Thameslink Service from Streatham Station Saved

Great news today, that the Thameslink service from Streatham Station has been saved.

It's been great to see people from different political parties and none coming together to protect the service. Last year we wrote several thousand personal letters to local people urging them to respond to the Network Rail/ Government consultation. It emerged today that 2,200 positive responses had been received which is fantastic.

The announcement was made today by the Government via a press release that the Thameslink service would not be cut.

The proposal had been made that train services from Streatham Station should terminate at Blackfriars. As well as causing longer journey times and inconvenience, it would also have made travelling much harder for many including older people, and those with buggies and prams who may have to change and negotiate additional stairways between platforms. There would also have been a detrimental impact on the local economy.

There is still lots to be done however, with regard to Streatham's rail services including modernising Streatham Station and making it fully accessible so everyone can use it.

Don't forget - the deadline to respond to the Thameslink consultation is 5.00pm this Friday 14th September

The deadline to respond to the consultation on the proposed cut to the Thameslink service from Streatham Station is this Friday (14th September) so if you haven't done so, do make your feelings known in the next few days. The deadline was originally in August, but was subsequently extended after campaigning by local people.

The Department for Transport is consulting on the new seven year Thameslink franchise, with recommendations trains on the Wimbledon loop should terminate early. This would mean Streatham Station would have no direct link to the City, St Pancras International and Luton Airport.

Hundreds of people have backed a number of petitions against the plans to terminate South London's Thameslink trains at Blackfriars Station.

You can sign the petition on the Government's website here.

You can sign the petition on the Lambeth council website here.

What has marked the campaign so far, has been the cross-party support, which hopefully will last as the consultation ends and the campaign moves into the next phase.

You can read the consultation documents here.

You can respond to the consultation (before 5.00pm this Friday) by email thameslink@dft.gsi.gov.uk or by post to:

The Combined Franchise Replacement Sponsor
Department for Transport
Zone 3/15
Great Minster House
33 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 4DR

Save the Thameslink Service from Streatham Station

You may have have received one of several thousand personal letters that we have sent to Streatham Residents, about the new proposals for Streatham Station's Thameslink service.

We are urging people to act now to Save Streatham Station’s Thameslink Service.

If you want to see Thameslink services from Streatham Station continue to run beyond Blackfriars to the City, St Pancras and Luton Airport then please take action.

Network Rail is proposing that the service is cut, so that all trains from Streatham will terminate at Blackfriars. As well as causing longer journey times and inconvenience, it will also make travelling much harder for many including older people, and those with buggies and prams who may have to change and negotiate additional stairways between platforms.

The Government has launched a consultation. The deadline for responses is Thursday 23rd August 2012.

Whilst transport is usually considered a Green issue, we feel that this should be above party politics and a cross-party campaign.

You can email your views to: thameslink@dft.gsi.gov.uk or you can write to:
Combined Franchise Replacement, Department for Transport, Zone 3/15, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 4DR

You can find out more information at: www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2012-23

The local service is called the ‘Wimbledon Loop’. All you need to say is that you want Thameslink services to be retained between Streatham and the City of London, King’s Cross and Luton Airport.