I am sitting on the train to London Bridge as I write this on my blackberry. Which is pretty apt as last week the Government annouced the names of the four bidders for the new South Central franchise (the area covered by Southern and Gatwick Express at the moment). It seems such a short period since Southern took over from Connex that it can't be time for another change but apparently it is.
I thought I ought to read what was being proposed and I must report to be dismayed that in about three years time they are going to cut the frequency of the Uckfield trains at peak times because of a lack of platform capacity at London Bridge station caused by the Thameslink 2000 project. This will impact on fellow rail paasengers down the whole of the Uckfield and East Grinstead lines as we struggle to get onto what are already overcrowded trains.
The double irony is that 1) The London Bridge works are aimed at increasing capacity on the Brighton main line, which is currently less over crowded that the Uckfield/East Grinstead Lines. 2) Cutting services from Uckfield will actually drive passengers back to the Brighton Line
A partial solution to the problem, suggested by London Travelwatch, would be the electricfication of the Uckfield Line - together with making it double track over its whole length. I hope this suggestion finds favour with those in power, otherwise those of us who commute to London regularly may face a miserable few years.
