MPs View New Rail Terminal

10.40.47am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 19th Oct 2005

The borough's two MPs, Vincent Cable and Susan Kramer, with Kingston MP Ed Davey, were guests of Eurostar yesterday (Tuesday) to view the terminal which will be taken over for domestic services within two years. The decision to convert Eurostar to domestic use was announced last week in response to a question from Vincent Cable in Parliament. The Government and the Strategic Rail Authority are now considering a variety of options which include: handing over the platforms and lines entirely to SW Trains perhaps with capacity increased by a new flyover at Clapham Junction; using some of the platforms and lines for Airtrack, if a Heathrow connection is established; and allocating some lines for services from Kent, freeing up Victoria and Charing Cross.

Local MPs Vincent Cable, Susan Kramer and Ed Davey visited Waterloo International Terminal to discuss its renovation for domestic passenger use

Vincent Cable said that: "this is the best opportunity we have had in this borough for improving train services in the 30 years I have lived here. There is the potential for more and faster links on the main Windsor line - Richmond, Twickenham, Whitton and St Margaret's - and for imaginative improvements on the loop lines through Teddington and the branch to Hampton. I shall be meeting SW Trains and the competing franchise companies to see how we can achieve the best outcome."