Kentish Express Ashford & District
Government commitment needed to rail services at smaller stations
Fears cuts could leave villages out in the cold
County transport chiefs have urged the government to “commit” to train services to smaller stations between Ashford and Tonbridge.
They fear proposals which might mean a reduction to services at what are considered “less well-used” stations will mean passengers and commuters from villages along certain lines are left stranded.
Kent County Council (KCC) has flagged up its reservations in its response to the Department for Transport’s (DfT) consultation on changes to the rail network, which will end in less than two weeks.
It says many of the current stations are in areas where significant development is likely in the next few years.
The issue of rail services has become a key domestic issue in the election campaign, with Labour saying it will renationalise them.
One of the options being explored by the DfT for the new franchise is reducing services to stations that are considered “less well used”.
However, transport chiefs have been keen to emphasise that its understanding is that there are no such plans.
During its consultation over what the franchise for the area should include, the DfT has used the service between Tonbridge and Ashford as an example of where this could happen.
That has sparked a campaign to ensure services stopping at local towns and village stations, with more than 11,000 people signing a petition to parliament urging they be maintained.
In its response, KCC said: “The Ashford to London via Tonbridge service would need to retain its current stopping pattern to reflect the growth in demand at intermediate stations on this route.
“There is considerable housing development underway or planned at Paddock Wood, Marden, Staplehurst, Headcorn and Pluckley, which will require the continuation of the present service levels in both peak and off-peak periods.
“Therefore, the new franchise should commit to these service levels without any change in either the frequency or the stopping pattern on this section of route.
“As Ashford and most east Kent stations already have a high-speed service, there is in any event less imperative to speed up this mainline route.”
The issue of the new franchise was raised at a rail summit hosted by KCC this week.
At that summit, KCC principal transport planner for rail Steven Gasche said: “There are no proposals, either by the Department for Transport, or by KCC or anyone else to reduce the level of service to Paddock Wood, Staplehurst, Pluckley or Marden, Headcorn – either in the peak or offpeak.”
The consultation is designed to take in views concerning the type and level of rail services that should be included in the new franchise, which ends in December next year.