South Western Railway (SWR) have been conducting a stakeholder consultation, seeking views of a proposed revised timetable for December 2022. The plans included some reduction in capacity and frequency on some lines. Given the importance of our train network for local communities, I submitted a response highlighting the key concerns I have, and those raised with me by constituents.
Primarily, I believe any changes to the network and timetable must reflect local need and ensure co-ordinated transport, with timetables taking account of connection times between branch and mainline routes, and peak travel times, including for school children. SWR also have a duty to ensure rail travel is accessible to all.
While rail usage has been affected by the pandemic it is also too soon to know what the long term impact will be. SWR plans are based on a sustained reduction in capacity. I have requested that this be closely monitored and reviewed should number look to return to close to pre-pandemic levels. I also raised questions over the impact of the proposals on level crossing down times, not mentioned in the consultation, but a key issue in Runnymede and Weybridge.
A copy of the full submission is available below.
