 |
 |
 |
 |
Update - Victory for the Thameslink campaign!
Campaigners and local MPs celebrate a victory after their hard work paid off to save the Thameslink train so that it would continue to run past Blackfrairs. Network Rail are no longer proposing plans to terminate the service and the 'Wimbledon Loop' shall continue to run as it is.
Councillor Jill Whitehead, chair of Sutton Council's 'Save the Thameslink' group said:
"All those using Thameslink services in the borough can now be reassured that trains will continue to go beyond Blackfriars rather than stop there. This is a victory for common sense!"
Paul Burstow MP added:
"The Thameslink service an important link for Sutton. The new South East franchise in 2018 is a fantastic opportunity for us to get more frequent, more reliable services and I am delighted that we have been able to secure our Thameslink. The next step will be to keep the pressure up to make sure we can take advantage of this great opportunity."
Save Our Thameslink
The Government is currently looking at plans which would see Thameslink trains of the 'Wimbledon Loop' no longer run past Blackfriars from 2016. This would affect many local commuters in Sutton who travel to Central London every day, as well as passengers for Eurostar, St Pancras and Kings Cross and Luton Airport.
The campaign to Save Our Thameslink is supported by Lambeth, Streatham, Merton, Sutton, Wandsworth, Southwark and Wimbledon, including Sutton Lib Dem MPs Paul Burstow and Tom Brake.
Paul Burstow and Sutton Lib Dems are calling for:
- "Wimbledon loop" trains to be allowed to run on to St. Albans via St. Pancreas International
- Services between Sutton and London Bridge, via Wallington, need to be increased
- Trains to be deployed later in the evening to serve the Sutton area
This is your chance to have a say on the future of rail services, stations, fares and ticketing on the Wimbledon Loop up to 2020.
The Chairman of the Thameslink Loop Line Campaign, Lib Dem Executive Councillor Simon Wales said:
"Sutton residents, many of whom chose to live here because of its accessibility into London, are getting a really raw deal with these proposals - especially when you consider the cost of rail travel is increasing, services are being reduced and households are really struggling to make ends meet after having their wages frozen."
The Success Of The Campaign So Far
On 18th July 2012, enthusiastic campaigners even boarded the train from Sutton to St Albans running through Blackfriars carrying heavy bags and suitcases to demonstrate how difficult it would be for residents to change trains at Blackfriars station to catch a connecting service. This was done in order to raise awareness of the campaign to Save Our Thameslink and protect this vital service.
Please show your support for the campaign by signing the petition and tweeting #savethethameslink
See this Evening Standard article on this issue here.
We will also be organising other events to keep up the pressure on Network Rail, so please check this webpage regularly to see what's happening.h
h
h
h