak hours to make way for the new Thameslink trains which terminate at Tunbridge Wells.
The Thameslink trains can not travel south of Tunbridge Wells to Hastings because of constraints in the power supply.
If the proposals go ahead, passengers at Stonegate, Etchingham, Robertsbridge, Battle and Crowhurst face a cut of a third to their peak service without any replacement or real alternative.
In addition, the Hastings to Charing Cross service would no longer have four extra cars added at Tunbridge Wells resulting in significant over crowding on an already busy service.
The effects of losing the direct service into the City for local commuters would be considerable in an area where commuters and their families play a large role in the life of the villages and towns along the rail line.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Greg said:
“Once again our local rail service is under threat and Labour ministers seem hell bent on colluding in the downgrading of the service. I want to make it clear to the minister and his Labour colleagues that local people will not accept these cuts. This is another example of appalling mismanagement of our local train service.”
3rd March 2010
Promoted by Gillian Wheeler on behalf of Bexhill & Battle Conservatives both at 6a Amherst Road
Bexhill on Sea
TN40 1QJ
Tel: 01424 219117
Fax: 01424 218367
