‘COVID’ is the reason given as to why the timetable is changing in the information from their website included in the OP to this thread. But I’m not quite sure in what way covid us actually responsible. And the outcome is going to be many people who previously used the service crowding onto an already crowded overground.
I think using the options we have to protest is great but I am not confident of an outcome given that we lost the direct Charing Cross service some years ago despite a very well orchestrated and vociferous campaign by the Forest Hill Society.
Maybe Southern just hates the people of Forest Hill
That interchange was never properly designed for the overground so far as I can see. It’s always been a nightmare. Every time I go there I think that as it’s a new station why not have more escalators! Although I am sure someone more expert than I may be able to point to a reasonable reason why it’s not possible to have two up and two down.
See this question:-
Can you explain why TfL indicated to Southwark Council that the Canada Water Masterplan should go ahead, despite being a scheme that will add 20-30,000 additional commuters into the area and approximately 3,500 new residents,” she said.
“With tube and Overground services already operating at capacity and predicted to continue to do so by 2031, how will these additional passengers be accommodated?”
Answer:-
But Mayor Khan said on Monday a £33m package for transport improvements as part of the 53-acre Masterplan would reduce the impact of overcrowding at Canada Water and nearby.
I think you are probably right but not sure anyone with any common sense ever looked at the plan rather than someone with a spreadsheet model. I remember commenting on the old forum along with many others that the interchange with a single escalator was bound to be a bottleneck. And made little sense since the other side was built with two routes down.
There is a major issue here, with this dangerously overcrowded station, and I think it may not be sufficiently understood by decision-makers because it’s likely they do not have the data on passenger numbers. Most passengers changing trains at Canada Water do not scan their cards, and so their journey via embarkation/disembarkation at Canada Water is not recorded.
But we don’t fully have the Overground, as the late-running on Fridays and Weekends does not extend to Forest Hill!
The argument Southern will have is that Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park are well served by the Overground anyway which takes the bulk of passengers rather than the Southern trains.
The interchange at Canada Water was designed for when the old London Underground East London Line was in operation which only operated between New Cross/New Cross Gate and Whitechapel (Shoreditch during peaks and Sunday market hours), so it’s no surprise that with the growth of the Overground which now covers a wider area of South London that it’s become the interchange hub for our line, rather than London Bridge.
What TfL will be hoping is that the congestion at Canada Water will be relieved when the Elizabeth line opens next spring which will have a lot more capacity at Whitechapel to handle our passenger traffic going into the West End and gives Canary Wharf commuters a third choice of station in addition to Shadwell, although I’d expect most to still use the Jubilee line to go there.
Thank you.
It appears that since they introduced the Overground they decided that anyone living in this neck of the woods has to rely on the very poorly designed interchange at Canada Water to get into Central London.
When we moved here the 176 used to run to Oxford Circus now it stops at Tottenham Court road.
I’ve just had a week off work and I am quite frankly dreading the commute into town tomorrow.
At 61 and unable to ride a bicycle I dont intend to learn by cycling to and from the west end every day!
Nightmare. I used the direct train in the mornings to Clapham Junction and changed there. Now essentially an additional train, an additional 10-15 minutes each way and more chances of delays and cancellations.
And those trains between London Bridge and Forest Hill were timetabled to take between 12 and 15 minutes for the journey, if I remember correctly.
I internally swore quite rudely when I read the top of this thread. London Bridge is where I commute to, and making it a half hourly service at the peak commute times is just insane. I’ve not been commuting for the obvious reason for the past 20 months, but now many people are being encouraged to spend more time in the office.
I don’t know what time you would normally commute to London Bridge but there are 5 trains between 0813 and 0913 as Southern are still running the Victoria - London Bridge services which depart Forest Hill at 0828 and 0858. But outside of this time and on the return there will only be a half hourly service.
Those “feel” a bit late for me, but maybe I’ll have to get into negotiations with my boss about those staggered commute times that come up now and again as a way to reduce train congestion (and help social distancing)…!
You might be able to get the Overground to New Cross Gate and then get a mainline train to London Bridge.
I remember when about 50% of mainline train passengers used to change to the East London Line at New Cross Gate!
I got the 8.43am to London Bridge this morning and it was pretty empty, however I suspect there are a fair few last minute days off being taken this week!
@HannahM Hopefully you may find this time remains pretty empty as there are still 5 Southern trains between 0813 and 0913 as that time period includes the 2 Southern Victoria - London Bridge services which depart Forest Hill at 0828 and 0858 and haven’t been cut!
Sherwood is correct - Before London Overground existed quite a lot of fast trains that didn’t stop at Forest Hill used to stop at New Cross Gate to enable connections to the East London line but looking at National Rail’s website that is no longer the case. Looking at the trains from New Cross Gate to London Bridge between 7 and 9.30 am and returning between 5 and 7pm the only trains are the ones that stop at Forest Hill anyway!
