By sacrificing our route they are able to run other services using the remaining staff and possibly pushing more trains into London Bridge on different routes.
Ours is one of the few routes where there is duplication of services to every station other than London Bridge which makes it easier for Southern to switch off all the trains with less disruption than on other lines. That doesn’t mean I like it, and we need to keep pressing for the services to be reinstated as soon as possible.
I too received Ellie’s email and I’m afraid it only adds weight to my long held belief that politicians (of any hue) don’t run this country, big business does and if big businesses either want or don’t want to do something there is nothing politicians can do about it.
I replied to Ellie’s response, and in return have received the following:
Many thanks for your email below.
Ellie, as well as the three members of her team, who work out of the constituency office in Forest Hill which is open 5 days a week use these trains, have been affected and are personally aware of the cancellations and how they disrupt work and daily plans
Ellie is aware of the points you have raised below, have voiced these to Southern Rail and unfortunately the response we have sent still stands. Southern Railway are simply unable to provide services with the current level of staff sickness absence.
The following information is details on how you can complaint directly to Southern;
Call Customer Services on 03451 27 29 20. Email Customer Services on comments@southernrailway.com. Email Charles Horton (CEO) on charles.horton@gtrailway.com. Call Customer Services on 0345 026 4700.
I’ve had a reply from Vicky Foxcroft:
Thank you for contacting me about the changes to the Southern Rail service from Honor Oak Park and Brockley Stations to London Bridge and Victoria. I have had over a dozen constituents in similar situations contact me, and can fully appreciated how disruptive this change to essential services into central London must be.
**Earlier this week I contacted Govia Thameslink Railway who operate the Southern Rail services in this area, to request a meeting to discuss the disruption this is causing to constituents like yourself. **
I am hoping to have a meeting with GTR in the coming weeks, and I hope to invite all affected constituents. As soon as I have a set time and date for a meeting to go ahead, I will be in touch with details of how you can join the meeting. If you are unable to join, I will make sure to update you on all developments regarding Southern Rail services from the affected stations.
If there is anything else you would like to raise with me prior to this, please let me know.
Yes, I have had the same reply. I think the point to make to the various MPs, London Mayor, DOT and local media / Evening Standard / City AM (and anyone else you can think of)
Fyi you will see from the media that there are major contractual disputes between Govia and the Government at present (which possibly could lead to effective “renationalisation”) which may be complicating progress.
Yes
It’s not just disruptive, it’s dangerous especially during a pandemic to have overcrowding at Canada Water, and on the Jubilee line. Where is the thinking about infection control?
I live near the railway and am able to see the express trains passing every few minutes, often completely empty.
I have emailed Vicky but no response yet… meanwhile my partner has continued to need to get into Charing Cross every day. It’s taking him about 1/3 longer on journey time and this morning’s train from Catford Bridge to Charing Cross was standing room only… It’s pretty concerning as there will be no requirement to wear a mask after tomorrow…
Yesterday I received this reply from Vicky Foxcroft:
"Thank you for contacting me about the changes to the Southern Rail service from Honor Oak Park and Brockley Stations to London Bridge and Victoria. I have had over a dozen constituents in similar situations contact me, and can fully appreciated how disruptive this change to essential services into central London must be.
Earlier this week I contacted Govia Thameslink Railway who operate the Southern Rail services in this area, to request a meeting to discuss the disruption this is causing to constituents like yourself.
I am hoping to have a meeting with GTR in the coming weeks, and I hope to invite all affected constituents. As soon as I have a set time and date for a meeting to go ahead, I will be in touch with details of how you can join the meeting. If you are unable to join, I will make sure to update you on all developments regarding Southern Rail services from the affected stations.
If there is anything else you would like to raise with me prior to this, please let me know."
I replied:
"I can’t help but note that Southern / Govia Thameslink has closed down a key route into London Bridge. With the Victoria station work this was understandable over Christmas / New Year and to an extent whilst wfh guidance was in place. It isn’t once the encouragement is to go into the office and to bolster the recovery of Central London. I remember in pre-pandemic days how crowded the Overground and Canada Water interchange was in rush hours (like a Tokyo commuter train!) and even at say two-thirds occupancy, the Overground will still be very crowded which is not great with Covid still present (even if declining). A stopping service to London Bridge would really have helped here, both for convenience, but also Health & Safety of commuters.
To be candid, running a Sunday service across Southern might have been a better choice as then that would preserve some services on all routes.
I do also have a concern that a precedent has been set for the Sydenham / New Cross route into London Bridge to be the “slack” for Southern and that for any operational stress, the remedy is that the stopping service to London Bridge is closed. If that happens then there could even be a risk that all services into London Bridge are discontinued permanently.
Finally, what is the real prospect of Southern running the important London Bridge to London Victoria route? There are significant numbers of people that use this to avoid going into the crowded London Bridge and use Tubes."
So, will see if a call happens…
Mind you, I do wonder if when the removal of wfh guidance was given at pretty short notice whether any thought was given as to whether the transport network was ready to carry larger numbers of people…
I think a key issue to highlight is that adding another four train loads of people an hour on to the already over burdened Overground is not great.
I have been lucky not to need to use the Canada Water interchange for a couple of years, but I remember pre pandemic there were times when it felt actively dangerous.
Now commuter levels are nowhere near what they were but numbers will be rising.
Can I ask what time they were catching the train? I’m going to have to do the same shortly but have some flexibility in when I can travel.
I’m guessing from when he left home it must have been the 8.49. Unfortunately as he teaches there isn’t any flexibility on what train he can get. I think after about 10.45 they stop going direct to Charing X and go to London Bridge and then Cannon St
Thanks. Around 8.49 would’ve been a good time to ensure an uncrowded train in pre-pandemic times. Looks as if the suspension of our line is having some terrible knock on effects. 
I remember this too, sometimes the northbound platform was still clearing when the next train arrived with more people disembarking.
In a pandemic, the fact that the Jubilee Line carriages are smaller than other lines, and with less headroom, means passengers near the doors have to lean in to the centre and everyone’s faces and heads are closer together. Not good for infection control.
As someone who has not worked from home throughout the pandemic I can assure you the transport service was never empty on the tube network, it was constantly packed, even during the peak of covid. The OG and trains were the only ones that weren’t (during my commute times anyway). So I don’t think TFL or any other transport provider cares too much about busy services during covid
I hated it. There was a time in 2019 when Jubilee line train frequencies were reduced due to a train faults and parts of the Overground were very very over crowded. I remember I couldn’t get out at Canada Water so tried to change at Shadwell instead and the platform was too crowded - it was scary.
Same here. I’ve worked and commuted throughout all lockdowns bar a few weeks of the 1st one in March 2020.
TFL clearly don’t give a damn about customer health as I have never seen the ‘mandatory’ mask wearing enforced or any fines being given or people being stopped from going through the barriers for not wearing a mask. @HannahM The Canada Water interchange is quite scary too with everyone crowding and pushing onto one escalator ( I get panicky in crowds and crushed environments and it really gives me anxiety every day changing lines there) also the southbound overground platform is quite narrow in places and can get extremely crowded and scary at rush hour
I hadn’t heard of them before. Apparently you need to contact the service provider (e.g. Southern) first and then you can ‘appeal’ to Travel Watch if you don’t like Southern’s answer.
For Sadiq Khan to suggest road pricing for driving at all in London, the public transport network has to run, let alone reliably. Having Southern not bother to run services at all undermines that initiative, regardless whether you agree with the proposal.
Having just checked Southern’s site for updates this is what I found, It’s laughable!
Setting off into south London? Jump on one of the fast and direct trains from London Bridge to Honor Oak Park that set off throughout the day. Whether you’re heading home from work or grabbing a bite to eat with a friend, use the live train times from London Bridge to Honor Oak Park to plan your trip. Most journeys take less than 15 minutes, so you won’t be hanging around. Get your train tickets from London Bridge to Honor Oak Park through our website to steer clear of booking fees.
I’ve heard rumours that the number and value of compensation claims for late trains, has been a contributing factor in stopping the service?
I have lived in the area all my life and have witnessed the service get worse and worse. Since the introduction of all trains terminating at London Bridge (rather than going on to Charring Cross). It amazes me that platforming information from London Bridge is so bad, usually the last 2 mins then a mad dash.
Could TFL Rail take over the line, London Bridge to East Croydon, bring the cost down in line with the Overground. Or would that just make matter worse? or will Southern go the same route as Southeastern?
