Bellenden Residents' Group (BRG)

South London Line plans will anger passengers

Several thousand passengers each day will be severely affected if Transport for London (TfL) and the Government break promises over the South London Line, said London TravelWatch.

London TravelWatch has issued the results of its passenger survey on the South London Line, which proves that passengers using the line will be severely disadvantaged if the promised replacement service between Victoria and Bellingham (via Clapham High Street, Wandsworth Road, Peckham and Denmark Hill) does not go ahead. 
 

Sharon Grant, Chair, London TravelWatch, said: “Our research has shown that passengers currently using the South London Line will suffer very considerably indeed if the undertakings given about this service are thrown in the bin. Ditching this service will mean thousands of angry passengers with significantly longer journey times and inconvenient interchanges for many passengers and a very real risk of overcrowding on other rail services, local buses and on the already busy Northern and Victoria tube lines.”

London TravelWatch commissioned a passenger survey conducted at key stations on the route, on trains and online, to measure the usage of the line and the likely impact on passengers as a result of these changes.

Sharon Grant continued: “There will now be growing pressure on TfL and the Government from passenger groups, local employers, councillors, assembly members and MPs to look again at these proposals. It is clear from our study that this service is essential to its users, and it is absolutely vital that it is provided and maintained.”

For more information, please contact the London TravelWatch press office on 020 7726 9953 or 07734 055494.

The voice of London's transport users
9 September 2009