Bellenden Residents' Group (BRG)

As a result of the shocking news of the secret deal between TfL and DfT to axe the planned Victoria-Bellingham service (via Denmark Hill & Peckham Rye), local rail user groups - Southwark Rail Users’ Group and Clapham Transport Users’ Group - have come together with the major hospitals at Denmark Hill and local elected representatives to form the campaign to Save Our South London Line. The latest decision, like the one to axe the Victoria-Denmark Hill-London Bridge service in 2012, shows the low priority the rail industry gives to our inner south London connections into central London. We have to change that before 2012. First stage is the consultation on the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, and the European elections.  Take action now! 
 
The campaign urges rail users to:

• sign the web petition http://www.gopetition.com/online/27426.html
• email your views to:
  • Lord Adonis (the Rail Minister) at: andrew.adonis@dft.gsi.gov.uk
  • Boris Johnson at: Mayor@london.gov.uk 
  • cc to your elected representatives (click on Read More below to see Southwark list)
  • cc to the local press: letters@slp.co.uk, letters@southwarknews.org
• join the online Facebook group Save the South London Line between Victoria & London Bridge  http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=5610272863
• print out some campaign flyers to give to fellow passengers at your station
• email SRUG@bellenden.net to get on the mailing list to be kept up to date.

Latest news:

• TfL (Transport for London) have engineered with DfT (Dept. for Transport) the scrapping of the planned Victoria-Bellingham service
• this was done in secret without discussion with anyone else
• more information can be seen in the posting below
• a joint campaign with all stakeholders across Southwark & Lambeth is coming together and will be issuing information and advice on useful actions next week. The campaign includes SRUG, Clapham Transport Users Group, Camberwell Society, Kings College & the Maudesley (SLAM) hospitals, and local elected representatives.
• to join the campaign email SRUG@bellenden.net

'Rail line lost to plug gap'  - Southwark News reports on the news of the axing of Victoria-Bellingham service.

Read more...

 'Backroom deal' axes rail service - South London Press reports the news of the secret deal between TfL and Department of Transport to axe Victoria - Bellingham Line

Read more...

The rail industry still plan to stop the all day and evening 2tph service on the SLL, in 2012. It would cut the direct link between Denmark Hill and London Bridge, the direct link between Queens Rd and Victoria, and reduce the trains to London Bridge from Peckham Rye by two an hour.  A major reason given for cutting the SLL is that there will not be enough terminating platforms space at London Bridge station after the rebuilding which is due to start in 2012. We discovered that it is in fact possible to increase the platform space to accommodate the SLL trains, and had this confirmed by Network Rail at the SRUG meeting.

Do you use rail services to London Bridge or services to East Croydon from our local stations?

Do you know that the East Croydon to London Bridge two trains an hour service, which goes through East Dulwich, Peckham Rye, Queens Road, and North Dulwich stations, is being cut in December?

This cuts our local link to East Croydon and Gatwick, and cuts two trains an hour to London Bridge.

If this affects you, whichever constituency you are in, please respond to Tessa Jowell's on-line survey – see below.

The Department of Transport's specification for the new South Central Rail Franchise (currently held by Southern Rail) is now published.

This has been welcomed by Passenger Focus.