Crispin Blunt MP and Steve Trigg, chair of the Reigate, Redhill and District Rail Users’ Association (RRDRUA), today met with the Secretary of State for Transport, Patrick McLoughlin MP, to press for urgent attention to rectify the performance failings and unfair fares on the Redhill rail route.
Patrick McLoughlin was left in no doubt as to the catastrophic state of the Redhill and district rail service and the fact that current plans for the post-2018 timetable would mean a worse service than that in existence prior to the London Bridge upgrade works.
The Secretary of State was asked to review the 2018 timetable and the local fare structure, which includes anomalies such as the fact that an annual travelcard from Coulsdon South is over £1,000 cheaper than from Redhill.
Crispin Blunt said:
“Rail users are suffering the effects of a meltdown in service levels, which has been exacerbated by the current industrial action. I’m grateful to the Secretary of State for Transport for seeing me as an individual MP to discuss the local rail service, which is a reflection of the strength of the local rail users’ case for action to address poor services and unfair fares. The outrageous and inequitable fare structure leaves local commuters paying a premium fare for a substandard service. Mr McLoughlin now owns the Govia Thameslink Railway fare revenue and I am grateful that he agreed to consider the situation. I will now be pressing him for an early and positive response.”