Photo: Govia Thameslink Chief Operating Officer Dyan Crowther with Alan Mak MP
Havant MP Alan Mak has called for improvements in the train service run by Southern Rail – owned by Govia Thameslink – following a meeting with company executives in Parliament. Mr Mak declared that the extent of delays and faults experienced by residents and commuters were ‘unacceptable’, and called Govia and the rail unions to resolve the situation quickly.
Southern Rail serves 4 stations - Havant, Emsworth, Bedhampton and Warblington - in the Havant constituency. The stations are important for local residents who commute to work along the South Coast and Solent region.
The Havant MP claimed that a mixture of under-performance and damaging industrial action had caused a lamentable level of delays, cancellations and inconvenience for rail users across the network. Reports in 2015 showed that the franchise was responsible for some of Britain’s most delayed train services.
Mak met Govia Thameslink Chief Operating Officer Dyan Crowther in Parliament to make the case personally.
Govia Thameslink are currently in dispute with trade unions over the use of trains operated only by drivers without a conductor, and the introduction of new trains on the Gatwick Express line. This has resulted in strikes and other industrial action which has had a knock-on effect in other parts of the network, including through Havant and the South Coast.
Mak commented: “Local residents deserve a high quality train service. That’s why I have met Southern Rail’s senior management to push for a more reliable train service. For commuters, local residents and visitors, our rail network is vitally important, and Southern Rail’s performance over the past few years has been unacceptable. They need to resolve their disputes with trade unions so the disruptive industrial action ends.”
The Havant MP added: “I have a strong record of backing rail users in my constituency. I recently submitted my response to South West Trains’ public consultation, in which I called for faster, longer and better trains. Passengers on Southern Rail also have my support and I call on them to heed calls for improvement.”
Rail Minister Claire Perry said: “The performance on Southern Railways has not been good enough.” The Minister has backed a plan that sets out “immediate improvements and also longer-term actions to help improve reliability and performance on the railway in the future.”
Mak has a strong record of supporting commuters and other rail users in his Havant constituency. In February 2016, he wrote on behalf of his constituents demanding ‘quicker, longer and better trains’ across the South West Trains Network. With a growing population, a buoyant economy, and rising numbers of visitors, the Havant MP stressed that it was more important than ever to ensure an efficient and reliable service
Mak’s specific recommendations for improving the South West service included: an increased number of ‘fast trains’ between Havant and London to 4 or 5 times per hour during peak periods; introducing Class 444 trains with better seating options; and improving Wi-Fi availability on new trains.
Mak has also spoken in favour of proposed ‘flexible season tickets’ for part-time commuters. At present, any commuter who travels to work by train more than three days a week will find it cheaper to buy a season ticket – valid seven days a week – than pay for individual journeys.
Mr Mak said that it was wrong that rail passengers who travel into work three or four times a week at most should be made to pay the cost of full season tickets.
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