Hi Michael, I'm sure you're right, but shouldn't this be the job of the council? Because it extends beyond the train station per se, it's also about simply accessing the other side of Forest Hill. I know my son one day will walk, but the disabled are just ignored really... I'm not sure who to write to, but I'll try to do something as well. Happy New Year!

I see what you mean: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s...3,,2,12.14

It would seem right to extend the fence further round the corner from the bridge where there are still three levels of curb. However, this would effectively reduce the width of the pavement, so for all days when there is not snow settled it would probably be more of an inconvenience than a help.

The maintenence of this section of road is by TfL as it is a Red Route. If you feel the need you can probably report the issue to http://www.fixmystreet.com
alternatively contact TfL direct via http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/reportas...t/934.aspx

That's great information, it will be my starting point!

The street redevelopment works as part of Forest Hill Central, the new ticket barriers and foot bridge should have been an opportunity to sort this out. Instead we got three companies doing their own thing missing the one thing everyone one wanted which was step free access from one side of forest hill to the other that doesn't involve going around the south circular.

Totally agree, Hare on the hill, and welcome by the way.

Step free, is what we want, like it used to be in the good old days.

Lots of overnight noise at the weekend, and new tarmac, tactile paving and channel drains on platform two, and bits of platform one. Good - the puddle situation has been beyond a joke for a while.

Who should I ask/tell about lighting on the steps on the Perry Vale side exit of the station? The lighting is not great and it can be hard to see the steps in front of you in the evening, especially when there are lots of people descending the stairs at the same time and casting shadows and/or when it's raining. The other night, an eldery man who was descending at the same time as me mentioned that he was usually unable to make out the edge of the steps and so just had to 'guess' where he was stepping - he was therefore constantly terrified of slipping. Another light might help.

Underpass, underpass, underpass.

When is it due to be sorted? The hasty whitewash is already (rust?) stained and disgusting.

Apart from the new bridge, so much of the station 're-development' seems to be subject to a quick excercise in tidying/patching things up.

Several points re the station:

• We have been pushing the lighting of the stairs with TfL. This has now been raised with the Facility Manager (who lives in Forest Hill), head of Customer service, his boss and various other people by TfL, so hopefully we will see some action soon.
• Oyster top ups should now be available from the TVMs (Ticket Vending Machines). and will be available from the Ticket counters soon (23 May 2010 at the latest). A date for Annual season tickets on Oyster is not yet available due to technical reasons.
• The Oyster validators were removed from Forest Hill's side gate; the idea is that the ticket offices (but not counters) remain open until after the last train so that people can touch in and out.
• Jim Dowd will be raising the matter of the train cuts in Parliament on Friday 5 February in a Private Members Bill / Adjournment debate "Rail services in the Sydenham corridor after May 2010"
  

Oyster has been enabled at the machines since Monday 25th January.

I noticed that the ticket office has new Chip and Pin pads, but it seems to be still only selling paper tickets.

Is it me or is the ticket office seeing less custom since the introduction of Oyster during the peaks?

Thanks for the news re the lighting FHSoc.

A new shelter has been installed on Platform 2 opposite the ticket hall.

The new shelter on Platform 1 is now up too.

Incidentally, are there any plans to sort out the drainage by the ticket hall on Platform 1? There was a nasty puddle thanks to the rain overnight.

I am never sure which of the two rail threads is the right one but....

I have now used the Oyster 'Pay as you go' on the train from Forest Hill to London Bridge for two weeks and have to say it is brilliant. It only costs me £2.60 to get to London Bridge and £2 to get back. Because I don't do the yourney every day (only 4/5) it costs about the same as a monthly london terminals rail card and can cope with the fact that sometimes I make entirely different journeys.

Definitely progress as far as I am concered....

Could someone confirm something for me please. I currently get a monthly zone 1-3. If I started using pay as you go, would the maximum charge never be more than the price of the monthly travelcard (assuming I only travelled in zones 1-3)? I can see how PAYG works for people who may only need to travel 4 days a week, but I use public transport 7 days week.

You can put your travelcard onto your Oyster card, which I would definitely recommend based on my PAYG experience (read 'rip off').

Case in point:
I went to Waterloo East and back the other evening using my Oyster card. This should cost £2 each way, but because the barriers were not working when I got back to Forest Hill (so I couldn't touch out), I have been charged a total of £6.90.

Sometimes the card reader says 'seek assistance' even though the barriers open and if you ask station staff, they say no problem and let you through - but unless you religiously check your card balance on line, you never really know what's going on. Because it takes 48 hours for your journey to appear on line, it's easy to lose track.

And if you do find a problem and need to call Oyster, it takes forever on an 0845 number. I spent half an hour on the phone to them - and they even called me back to resolve the issue - after I went in and out of a station without travelling anywhere and the system decided I was committing fraud and charged me the maximum fare.

Aaagh!

It is true you do have to be VERY rigorous about touching in and out of EVERY station or speaking to staff at the time to get them to resolve things. As an example when I went in through London Bridge about 9pm last night the barriers weren't working and wouldn't let me touch in, staff said there was nothing they could do and I should just get on the train. I was quite prepared to resolve this at Forest Hill but as it turned out the gates were open anyway.

I don't think there is any limit over which pay as you go relates to monthly travel cards although I think there is a daily limit of not more than the equivalent off peak one day travel card, plus any peak travel costs (or a peak travel card?).

The point is, if your card doesn't register because gates are not working or whatever, you will be charged more than the peak daily charge... and it's down to you to look into it and resolve.

I use a combination of PAYG and 7 day travelcard on Oyster.

If I know I will be travelling 5 days or more at peak times it makes sense to get the 7 day travelcard, but if not I just use Oyster PAYG. If you still have a PAYG balance it remains on your card even if you buy a 7 day travelcard on the same Oyster card.

Best of all you can buy your 7 day travelcard online and activate it when you go through the barriers at FH.

Yes, I'm still relatively new to London and the flexibility of the public transport system is magnificent compared to the North East!

I thought the travelcard bought online could only be activated in a tube station (i.e not at Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park)?