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Southeastern Trains Update.

Monday, 19 September, 2011

Last week MP for Maidstone and the Weald, Helen Grant, chaired a meeting between Kent MPs, Network Rail and Southeastern.

 

Organised by Helen and Southeastern, the meeting gave both Network Rail and Southeastern a chance to update MPs on the infrastructure work carried about by the organisations to prepare for potential bad weather this winter.

 

Following this update, Kent MPs took the opportunity to question Southeastern and Network Rail management on other matters.   

Some of the work which has been carried out by Network Rail and Southeastern includes:

·         40,000 metres of additional conductor rail heating (The first trial of 16,000m was installed on routes from Hastings to Grove Park, Ashford to Maidstone and Tonbridge to Orpington in 2010.  Ice-related delays on the Tonbridge to Hastings line were compared over two periods in winter 2009/10 with two periods where we experienced similar weather conditions in winter 2010/11.  The number of incidents reduced by 80% and the number of delay minutes by more than 95%.)

·         8 anti-icing trains (compared to 6 in 2010)

·         2 snow and ice treatment trains

·         20 passenger trains fitted with anti-icing tanks

·         Closer working with Kent County Council with station approach roads gritted; mutual aid for passengers if stranded

·         3 new 4x4 vehicles to assist Southeastern engineers to respond more quickly to trains experiencing difficulties

·         Increased supplies of grit, salt; 100 additional grit salt bins; 220 hand pushed ploughs; 16 motorised snow clearance vehicles

·         4,000 foil blankets and glow sticks onboard trains

 

After the meeting Mrs Grant said, “Southeastern were  very informative.  Together Network Rail and Southeastern have clearly worked hard to try and avoid a repetition of the shambles we all endured during last winter.  There are now more trains preparing the tracks for frost, many more metres of rail heating as well as communication upgrades.  I really hope we don’t get the weather we had last year, but if we do it appears there has been much better preparation.  Here’s hoping”.

She added “I took the opportunity to question Southeastern about the recently rumoured ticket office closures.  Contrary to many reports I was delighted to learn that they have no plans, at any of their stations, to close ticket offices, upon which I know so many travellers rely for help and information.”