Nightmare commute this morning (Honor Oak Park to Canada Water)

[Love_London]

I experienced a nightmare commute this morning (and yesterday) on the Overground from Honor Oak Park to Canada Water.

I was squashed so hard that I almost could not breathe!!!

Has it been this bad all along or do you feel that it's gotten worse recently?

It would really help if they run more frequent service at least during the peak hours.

Do you know who we need to raise/escalate this to so that we can ask for a more frequent service?

Also, the escalator at Canada Water station to Jubilee line.....

I wonder why they cannot use both escalator so that they go down rather than one up and one down in the morning.

At the moment, the commute is just about bearable but I am concerned that it will get worse as more and more people are moving into the FH and HOP area...

[Mellors]

I travel from Sydenham/Forest Hill to Whitechapel daily. Its absolutely horrendous every morning in the 7.30 - 8.30am slot (can't comment on earlier or later), even from stations further down the line. I'm surprised you got on at all at HOP.

I cycled today instead - relatively speaking it was a breeze!

[Lowlander]

Love_London Wrote:

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

> I experienced a nightmare commute this morning

> (and yesterday) on the Overground from Honor Oak

> Park to Canada Water.

> I was squashed so hard that I almost could not

> breathe!!!

>

> Has it been this bad all along or do you feel that

> it's gotten worse recently?

>

> It would really help if they run more frequent

> service at least during the peak hours.

> Do you know who we need to raise/escalate this to

> so that we can ask for a more frequent service?

>

> Also, the escalator at Canada Water station to

> Jubilee line.....

> I wonder why they cannot use both escalator so

> that they go down rather than one up and one down

> in the morning.

>

> At the moment, the commute is just about bearable

> but I am concerned that it will get worse as more

> and more people are moving into the FH and HOP

> area...

It's run by London Overground...so you could ask them? Given that some stations on the line (Canada Water being one) can only take four coach trains, and it would cost hundreds of millions to extend them. And I doubt there's capacity on the main lines for more trains anyway. You could scrap the always-empty New Cross trains though.

Where are all these flats/houses being built in FH/HOP?

[michael_FH]

The Overground trains are being extended to 5 carriages from the current 4 carriages. This is due for delivery at the end of 2014.

There were signal problems this morning which probably made things worse than normal.

I think the trains used to be much more crowded before the Overground, when we all had to pile into the luggage section of the slam door trains at Forest Hill, which then ran fast to New Cross Gate. Honor Oak Park used to have 4 trains per hour, it now has 14 trains per hour - which must be one of the biggest increases in train frequency in the country.

You are right about Canada Water, what they should do is set both escalators to down in the morning, and customers wishing to switch from the Jubilee to Overground would be able to access via the ticket office.

[gpercival78]

Honor Oak Park station is nightmare. I have been commuting from there for a year now and the 8.23am train is always delayed or cancelled. I am actually surprised when it turns up on time...

I tend to go for the 8.33am, which results in me catching the delayed 8.23am. Last couple of days it has been carnage. Yesterday the trains to Ldn bri were delayed and today the East London Line had delays/cancellations.

I always check the screen, see the delays and buy a coffee... before I take on the masses!

Shame the 63 Bus doesnt start at Honor Oak Station - it would clean up!

[KidKruger]

sad thing is if people could be arsed to move a 1/2 step down the train and fold-up their newspapers there would be a lot more room actually. I never get the "I'm entitled to" BS attitude of these people on trains.

If people won't move down the train, hold the door open until they do - if you get the same train/carriage, eventually they'll start moving down the train automatically, to avoid being delayed again.

[El Pibe]

Pretty much every morning I'm the annoying git who shouts "can you move down please ... yes you mate/luv...."

Albeit on the thanmeslink, but you get the idea

[StraferJack]

I gave up on rush hour ages ago and leave before 7:30am - it's just so much more pleasant and relaxing. Plus you get more done at that hour of the morning when you get in

I know the downside is less time in bed but really, it's a pain getting out of bed no matter what time - why double the pain by travelling in rush hour

[Dodo1]

Hi

I travel on this and because it was so bad today whilst I was travelling I began to think about who I could e-mail regarding; increasing the frequency of trains at this time.

I am sure there is an e-mail address for suggestions at LO. In addition I think that an e-mail (or several) to Val Shawcross at the GLA wouldn't go amiss!

[StraferJack]

The thing is people can't just conjure up more trains at the drop of a petition

Aside from costings, there is the logistics of managing capacity of competing services in a rush hour. The more trains you stick on a line the more congestion/delays you get.

Take matters into your own hand - not everyone can leave earlier/walk/cycle but if only a small percentage do it frees up capacity

[ruffers]

Thanks for reminding me why I ride a motorbike to work. Wrapped up warm, nice and easy, and none of the aggro.

Bliss.

[KidKruger]

I also do what SJ does, getting a DH train no later than 0730.

Although trains have plenty standing room, people will stand by door areas and act sooo surprised to be asked to move down train, like it's a foreign language. They'll happily watch you stood on platform still as train leaves, but at least leaving earlier gives you more chance of pushing past them.

[stephen509]

Ahh I love threads like this. I get my train from Beckenham now & it hasn't been late in the last 2 months & I always get a seat :-)

Much prefer a train that takes 6/7 mins longer & is so hassle free!

[Alan Medic]

I know not everyone could but I changed my official hours to allow me to avoid the rush. I always get a seat but do get annoyed with the large number of people who think it's ok to put their feet up on the opposite seat.

[JohnL]

I email southern comments now - especially as the excuses

aren't even consistent (bad track conditions one end, issues

with overhead lines the other). Once they even said' we are

sorry for the late arrival, this is due to Denmark Hill'

On complaining they said on the return email they might email

me back in a few weeks - as they are so busy.

Dodo1 Wrote:

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

> Hi

> I travel on this and because it was so bad today

> whilst I was travelling I began to think about who

> I could e-mail regarding; increasing the frequency

> of trains at this time.

>

> I am sure there is an e-mail address for

> suggestions at LO. In addition I think that an

> e-mail (or several) to Val Shawcross at the GLA

> wouldn't go amiss!

[lane lover]

Today, there were delays across most of the network. Its London, its a busy city. It happens from time to time.

I tend to travel outside peak hours and have no problem. It means getting up earlier, but I dont mind.

This is yet another issue with a solution inside your own control. Either travel at different times, change your form of transport ... or leave London! Simple.

First world problems.

Hardly a nightmare! Dear me.

[Mellors]

Not everyone can travel at different times though (I can't), and surely leaving London is a tad extreme?!

Agree with the moving down the carriage though. So annoying.

[StraferJack]

As I said

"Take matters into your own hand - not everyone can leave earlier/walk/cycle but if only a small percentage do it frees up capacity"

[Otta]

On the rare occasions that I've bothered getting in to work for 9, the Canada Water experience is a nightmare. I've had to let 10 trains go before I could squeeze on to one. The annoying thing is one stop later it empties out.

I tend to just get to work for 10. Much less stressful.

[JohnL]

Really does depend what your idea of a nightmare is

- but being crammed into a small space like cattle is

many peoples nightmare - and it does make stress worse

if you can't change it.

As a general rule I don't have nightmares about really

bad things (war, disease, apocalypse) - real nightmares are

often about the small things.

lane lover Wrote:

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

> Today, there were delays across most of the

> network. Its London, its a busy city. It happens

> from time to time.

>

> I tend to travel outside peak hours and have no

> problem. It means getting up earlier, but I dont

> mind.

>

> This is yet another issue with a solution inside

> your own control. Either travel at different

> times, change your form of transport ... or leave

> London! Simple.

>

> First world problems.

>

> Hardly a nightmare! Dear me.