Rail Services (Sydenham Corridor) debate

[admin]

We were featured in last Friday's House of Commons adjournment debate. Our MP Jim Dowd raised the issue of our transport issues. Did you know "No London borough has as high a proportion of its residents working outside it as Lewisham does?"

Hence our dependency. Anoraks might enjoy a romp through the debate as found starting on page 41 of the Hansard proceedings document:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/p ... chan38.pdf

Interested in hearing your view of this purely procedural discussion.

Admin

[Robin Orton]

My personal concern is about the direct service to Charing Cross. Mr Dowd seemed a bit defeatist about this (col. 596) :

'That service has now been lost and, sadly,
there is little or no hope for its reintroduction, because
those pathways have gone.'

What is it about a 'pathway' which means that once it's gone, it's gone?

The Minister sounded a bit more positive (col.599):

'Because of the provision of the additional
trains, no spare capacity exists to allow Southern services
to operate into Charing Cross. Southeastern and Southern
have worked hard to identify a solution to the problem
that would allow those trains to be accommodated
through London Bridge. It has been unable to find a
timetable solution, but it remains an aspiration of Southern
to operate services through to Charing Cross. The
Government have said that if in future Southern and
Southeastern can find a way to extend services, which
we agree is desirable, we will not stand in the way of the
operators. I have asked officials to ensure that that
option continues to be considered.'

Does that mean it's worth trying to keep up the pressure?

[Eagle]

It does not at all surprise me that Lewisham has more people who leave the borough for employment than any others.
Where are the private sector employers in Lewisham.
The few factories we had have over the years been driven out.

[simon]

Driven out Eagle? Or chose to leave? Who has driven them out?

[stone-penge]

That service has now been lost and, sadly,
there is little or no hope for its reintroduction, because
those pathways have gone.'

Defeatist maybe but beautiful, almost like a haiku in form.