For once last nights issues can’t be blamed on the rail companies! Looking at the various Twitter feeds It looks like the issues with the signalling equipment wasn’t resolved until around 6am this morning!
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I go to Denmark Hill or Catford Bridge if the trains aren’t working. Denmark Hill especially is easier for interchanging with buses to Forest Hill than Peckham Rye which only has the 197.
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I see yes, 176 and 185 go there 
In other boroughs, each and every move away from what is right for the residents is very heavily challenged. The tone is very different, and if transport companies fail to deliver the scheduled service then it is them with the problem, it is never the problem of the residents who need and want to use public transport.
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From my reading of the Southern timetable there are now no midweek trains stopping at Honor Oak or Forest Hill until further notice?
How can Southern possibly get away with this? When I moved to the area there were trains every 15 minutes, now there are literally no trains - only the overground.
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It’s supposedly because they’ve got so many staff off work either with Covid or having to isolate due to close contact with someone else who has it. However I’m suspicious it’s just that as neither South Eastern or South Western have had to cut back their services so drastically! However with new Covid cases starting to drop and the isolation changes coming in tomorrow hopefully they will start to get more staff back
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I wonder if anybody responsible for transport in Lewisham has challenged them.
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I am willing to accept a reduced service due to COVID, however a complete termination of the service is completely unacceptable. Especially as I believe trains are running up and down that line, just not stopping at the stations in our area. I have no knowledge of operating a train service, but surely stopping at all stations does not require a huge amount more staff than only stopping at a few?
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so are Southern sending out trains, just not stopping at FH and HOP, but stopping at Brockley, NCG and whichever stations before HOP and FH?
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No, they are only stopping at East Croydon and Norwood junction. There is a single service at around 6am that stops at NCG, Brockley, HOP, FH etc
They’ve suspended the stopping services to enable them to operate some mainline services that would normally operate to and from Victoria in and out of London Bridge instead. However I haven’t seen any explanation as to why they can’t operate into Victoria!
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Would a more reasonable approach not be to cancel some stopping services and some direct? Rather than suspend all stopping services?
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Southern I suspect are really not at all bothered about this line as a) they are more interested in longer routes and b) they will argue that the Overground provides an alternative service. Yes, I know it is a poorer service with a crowded interchange, but that is what they will argue.
So what is to be done, given that it is likely that restrictions may lift off at end of Jan which means heavier traffic going into work. Frustrating as it may be I can only suggest write to MPs, London Mayor etc.
Lewisham: vicky.foxcroft.mp@parliament.uk
Forest Hill: ellie.reeves.mp@parliament.uk
My friend and I have both sent in a complaint to Southern. We work in the NHS in central London and don’t have the option to work from home. I will now email our MP. I’m not holding my breath but better than doing nothing. I’m also regretting buying an annual ticket!
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Perhaps we should contact our local MP to get off their a** and actually contact southern on behalf of their many constituents that are unable to work from home and deserve a better train service than we are getting at present.
I rather feel unless there is a large enough outcry Southern will never go back to a decent 4 trains an hour to FH and thats it…we’ll be stuck.
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Please give me details of whom you contacted.
When I last did this I got no response but happy to try again because enough is enough.
I have tweeted Ellie Reeves and will be interested to see if she responds. If not I’m not sure what the best course of action is? It will really bring the area down if it continues. Personally I wouldn’t move into the area with only the overground running
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This is unacceptable from Southern. Those direct routes to London Bridge / Victoria are a key draw for the area, especially considering how poorly connected South East London is to central vs other parts London. I will be writing to our MP for sure and would encourage other to do the same.
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Ha ha yes I agree. I’m going to write to them all tomorrow.
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I might be wrong but I think someone from one of the societies tried to find out who in the council is responsible for transport and the response wasn’t conclusive.
Shouldn’t the council appoint someone responsible for transport and hold them accountable to keeping southern + OG under control?
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