Archived on 6/5/2022

Southern Rail services “go into reverse”

SE26.life

16 Sep '17

Shared by the Sydenham Society:

New timetable cuts our direct rush hour trains to East Croydon and late night trains from London Bridge

Southern have been consulting on a new timetable to start in May 2018 when the revamped Thameslink service opens. The proposals are a major reduction of local rail services.

Late night trains from London Bridge have been severely reduced with four trains taken out of service, including the vital 00.36, making this a half-hourly service after 10.30pm.

There will be no trains between Norwood Junction and East Croydon in either direction during the morning peak, making it almost impossible if you want to travel to Gatwick or Brighton.

The first through train from Sydenham to East Croydon will not be until 8.29am - a nightmare for school students in this area or for workers in East Croydon. The first train in the opposite direction will not be until 9.27am.

The number of services during most of the day between Norwood Junction and East Croydon will go down from seven trains per hour in both directions to four per hour.

We are effectively being cut off from East Croydon - the major conurbation directly to our south.

But there’s no need to worry. Southern describe all of these train services cuts as “simplifications”.

We have already been contacted by parents and school heads concerned that their pupils will not be able to get to schools in Croydon when the new timetable is implemented and by people who work in Croydon and further south who depend on direct trains to get them to work.

The Sydenham and Forest Hill Societies have had two face-to-face meetings with Southern and we are arranging another. We simply cannot allow our vital local services to deteriorate in this way.

jonnoprice

18 Sep '17

I find it astonishing that Southern can decide to “simplify” our local rail services to the point that we are cut off from East Croydon, an important neighbouring area, with knock on effects that include access to Gatwick. Thank you to everyone at Sydenham Society who are helping to challenge these changes. Please do continue to post updates and news here.