On 22 Jan, 12:29, Mizter T wrote:
On Jan 22, 11:08*am, MIG wrote:





On 22 Jan, 09:42, "Paul Scott" wrote:
[big snip]

This is how the RUS summary reads for the area in question, (section 6.3)
though obviously it's a couple of years old now:

[big snip of quoted chunks of RUS plus associated comments]

Looking at all the evidence so far, the 'battering' of the service only
seems to be off peak. Assuming a reduction of 5 to 4 tph meets the
definition...

It does sound good (although not mentioning connections south) but I
suspect that it is sufficiently out of date not to be worth paying too
much attention to. *A lot has happened in "a couple of years", not
least the election of a new Mayor, a major recession and some dodgy
deals*. *I don't simply take the word of the local campaigners either,
who mention the reduction in service to LB (and Charing Cross) and
lack of connections south, but don't mention the ELL, but I recognise
that they have some justification for cynicism.

I guess we'll know soon enough when the timetable comes out.

*To get the go-ahead for things that may yet not go ahead (and Virgin
not involved ...).

I agree that things may well have changed - plus as we've seen the RUS
is not a hallowed document, it's a recommendation, and it strongly
recommended that there be a replacement for the SLL (the proposed Vic-
Bellingham service) which seemingly isn't now going to happen.

With regards to your "dodgy deals" comment, I assume this is in
relation to the cutting of the SLL, right? Well, one justification was
the extension of the other platforms at Battersea Park - whether that
happens any time soon is a fair enough question. However at the other
end of the line, the redevelopment at London Bridge is indeed going
ahead, as it's all linked in with building the 'Shard' tower right
next to the station, which is itself intermeshed with the Thameslink
Programme works. Of course, one could make an argument about about it
being a "dodgy deal" for this to happen in the first place, what with
the associated reduction of terminating platforms at LB from 9 down to
6[*].

The ELL phase 2 to Clapham Jn seems fairly certain to happen (no doubt
it's controversial because of the associated SLL stuff, but I can't
see the plug being pulled on it now).

So are your comments predominantly about Battersea Park and the
disappearing SLL service? Or a wider comment, perhaps including
reference to Crossrail and other stuff?

Well, mainly about the loss of SLL, and then the loss of the
replacement service from Victoria.

I was thinking that the loss of the service will definitely happen,
but that the service that replaces it may yet not, although you are
more confident that it will happen.

(My Virgin comment was thinking back to how other services were cut to
make way for PUG and Operation Princess, and remain cut, without the
promised benefit.)

I seem to remember there was a deal around the zoning of Shoreditch as
well, but that's more of an aside that explains people's cynicism.



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[*] Could anyone briefly summarise to what extent the benefits for
Thameslink of the London Bridge works are dependent on the Bermondsey
flyunder arrangement being built too?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -