Travel Topics Issue 129 Spring 2019 the Watchdog for All Rail Travellers from Tonbridge, Paddock Wood and Hildenborough

Travel Topics Issue 129 Spring 2019 The watchdog for all Rail Travellers from Tonbridge, Paddock Wood and Hildenborough

tonbridgecommuters.org.uk

To the corridors of power Much of the time the Departure for Transport limited or non-existent. While Andrew Jones did operates at arm’s length from the public it serves, so not promise anything, he appeared sympathetic. we were delighted when our MP Tom Tugendhat Tom Tugendhat emphasised that this issue had the managed to secure a meeting with the rail minister, real potential to adversely affect people’s lives. Andrew Jones MP, and invited along a representative of TLC. It was thus that on Tuesday We had less success with our second issue, the 19 February our Secretary found himself in the future of the Tonbridge-Redhill line. Tom exalted surroundings of Portcullis House with a Tugendhat had recently asked a Parliamentary member of Her Majesty’s Government ready and question about issue of ghost trains on the line, willing to hear our concerns on two key issues. citing how GTR (operating as Southern) had failed to run two thirds of services on 30 December (a The first was the unwelcome prospect of additional matter explored further elsewhere in this issue). We rush hour stops at Orpington being introduced in the put forward the wider case to Andrew Jones of 2022 timetable under the new South Eastern returning the line to the South Eastern franchise, franchise. As regular readers will be aware, the new which would potentially allow through trains to be operator will be required to stop six mainline trains established from Ashford to Gatwick, a route which per hour at Orpington unless it can demonstrate that is difficult by car. Unfortunately, the minister the relevant trains are 12 coaches long and there are seemed sceptical about the merits of this idea, no seats available for the additional passengers. We believing that the line was geographically better pointed out to the minister that the clause requiring connected to GTR’s Southern services. Andrew this was woolly and had already been subject to Jones was personable and his understanding of his several interpretations from Jo Johnson (the brief was impressive, apparently extending to quite previous rail minister, and coincidentally – or not – esoteric aspects of railway operations. He also said the MP for Orpington). The problem was not so he was actively monitoring network performance much in the morning, where the extra stops would and seemed to genuinely value feedback from simply add a few minutes to the journey time, but in passengers. We would be interested to engage the evening when extra people would be boarding further with him, but whether we will be able to do not only at London Bridge but also at prior stops. so is difficult to predict in the current political Kent passengers, despite them paying twice the cost climate. Rest assured, whoever is in office, TLC of an Orpington season ticket, would find seating will be pressing the case for passengers. JM

Annual General Meeting – Thursday 9th May at 19.30 will be held in the Judd Suite, Angel Centre, Tonbridge

Come and question representatives of Southeastern and Network Rail MP Tom Tugendhat is hoping to attend Refreshments available afterwards

TRAVEL TOPICS – SPRING 2019 1

Tonbridge to Redhill: A Christmas shambles

This line has been under attack by the operator, in addition to that line. We feel that some of the GTR, for a number of years now, together with a events over Christmas demonstrate this lack of relentless tide of negative news. The through attention. service to London was curtailed at the same time Christmas 2018 saw a typical seasonal reduced as connections at Redhill were downgraded, track service pattern. On the 30th December only 12 of issues caused lengthy speed restrictions, and a lack the 36 trains scheduled that day ran, short notice of crew has plagued services. staff absence being cited as the reason. We are GTR maintains that it is doing the best it can, that sceptical to say the least. the line is important to it and good times are just GTR has been really un-cooperative in discussing around the corner. We are not impressed by this this with us and we have reported our frustrations ‘jam tomorrow’ type rhetoric when GTR has time on our website. Our investigation has led us to and time again demonstrated that this line means believe that GTR took their eye off the ball and nothing to them. there was a mis-match between the public We have been investigating performance as we do timetables and the timetables given to staff. not share GTR’s rosy outlook and feel that it is Rather than re-jiggle and try and salvage going through the motions, and that due to the low something, GTR cancelled swathes of services. passenger numbers, the line is always bottom of We believe that our members and the passengers the pile and gets a rum deal. on this rural line deserve better, and we will Firstly, the management of the line falls to the continue to gather evidence and challenge GTR. same team who run the Brighton Main Line We shall not give up and will continue to fight for (BML), a complex service that runs at (and the line to be restored to the South Eastern probably beyond) full capacity. We would argue Franchise, where we believe a better service can be that it is not feasible for a team to manage anything provided. RM

All change at Tonbridge station Regular commuters from Tonbridge will have The new ‘Puffin’ traffic lights, which remain red noticed several alterations to access to and from when cameras detect people crossing, were erected the station forecourt, which has now been with the pedestrian signals at waist height. This considerably widened to reduce crowding and seems bizarre since most people look ahead when improve safety. Although buses have been crossing a road. While new indicators have been banished from the forecourt, all the northbound installed, they are still on the side where you are stops have been grouped together in Quarry Hill waiting. We understand that the lack of audible Parade outside Lidl, which we consider is indicators, which makes life harder for partially beneficial, particularly for short distance sighted people, will be rectified. Meanwhile, the passengers. The pick-up/drop-off point for short bus stop in High Street outside Café Nero is to be stay parking has, however, been retained. recessed to improve traffic flow. JR

Two steps back at Hildenborough? In the last edition of ‘Travel Topics’ we reported cannot use the station would be able to, the that the Government was running a scheme called pressure on the bridge would be relieved, and an ‘Access for All’ which offered funding to provide extra ticket machine could be installed. In our access improvements at applicant stations. view, this was a high impact, low cost scheme that we hoped would be accepted. Hildenborough is a station that, although having some excellent disabled facilities, has one It was therefore with considerable disappointment fundamental flaw in that it lacks any southbound that we have recently heard that, although step-free platform access. We had identified a Hildenborough was included in Southeastern’s potentially cheap solution using a gentle inclined application, it had failed to find favour among the ramp from the platform up to the road by Philpot’s 73 stations awarded funding. We are now allotments. The beauty of the proposal was that considering our options and are investigating as to everybody would gain. Those who at present why our scheme as not selected. RM TRAVEL TOPICS – SPRING 2019 2

Pay-as-you-go on Rail – The ‘Oysterisation’ of London’s Commuter Belt

Whilst the Department for Transport have been pay-as-you-go on rail be limited to just those very quiet recently on the future of the travelling to London? Southeastern franchise, they have launched a We are replying to the Department’s proposals via consultation on extending “pay-as-you-go” on an ongoing consultation, which closes on 1st May National Rail far beyond the current London fare 2019. Although TLC is responding on behalf of boundaries to include many of the stations that fall our members, individual responses are welcome within the London Commuter Belt – such as too – details have been published at online Stevenage, Guildford, Dorking, Maidstone and of (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pa course Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells. y-as-you-go-on-rail). Pay-as-you-go services on National Rail within The main themes of our response are as follows: London were launched several years ago and have delivered numerous benefits, allowing users there  It must be accessible to all – the system to take advantage of daily and now weekly fare should be available both via contactless capping, avoiding queueing to purchase a ticket payment (cards and mobile phones), and and simplifying fares. Consequently, leisure and also via a dedicated smartcard which can discretionary travel by rail has also significantly be topped up using cash. increased.  The area should be extended from the However, apart from a few exceptions, as soon as current proposals to include the Paddock you cross the outermost fare zone, ticketing reverts Wood to Maidstone West line. There is to a system unchanged for years. A system where absolutely no reason why the link from travellers need to keep hold of a fragile easily Maidstone to Strood is included but not on demagnetised bit of paper, work out for to Paddock Wood. Paddock Wood itself is themselves the best fare, and hope that it is valid used to make over 1 million journeys every and make a gamble between purchasing a weekly year, and travellers from Tonbridge and ticket and needing to travel all week or paying intermediate stations to Kent’s County more expensive daily fares. Town should not be excluded from access Although Southeastern has a smartcard ticketing to the benefits of pay-as-you-go. option (the ‘Key’) that alleviates some of these  Fares must not rise as a result of pay-as- drawbacks, it has an incredibly narrow application, you-go being implemented. being only useful for holding weekly or longer tickets. Although it is possible to load day tickets  Monthly and Annual capping should also on the Key, it requires upfront payment at a ticket be considered, not just Weekly capping. office or ticket machine – the convenience of  Capping should be on a rolling window, being able to simply arrive at the barriers, tap and e.g. a 7-day window for a weekly cap, go is all but a distant dream! rather than a fixed Monday – Sunday. The Department’s proposals therefore aim to  Automatic refunds for delays must be a resolve this issue by significantly extending the standard feature – not an ‘optional extra’ existing pay-as-you-go area. Although we for which a traveller should pay more for strongly support the idea of pay-as-you-go on our as proposed by the consultation! services, in many ways we consider the  A single solution must be inter-operable department’s proposals to be flawed. Most between all National Rail operators and notably, their method for determining which TfL services within London. stations would be included in an extended pay-as- you-go area are inconsistent. Inclusion is very Although some aspects will be harder to much geared towards stations which are served by implement than others, we want to see a pay-as- (outer) ‘metro’ services – hence the inclusion of you-go extension that works for our members Tunbridge Wells – and where significant flows rather than a repeat of the piecemeal effort that is towards London exist. However, this fails to the ‘Key’ – a ‘world class’ system if you may! recognise the importance of many of the regional KJ hubs around London – why should the benefits of TRAVEL TOPICS – SPRING 2019 3

The Williams Review

Back in December, the Government launched an of franchising needs to be reshaped to allow the exercise billed as a “root and branch” review of railway to be run with greater commercial freedom Britain’s railways. Led by Keith Williams, a and flexibility above the minimum contractually former Chief Executive of British Airways, the agreed service standards. For example, it might be review was briefed to take a fundamental look at possible to let long-term combined franchises for the organisational and commercial frameworks of track and train. If a high degree of private Britain’s railways. The terms of reference were ownership is preferred, commercial risk should be indeed suitably broad, ranging from “rail industry taken by the railway company itself and not by the structures that promote clear accountability and taxpayer. For most passengers, a train journey effective joint-working”, to a rail sector with serves a purpose to get them from A to B – who “improved industrial relations” and “the agility to actually gets them from A to B is irrelevant from respond to future challenges and opportunities”. the passenger’s point of view, with factors such as However, the subjects excluded from the terms of speed, reliability and price being far more relevant. reference were perhaps just as significant. These included “railway funding 2019-2024 On fares, we highlighted that the costs of running commitments” and “High Speed 2 and other major the railway in the UK are disproportionately borne projects”. The review was therefore angled to by the passenger compared to many other Western avoid the most controversial topics, presumably so nations where there are higher levels of as not to lose sight of the key questions concerning Government subsidy. The Government should over-arching industry structure. recognise the wider economic benefits of the railway, in bringing people to work and education, The review did not seek views directly from and therefore generating tax receipts through passengers but issued some broad calls for economic growth and increased productivity. We evidence from interested parties within and outside also noted that rail fares are inequitable across the the rail industry. The initial call for evidence country, with passengers from west Kent paying simply invited written contributions to inform the much higher fares that others. review’s work within the terms of reference. We responded with a detailed analysis of current Having examined evidence collected in its first issues within rail industry which have a negative phase, the Review has now set out its high-level impact on passengers, and made some suggestions objectives and assessment criteria to be used to for improvements. TLC has always been neutral judge potential models of the rail industry, as well regarding whether the railway should be a as publishing papers on passenger perceptions, nationalised or privatised entity, but we are clear comparisons between the Britain’s railways and that the current model for franchising passenger those abroad, and a summary of the “rail sector in services is fundamentally flawed. It does not numbers”. It has invited feedback on these provide adequate incentives or opportunities for documents, including whether it has identified the franchise holders to improve the service beyond right objectives and assessment criteria. We are in the baseline service that is mandated by the the process of reviewing these outputs so that we franchise agreement. The current structures do not can respond to this further call for evidence. It is promote effective joint-working, and often lead to disappointing that the papers published so far do blame games, resulting in unaccountable and not appear to draw much on evidence already unnecessary cost overheads and a lack of submitted to the Review, relying instead on flexibility. We have cited delay attribution as a previous reviews and established industry sources. case in point. Passengers do not care whether We believe that a passenger perspective should be Network Rail or the train operator is responsible more at the heart of the Review and will continue for a delay, but vast resources are spent working to press for this. Of course, the significance of the out who pays for what. Review will very much depend on the wider political situation in the UK and it is currently What should be done? Our preferred structure is unclear how radical any recommendations will be. that of a fully integrated railway system bringing We will continue to monitor the situation and put together track and train, either on a national or the passenger point of view. JM route basis. At the very least, the current system TRAVEL TOPICS – SPRING 2019 4

More victories for passengers During the last few months we have had several 3. A passenger travelling from Leigh to Charing notable successes. Three examples stand out: Cross bought an off-peak ticket on the Southeastern website allowing her to travel on 1. We took Southeastern to task for the level of the 08:48 from Leigh changing onto the 09:01 service it was offering during engineering from Tonbridge. The guard on the 09:01 told works, and there are signs the company is her the ticket was not valid, but this was now taking its responsibilities more seriously. incorrect because the restriction on the ticket Transport Focus confirmed to us that during was only that the service needed to arrive in engineering works Southeastern is required London after 09:50 (this is different to a under its franchise contract to use all restriction which applies when starting the reasonable endeavours to run replacement bus journey from Tonbridge, where the 09:09 is and train services at a “reasonably similar indeed the first off-peak train). We pointed frequency” to normal. Southeastern was out the error to Southeastern and it apologised regularly failing to meet this requirement. and issued new advice to its guards. For example, during works between Unfortunately, GTR (the operator of the Tonbridge and Sevenoaks on a Sunday Leigh train) has now introduced a new typically just one train an hour would run restriction which prevents off-peak fares between Ashford and Tonbridge despite that being used on the 08:48 from Leigh. The new section of line being open. More recently the restriction was applied by on-line journey full service of two trains per an hour has been planners without being published as a maintained in these circumstances. We have restriction on the National Rail website. We also encouraged the company to run trains at complained, and GTR has now addressed this maximum length when the train frequency is to some extent by changing the wording on reduced. On Saturday 9th March there was the website to make it clear that the 09.01 only a half-hourly service to Charing Cross, cannot be used. At our behest, GTR has also with other trains diverted to Victoria, but to agreed to allow off-peak returns to be used on its credit Southeastern ran these services with the 08.28 Tonbridge to Redhill service when twelve coaches, thus avoiding the otherwise travelling through to London. While this inevitable overcrowding. mainly benefits passengers at the Redhill end 2. Passengers reported to us that ticket machines of the line (such as the good people of at Tonbridge were only selling off-peak Nutfield), it nonetheless removes an tickets one minute before the first off-peak unfairness in the system. service to London at 09:09. We complained We could not achieve these victories without our that this did not give enough time to purchase members and supporters. Firstly, you are our a ticket and Southeastern agreed to update the eyes and ears on the railway, reporting issues to software on the machines so that off-peak us to look into. Secondly, having a solid tickets are sold from 09:03. Explanatory text membership base gives us legitimacy as the is now also included on the machines to voice of the passenger – our strength is in our indicate that off-peak tickets may be bought numbers as we campaign on your behalf. JM earlier by selecting “tickets for later travel”. Tonbridge Line Commuters – Your Committee the following seek your support at this year’s AGM:

Chairman: John Reynolds Hon. Secretary: John Morton Membership Secretary: 14 Cumberland Court, London 39 Rose Street, Tonbridge Steve Terry Road, Tonbridge TN9 2BN Tel: 01732 359308 6 Poppy Meadow, Paddock Wood TN10 3AL Tel. 01732 355871 TN12 6BN Tel: 01892 833880 Vice Chairman: Robert Mansfield Hon. Treasurer: Lionel Shields 21 Ashley Road, Hildenborough 13 Streamside, Tonbridge Committee Member: TN11 9EB TN10 3PU Tel. 01732 355919 Kingsley Jarrett

e-mail: [email protected] TRAVEL TOPICS – SPRING 2019 5

Southeastern Franchise Renewal – Govia to Go On?

The current South Eastern franchise, operated by Department scrambling to put in place a publicly- Govia, is due to finish on 22 June 2019. Originally owned Operator of Last Resort. expected to end in early 2014, the Department for In another development, Stagecoach has been Transport has extended the Govia’s operation of disqualified from several franchise competitions, the franchise no less than 4 times, originally for including the South Eastern franchise, for the London Bridge works but more recently to submitting ‘non-compliant’ bids. Compliant bids accommodate a series of delays in the bidding were expected to take on a significant pension process for the new franchise. liability, which Stagecoach argued was an After a prolonged silence, the Secretary of State unmanageable risk that should not be borne by the for Transport, Chris Grayling, finally broke cover franchise operator in line with the findings of 2013 on 10 April to announce that his Department is Brown Review of Railway Franchising. Legal “negotiating a short-term extension to the current action looks to be on the horizon – likely causing franchise agreement with Govia while we make a further delay to the franchise award. Currently, the decision on the [franchise] competition”. If two remaining bidders are the incumbent Govia negotiations are successful, then this fifth direct and Abellio, which is showing signs of financial award will run up until at least 10 November, with distress on its other franchises. The outlook does an option to extend again until April 2020. not look good. For passengers, this means the promised It ultimately remains to be seen what the terms of improvements, including faster and more frequent the new direct award extension will be and who services, and lower thresholds for Delay Repay, will win the franchise – anything is possible if the have now been pushed back even further – not to Department wishes for it to be so and puts up mention any potential replacement of some of the suitable incentives! In the meantime, although increasingly old, tired and unreliable rolling stock. trains will remain running, long-promised and It is also astoundingly reckless for the Department much-needed improvements have been kicked into to be seeking an extension when it is just 10 weeks the long grass. While being ‘locked in’ to a bad, to end of the current franchise. Since this rushed, franchise award also harms passengers, the negotiation is ongoing, Govia could quite simply continuing repeat delays, uncertainty and secrecy hand back the keys on 22 June and leave the is a big disservice to us all. KJ ------TONBRIDGE LINE COMMUTERS The subscription for the year ending 31 Mar 2020 is £4.00. You may renew online on our website, and pay by PayPal or by BACS using the details given below: Bank: Santander Sort code: 09-07-21 Account number: 90919302 When paying by bank transfer, please quote either your membership number (shown on the address label below if received by post, or else in our covering e-mail) or name as the reference. If you receive Travel Topics by post, you may also renew by returning this slip. The date shown is the current expiry date of your subscription.

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Please renew my Association membership for: Cheques payable to Tonbridge Line Commuters should be sent to: Hon. Treasurer, Lionel Shields, 1 year (£4) . . . . . 2 years (£8). . . . other ( ) … at 13 Streamside, Tonbridge, Kent, TN10 3PU. TRAVEL TOPICS – SPRING 2019 6