Meet the managers http://www.southernrailway.com/main.php?page_id=92
This Thursday 28th February from 7:30am.
Please take a few minutes to stop and speak to them if you are passing through London Bridge.

Situations such as the one described above are an unfortunate result of the frustrations felt by all commuters every morning. Southern failed to predict the increased level of use with the closure of the East London Line (despite predictions from user groups and community organisations) and have failed to find any solutions to the facts on the ground despite many of us making them aware. Their response that the added more coaches in 2005-2006 does not address the situation that began on 22nd December 2007 with the closure of ELL.

It is no good saying there is nothing they can do, there are numerous things they can do:

- Stop some of the fast trains at New Cross Gate on the fast line
- Add extra carriages to our line so that there are no longer 6 carriage trains during the peak services (these carriages may need to come from other services that are less crowded or they could bring back all of the slam door carriages that they withdrew from service a couple of years ago)
- Add additional stops to the services that run fast from Forest Hill to New Cross Gate, to provide more chance for the people of Honor Oak Park and Brockley to get on a train
- Run 12 carriage trains in the morning peak with the front or back of the train only stopping at alternate stations (passengers requiring HOP, Brockley, New X Gate should only use the rear 8 coaches, passengers for FH, Sydenham only the front 8 coaches). This would only work for the trains that arrive on platforms 8-13 at London Bridge
- Increase the number of British Transport Police on platforms at HOP and Brockley to address the increased incidents of pushing, verbal abuse, and physical assaults that are taking place. These (usually low level incidents) make travelling by train more stressful for everybody
- Hold people at the ticket offices rather than allowing them on to the platforms when trains are seriously overcrowded

If Southern are not seen to be addressing these issues then I hope they will accept liability when the inevitable heart attack/miscarriage/injury caused by falling between the platform and the train, happens.

But we should also do our bit:
- make sure people move right down the carriages, don't be afraid to ask
- when somebody does ask another person to move down, back them up and thank them for helping their fellow passengers
- look out for people who may be in distress and be prepared to give up your seat