Chelsfield Train Campaign Victory - SRA U-Turn on Cuts!

12.00.00am GMT Tue 29th Jun 2004

The Strategic Rail Authority has ABANDONED its plans to cut peak services from Chelsfield Station.

The u-turn was announced yesterday at a meeting between SRA Chief Executive Richard Bowker and LibDem London Spokesman Simon Hughes.

Instead, peak services will be INCREASED from the existing 6/7 trains per hour to 11 trains per hour - an increase of 9 trains per hour on the SRA's original proposals to cut Chelsfield services to just 2 trains per hour.

Duncan Borrowman, the local LibDem who began the campaign to save Chelsfield's trains said "This is great news. Thanks to everyone who signed our petition and attended the public meeting - you proved people power can work!"

Local LibDem leader Chris Maines said "The SRA's original proposals should never have seen the light of day. It's obvious they were never going to work. Surely it's time for the government to call time on the SRA."

Months of Campaigning...

The 'Save Our Trains' campaign began when Duncan Borrowman, a regular Chelsfield commuter, learnt of the SRA's plans from a fellow commuter early this year.

Having investigated the proposals for himself, Duncan brought in Chris Maines, Simon Hughes and other members of the LibDem team.

Together with concerned commuters, they leafleted fellow rail users, gathered petition signatures against the cuts, organised a public meeting and helped with a proper count and survey of rail users.

Now the hard work has paid off.