Eastbourne in 71 Minutes—A message to constituents from Stephen Lloyd MP for Eastbourne and Willingdon.
I am writing to you to ask for your help again! This time I need your assistance in order to ensure Eastbourne gets a faster train service to London.
I have recently launched a public campaign to improve the train service between Eastbourne and London. We are campaigning for at least one fast train an hour to the capital, taking no longer than 72 minutes. Find out more here and here.
There is currently a stakeholder consultation taking place, due to close on Thursday 23rd August, which is all part of the process to decide who will be the next train operator for the Eastbourne train service. The service is currently run by Southern, with the new operator due to take over in 2015.
If we act now, and are successful in persuading the Department for Transport that Eastbourne deserves a faster and better service, more so than other destinations on the network, then a 72 minute journey to the capital may well become a reality.
However, to do this, I need your help! The more submissions to the consultation by people like you, sharing your feelings about why Eastbourne needs a faster train service to London, the more likely it is, we will get a faster service.
In order to make a submission to the consultation please email or write to the Department of Transport saying why you feel Eastbourne deserves, and would benefit from, a faster service to the capital. I am campaigning for the following reasons and you may wish to reiterate or build on these reasons in your own letter/email to the DfT.
A faster service will:
- Improve the quality of life for those who currently commute daily to the capital.
- Stop others who commute to London moving away from the town.
- Boost spending power in the local economy and jobs on offer by increasing visitor numbers and attracting people working in London to settle in Eastbourne.
- Offer a better service to Eastbourne residents, which is the fastest growing town in East Sussex, and one of the fastest growing in the South East.
- Attract greater inward investment.
You can contact the DfT on:
Email:
Postal address:
The Combined Franchise Replacement Sponsor
Department of Transport
Zone 3-15
Great Minister House
33 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 4DR.
I have also included an example of a letter that you may wish to amend and forward to the DfT; please feel free to use it or amend it as you would like:
I/We are writing in response to the public consultation and request that the Department for Transport (DfT) will include the requirement for rush hour and off-peak services from Eastbourne to London in the new franchise specification which will also directly benefit passengers from Ore, Hastings, Bexhill and Seaford.
The current service is slow, over-crowded and over-priced. Over the years this has had a significant detrimental effect on the economy of Eastbourne and surrounding Sussex towns, discouraging visitors/holiday-makers, and causing families to relocate away from the area.
I/We ask that the DfT include within the specification that at least one train per hour from Eastbourne/London/Eastbourne has a maximum journey time of 72 minutes, and that the DfT seek to eliminate the practice of decoupling trains at Lewes and Haywards Heath.
I/We would use railway service much more – or even start to use them, if we had a faster London service with improved connections along the East Coastway routes [delete if not applicable].
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this or if you are able to help out!
Stephen Lloyd
MP for Eastbourne and Willingdon
