I took the Silverlink from Canning Town, my local station, last Saturday to
go to Camden Market, when I saw a poster saying that unless anyone objects,
the Silverlink will only go from Richmond to Stratford in future, as from
November 2006.

The period of objection was some time last year. But I can't remember
seeing that poster before, I certainly did not see any posters at all in
the main concourse about it, or people handing out leaflets or asking
opinions, and I used that station every day. I didn't see anything in the
Newham Recorder either, which I buy and digest every Wednesday.

So how did this creep in? And were there any objections that may have
stalled this idea?

Now I know that they are saying that the Silverlink south of Stratford will
be redundant because of the DLR extension which will go via Star Lane,
Abbey Road, Stratford High Street and Stratford International, but (a) this
has not been approved yet by the Transport & Works Act, and (b) it won't
happen until 2010 at the earliest. So between November 2006 and a date
possibly in 2010, this part of London will be shafted.

I think it's ludicrous to dissolve such a busy and useful service (and
quite punctual too) such as the Stratford to Woolwich service on the
Silverlink. Oh, that's another thing - Woolwich don't get their DLR
extension until 2009 - they're going to be REALLY marginalised. Property
values there will plummet.

I think it's short-sighted of them to get rid of a service before a
suitable alternative is in place. And as for these Stratford High Street /
Stratford International stations, will it be relatively easy to jump onto
the Silverlink from these stations? Probably not.

So someone going from Woolwich to Camden really will have to find another
way of getting there in future, even when the DLR extension finally arrives
there in 2009, as taking the DLR to Stratford and then hopping onto the
Silverlink to Camden Road is not going to be that quick of a "hop" - and
probably will involve going through the shopping centre, or a long walk. So
the Woolwich person after 2009 will I guess take the DLR to Canning Town,
change to the Jubilee to Stratford, and change to the Silverlink to Camden
Road. Whereas s/he used to be able to go straight through. And they call
that progress?