24 January - A spoke in their works
Last night’s Transport Usersְ’ Sub-Committee was not the most interesting that I have
attended but it was memorable for different reasons. Regular Chairman Cameron
Smith had found a very good reason not to be there and the reins were taken up
by June Slaughter. It is not a difficult meeting to Chair, the attendees are
usually a friendly bunch, even more so with James Hunt muscling in on a
Transport Users’ meeting for the first time ever.
I didn’t expect to be reporting on the guest Members from the Youth Council or
the cycling lobbyist as, to my mind, they rarely come up with anything of wide interest but
there is a first time for everything.
The young man concerned put the Southeastern railways representative on the spot
more than once. I think we have a railway expert to rival Stefano Borella.
Mr. Heywood, the man on the bike, made the point that when rail or bus representatives are unable to
answer a question they offer to send Members a response later . Mr. H said it was
supposed to be a Public Meeting and very diplomatically added that the public should
not be excluded from the answers. I have often felt the same but Councillor Slaughter took the
point on board and suggested how the complaint might be addressed.
Whilst I have not yet trawled through the two hours of audio recording the
following items may be worth an immediate airing.
• There will be Southeastern strikes from 30th January through to 5th February.
• Reintroduction of the loop line trains to Abbey Wood is being considered but requires DfT permission and the best possible date would be December 2024.
• The North Kent line (Abbey Wood, Erith etc.) will have its Dartford services extended to Gravesend.
• Slade Green is the worst station locally for suffering serious incidents (13
in six months) with Abbey Wood close on its heels (12).
• There will be a six week consultation on extending the DLR from Beckton to
Thamesmead starting on 5th February.