Vince Cable

Rail commuters from Strawberry Hill lodged the largest number of objections to the cutbacks in station hours proposed by SW Trains in a survey of five local stations carried out by Vincent Cable MP.

Vincent Cable distributed approximately 1000 notices at the stations and at Strawberry Hill roughly a third of local commuters replied to register their objections followed by slightly fewer at Hampton.

At Strawberry Hill the cutbacks are from 1.15pm on weekdays and at Hampton from 12.30pm. There are cuts in hours too at St Margarets, Fulwell and Hampton Wick but less drastic.

Vincent Cable said: "passengers I spoke to were concerned at the retreat from SW Train's commitment in their franchise to have "more visible staff at stations" and saw it as part of gradual deterioration in customer service; higher fares, more crowded - and often slower - trains and, now, less staff service in stations. The excuse offered is that there are more ticket machines. But machines often don't work; are difficult to use, especially in a hurry; reject good coins or notes or cards; and can't explain the complex fare structure".

"I think there is particularly strong feeling in Strawberry Hill because there is such a poor service with half hour gaps between trains as two leave almost simultaneously in opposite directions round the loop line; and at Hampton the trains take an eternity to get to Waterloo".

"Many commuters have objected already to SW Trains as part of their - not very well advertised - public consultation. But I fear that SW Trains are treating this as a 'fait accompli'."