Louie French, Member of Parliament for Old Bexley and Sidcup, has welcomed the news that additional Southeastern train services will be added to December's timetable.
This news follows a year of hard campaigning by Louie for passengers in the area and many meetings with rail bosses. It also follows the previous success in securing the return of off-peak Charing Cross services on the Bexleyheath line and additional Sidcup line services in May's timetable.
Details of the changes Southeastern are making from the 10 December:
Sidcup Line
- We are introducing an additional service in the morning peak. This will be an 06.31 Crayford to Charing Cross service calling all stations via Sidcup and Lewisham then London Bridge and Waterloo East.
- Early morning services from Crayford to Charing Cross will stop additionally at Albany Park. These are the 05.26, 05.55, 06.25 and 06.55 services.
Rounder services
- An additional rounder service running at 08.04 from Cannon Street to Cannon Street via Greenwich and Sidcup calling all stations (except Lewisham).
- The 07.26 New Cross to Cannon Street service via Sidcup and Greenwich will start back from Cannon Street at 07.15 calling at London Bridge, thereby creating a full rounder service.
Better trains
We want journeys to be on new, newer or refurbished trains.
So, from December the full fleet of thirty Class 707 City Beam trains will be fully introduced and integrated into the metro timetable and will be specifically targeted at the trains most overcrowded providing additional capacity where it is most required.
There will also be more City Beam trains used at weekends to provide more Metro customers with a modern, air-conditioned environment.
Commenting on the news, Louie said,
"After many months of campaigning, I am pleased that Southeastern have listened to some of our requests for additional services, especially during the morning peak at Albany Park. I am also pleased to see that an additional loop line/rounder service has been added to the timetable.
Campaigning for these new services has not been easy, especially as waves of industrial action by certain unions undermines the passenger demand data required for us to make the case for additional train services.
I fully recognise the need to continue campaigning for improved services on both the Bexleyheath and Sidcup lines, and I will continue to make strong representations on the behalf of local people".
