Lewes MP Norman Baker today challenged Southern to improve its services along the coastway east route, which takes in Lewes, Polegate, Eastbourne and Hastings. The call came in a one-to-one meeting with Southern Managing Director Chris Burchell today.
The meeting was the first since the new South Central franchise was awarded to Southern, and the Lewes MP challenged Chris Burchell to make the following improvements over the franchise period - preferably earlier rather than later.
Some of the many improvements advocated by Norman Baker included:
Norman Baker commented:
"Although Southern has improved rail services in this area over the past few years, there remains a great deal of room for improvement. There is a pressing need for real reforms which will deliver a better service for passengers along the coastway east route.
"Journey times to London remain unnecessarily long, and there remains a severe problem with overcrowding. The December timetable changes were on the whole unwelcome and unhelpful to my constituents. We urgently need more trains and carriages between Lewes and London in the rush hour, and between Ashford and Brighton, to address this problem.
"And the current position with regard to Newhaven station must be rationalised. I maintain that there is a pressing need for a modern, top-notch new station to be built in Newhaven with a bus interchange, proper car parking; and maybe even a cafe.
"Over the coming franchise period, Southern must work hard to implement some of the changes I have suggested to ensure better conditions for passengers in my constituency and across the coastway east route. I intend to hold them robustly to account.
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Contact Norman at:
Norman Baker,
23 East Street,
Lewes,
East Sussex,
BN7 2LJ.
Tel: (01273) 480281.
Fax: (01273) 480287.
Email: info
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