Dear Jim,
As Chairs of the Sydenham and Forest Hill Societies we are extremely concerned by the decision of Southern Railway to reduce passenger access to our two very busy stations without formal consultation. This demonstrates an arrogant disregard for passenger safety and convenience, and flies in the face of the steps that the Department for Transport is taking to improve accessibility to stations, particularly at Forest Hill.
Can we ask you, as our MP, to:
1 Draw the attention of the Dept for Transport to the behaviour of Southern and urge them to recognise that access to stations is a vital element of renewing franchises.
2. Ask Southern Railways not to close gates at Sydenham and Forest Hill stations this June as threatened.
3 Not support any future franchise bids for operation of trains using these stations unless they promise access for ordinary ticket holders at all times of the day on both up and down platforms.
Yours sincerely
Tim Lund, Chair, Sydenham Society
Michael Abrahams, Chair, Forest Hill Society
cc. Boris Johnson, Mayor of London
Len Duvall, GLA Member, Greenwich and Lewisham
Tim Bellenger, London Travel Watch
Sharon Hedges, Passenger Focus