The railway company Govia Thameslink have replied to questions raised about the new timetable at the recent MLAG (Marsh Link Action Group) meeting – and responses differ.
Paul Barker from marshlinktrains.com has put a commuter viewpoint quite strongly, while MLAG has a more measured view.
Paul says commuter concerns have been dismissed and goes on to say “we do not believe that it is necessary to affect commuters so drastically in order to run longer trains between Hastings and Eastbourne which we believe do not need this much capacity.
“An easier and more beneficial solution for all passengers between Ashford and Brighton would have been to get some additional diesel or hybrid trains (diesel and electric) and continue to run service between Ashford and Brighton. We believe not enough consultation has been done among Ashford to Brighton line passengers and commuters”.
On the other hand MLAG says : “Southern have advised there will no alteration to what they announced at our AGM, and MLAG has been involved over the past months in many meetings with Southern and other Rail User Groups (Bexhill Rail Action Group, East Sussex Rail Alliance and Rail Future, amongst others).
“There will be an opportunity to review the new timetable in the future, but there remain the same constraints, so it is unlikely there will be further significant improvements until track and other improvements are made.
“We recognise that single line track working on the line limits the options as trains need to pass each other at Rye. But, by terminating at Eastbourne, it has been possible for most of the day to improve the connections with the High Speed Trains at Ashford by running trains ten minutes earlier.
“The timetable will now be the same every day.Current trains run earlier on Sunday than the rest of the week often catching out weekend travellers.
“We also have trains running one hour later in the evening (except Sunday) which has been a longstanding MarshLink objective, and MLAG is always looking for improvements through consultations with the rail operator”.
And Govia have said: “We have been made aware of some specific concerns around the timing of some popular commuter trains between Rye and Asford International.
“The new timetable being introduced in May will see most trains operate 10 minutes later. This is to provide an evenly spaced timetable that links into the High Speed services at Ashford throughout the entire day as opposed to just at peak times.
“Our timetable team have looked at the request to keep the “commuter” service between Rye and Ashford International at the same times as today. Should we re-time peak trains to remain as today the whole timetable for the East Coastway would have to remain as today.
“This would mean that all the benefits of the “Eastbourne overlap” , increased capacity, improved connections for all passengers travelling throughout the day, and the increase in services between Eastbourne and Hastings would not be possible”.
Govia go on to point out that there are more London connections anyway during the rush hour and “that, due to the complete rewrite of the timetable, services will be more reliable and an 8 minute connection time should mean this connection (to the London Hi-Speed trains) is made in the vast majority of cases”.
They also point that that the peak period “Rye shuttle is timed on the opposite half hour to the Eastbourne service and when this arrives in Rye it needs to shunt on to the single line. This means it is not possible to run two services to/from Ashford (in peak hours) any closer than half hourly apart due to the single track working at Rye” (and between Ore and Appledore).
Govia say they will continue to work with Southeastern to ensure where possible 12 car services on the Hi Speed service connect with the Rye-Ashford service (rather than the shorter 6 car trains).
Photo: Rye News Library
Image Credits: Rye News library .
I am sure commuters paying £5 to £6k a year for standing on a 6 car HS train and tube train in the morning peak or languishing for 20mins at Ashford waiting for a Chx train will think, at least the trains are evenly spaced and it will be easier for leisure traveller who go up maybe once a week and for off peak travellers.
The 10min delay they have introduced means what is currently the 0647 from Appledore will no longer connect with 0703 CHX service, instead you have a longer wait for the 0729. In the evening, the 1801 and 1820 from CHX now have risky 5m connections with marshlink trains.
I work in central London and the current timetable means the HS premium is about 15m so the classic services are worthwhile. This change fixes that at my expense, I now get the opportunity to pay £1000 from my very modest public sector salary to get pretty much what I have now but with a big detour via Camden.
I wish the train buffs would stop interfering in train services they rarely use. Instead of practical suggestions, like vivarail trains or battery trains to improve the robustness of the service we have fantasy plans for javelins, bad news for small station btw but at least Bexhill commuters can save 10 mins getting to London (if they don’t work in the centre)
So disappointing that the needs of commuters have been ignored and that connecting services are via the abysmal shuttle service. Any regular traveller on the line will know the frequency with which this ‘service’ is cancelled.
Let us hope that those in charge of the new schedule can ,after some 50 years, actually arrange for trains from London to reach Ashford before the Rye connection departs—so often one watches the train leave just as one is emerging onto platform 1.
Ashford station is not a particularly attractive location to spend an hour whilst awaiting the next train to Rye!
I commute between Rye and Brighton on a daily basis and the timetable changes are an absolute disaster. There will no longer be a direct service to Brighton and the changes increase my journey time meaning that I arrive at work later and get back home later (45 minutes later in the evening). Southern representatives are fond of using the word ‘improvement’ to describe their ‘achievement’. It is not.
These changes are downright hostile to the Rye to London commuter. The changes force people to use the shuttle services which already feel like they’re being run as a hobby by Southern. They’ll connect with trains at Ashford which are six coaches instead of 12, which means almost everyone joining at Ashford will have to stand all the way into London. For over six grand a year this is an absolute joke.
When I used to tell my colleagues in London I’d moved to Rye they used to look at me in horror before I’d tell them “No, actually the commute’s not too bad, when it works”
Now, though, their reaction seems completely justified. It’s going to be horrible, and detrimental to my quality of life and that of countless other commuters. Southern’s intransigence in the face of this genuine concern is, sadly, typical and unsurprising. They really are a dreadful excuse for a company.
I’d be grateful if JK would contact me to discuss the new Brighton timetable on info@mlag.org.uk
The journey to Brighton should be the same length of time as now (although I have to admit, with a concerning connection) and the return journey is 22 mins longer.
I do appreciate JK is comparing timings with his/ her fixed customary working arrival/ departure times not journey times.
The changes are a real kick in the teeth. My season ticket costs just shy of £7k already, fares are going up and I’m going to get a far inferior service for my money. The change to the 6:38 from Rye totally knackers my commute. I currently get to my desk at 8am, but this will be nearer to 8:30 with the changes. It means I need to leave the office later, which in turn means that I won’t get back to Rye until much later in the evening. It also means that I have to get up at a truly ungodly time to be able to make any early meetings. Having moved here a year ago and bought a house, it makes a bit of a mockery of the rationale for having done so. The tin ear of Southern is simply galling.
Having re-checked National Rail Enquiries site, it seems that there have been further revisions since I last looked – the journey timings and station changes to Brighton from Rye have changed and has a ‘at present we cannot confirm that this service will run’ caveat. It seems Southern haven’t made up their minds or haven’t been communicating their timetable changes particularly well. Was under the impression that this all had to be sorted and communicated 12 weeks in advance of the changes being implemented. The return journey remains a source of irritation.
@Stuart, will send you an email shortly.
When I read new proposed timetable I thought it must be April 1!!
Absolutely appalling from Southern with no concern for their passengers during the consultation period. I have yet to meet anyone who thinks that these changes are an improvement.
As if the last couple of years haven’t been bad enough. I moved to Rye because of the 07:06 shuttle which has been a bone of contention ever since I moved down from London. When the shuttles are cancelled, the 06:38 would normally give a chance of two trains from AFK (07:06 and 07:16). Now we will only have one 6 coach train to hit and if there is any delay, have to wait for the 07:36.
Then coming home is even worse with the 18:00 moving to 17:55. My 17:20 STP to AFK gets in at 17:54, so no chance of catching that one so will have to wait until 18:25.
I get to pay just over £8k a year for this and from May I get to leave home earlier and get home later. Thanks Southern.
Pure contempt from this crooked monopoly, but no doubt good news for their shareholders.
Some years back it was proposed to run a Rye bypass parallel with the rail track,it’s time to rethink this opportunity to do away with the Hastings to Ashford line a put a bypass in its place, with buses running on it to connect all commuters to Ashford and Hastings on time to get their connections, what we have seen over the years with this line is complete chaos, with empty promises, and the union holding the passengers to ransom.