London Bridge Station "Improvements" - Fewer Trains?

[Zak]

I picked up a leaflet at London Bridge station last week with details of all the exciting improvements that lie in store for us, in the run up to the "new" station being completed in 2018!

One of these is that from May 2013 platforms 14-16 are going to be taken out of service for a couple of years. I guess that means that they'll be down to only 13 platforms.

Fewer platforms seems likley to mean fewer trains. Does anyone know if that's the case and if so can we expect a reduced service into London Bridge station?

[KidKruger]

Those are the platforms for ED trains (plus 13) so I'd also be interested in any new schedule plans for that period.

14/15/16 platform are at end of the station - maybe they're renovating/rebuilding the offices at that end of the station ?

Overhaul is going good so far - makes me realise how used I'd got to the place being such a shithole.

[James Barber]

The new timetable starting 9 December will see more evenly spaced trains East Dulwich to London Bridge but the same overall number:

7.09,20,30,40,50

8.00,10,21,30,40,51

9.01

as opposed to current:

7.05,15,29,34,46,57

8.04,15,27,33,45

9.00

Hopefully when all the London Bridge works are finished they can then provide more trains on our line which from my experience very over crowded. But I'm hot holding my breath as the results of all the works will see exactly the same number of platforms - currently 6 through and 9 terminating changes to 9 through and 6 terminating.

[Chillaxed]

Thanks James. I'll miss the 7.29/7.34 combo (no need to run for the 7.29 as the 7.34 is literally just around the corner) but the new timetable makes sense to me.

[Zak]

Thnks for that information James, but what's going to happen to the service to and from London Bridge as from May 2013 when platorms 14-16 close and there will be 3 fewer platforms available for trains? What's more, these 3 platforms are of course those most used by trains passing through East Dulwich.

Plus, for how long are they going to be out of service? The leaflet I picked up was silent on this - but implied that it would be for a long time!

I fear a reduced service to and from London Bridge, for quite some time.

[katgod]

No trains Lb to cx for 2 years is a big concern. Don't think the Ell will help with that at all.

[warrtster]

Some more info here and here.

[bloonoo]

Are you sure platform 14 to 16 will be closed from May 2013 , I read it as for may 2013 as in for that month as the others had from and to next to them...

[ianr]

"May 2013

"Platforms 14, 15 & 16 at London Bridge close to enable redevelopment work. This means platform changes and the retiming of some Southern train services.

"Spring 2014

"The first two redeveloped platforms open at London Bridge (14 & 15) with new longer canopies to protect passengers from the rain."

[ copied from http://www.thameslinkprogramme.co.uk/about#keydates ]

[Bic Basher]

katgod Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> No trains Lb to cx for 2 years is a big concern.

> Don't think the Ell will help with that at all.

It's a year for each station. Charing Cross in 2014/15 and Cannon Street 2015/16.

The ELL will provide alternative connections to continue your journey, more likely from Canada Water using the Jubilee line which will connect with Southwark for Waterloo East and Waterloo for the Northern/Bakerloo to Embankment and Charing Cross.

As seen with the extension to Forest Hill and Honor Oak Park, passengers changed their travelling patterns to Canada Water instead for the easier tube connection into Central London.

London Bridge doesn't need all the passenger traffic during the refurbishment works, so the extension will help to relieve passenger flows already from the Sydenham line and soon from the SLL.

[James Barber]

I've not found any info to suggest a degredation of our service for the summer timetable period. Problalbym ore weekend closures than we'd like.

I'll ask my Southern contacts and se what they can tell us now.

[benmorg]

Bic Basher Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> katgod Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > No trains Lb to cx for 2 years is a big

> concern.

> > Don't think the Ell will help with that at all.

>

> It's a year for each station. Charing Cross in

> 2014/15 and Cannon Street 2015/16.

>

> The ELL will provide alternative connections to

> continue your journey, more likely from Canada

> Water using the Jubilee line which will connect

> with Southwark for Waterloo East and Waterloo for

> the Northern/Bakerloo to Embankment and Charing

> Cross.

>

> As seen with the extension to Forest Hill and

> Honor Oak Park, passengers changed their

> travelling patterns to Canada Water instead for

> the easier tube connection into Central London.

The ELL isn't the best alternative for people travelling from East Dulwich station. It makes more sense to travel to London Bridge as normal and then take the tube (e.g. jubilee line or district) instead of the CX link.

[James Barber]

GLA Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon has forwarded a Network Rail email that states:

"

At this stage, we don?t know the exact changes to service patterns. The only line we know changing on the Southern side is the removal of the South London Line. The rest will see some re-timing, re-platforming and some small incremental changes to individual services. This will all be done through the standard timetable changes in May and December. These small changes will be covered by increasing the length of certain trains and reorganising the way Southern runs its drivers and station operations to improve turn around times and dispatching. Unfortunately we can?t say for sure which train services see some small losses in trains as of yet, these will be worked out with the timetable changes.

The thinking behind the recent communications push is to get passengers thinking about these expected changes and share the info we have with them. We?re advising passengers to sign up to email alerts through the Thameslink website www.thameslinkprogramme.co.uk so we can keep them informed once details of service patterns are confirmed. They can also email us at [email protected] Besides these communication channels, we will be organising further engagement activities with commuters like the current roadshow when the service changes are confirmed.

"

A further complication is a Judicial Review of the London Bridge Planning Application:

http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2012/june/london-bridge-development-subject-to-high-court-challenge-by-community-group/

My hunch is it will win. Starting a JR is very risky unless you're sure you've a very strong case - costs can be awarded. If this JR is won then it should stop works as the Planning Application process would have to be undertaken again.

Personally I think the proposal for London Bridge are rubbish and rail users should have a better scheme.