| Rail transport - Andover |
| The issue: |
Sir
I understand that the Transport Committee will be hearing evidence from rail bodies in a couple of weeks' time on pricing and availability of train tickets in the UK. I see that this is a cross-party committee with representation from the London area. The Metro newspaper - a London daily - carried an article last Friday on Network Rail's plans to consider offering discounts to commuters to travel outside of peak times to ease congestion at railway stations - Waterloo in particular. Maybe it was just coincidence that the article appeared around the same time as the committee are sitting but I suspect not!
As a commuter of 20 yrs+ standing - from Winchester, Alton and Andover - I have some experience of rail travel in this area. Last December, SouthWest Trains "modernised" the timetable and have since claimed it was successful. My fellow commuters and I would beg to differ. Our rail fares cost more each year whilst the journey time takes longer and is increasingly more crowded. In addition, we have lost the 5% discount SWT offered to annual season ticket holders. This discount was given as compensation for late running trains. With the journey times now longer, SWT do not have to pay out compensation.
I would like to think that the views of seasoned, 13-hr day commuters like myself are sought and taken into consideration by any organisation implementing changes on rail travel. In my view, SWT did not manage this but perhaps the Transport Committee will.
Can you suggest someone within the Transport Committee to whom I can write and express my concerns about rail travel in the south-west region?
Yours faithfully
Angela Goodridge |
| Date Issue Raised: |
08 Nov 2005 |
| My response: |
Thank you for the email; like, you I am a regular traveller on the train from Andover to Waterloo and back, so have first hand experience of SW Trains.
The Chairman of the Transport Select Committee is Gwyneth Dunwoody, who can be written to at the House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.
I have asked my office to send you, under separate cover, a letter from the Transport Minister about the new South West Trains franchise. It asks for views on the terms of a new franchise and you might like to do what I have done, namely write in with suggestions for improvements.
Best wishes, George Young
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Sir George Young Bt MP: Constituency and Parliamentary Website