Interview with Mathew Nash and Laura Cloke of “Keep Our Trains”.

The Chairman introduced Laura Cloke, the Chair of Maidstone and Bearsted Rail Users Association; and Mathew Nash, of Keep Our Trains, to the Committee.  He outlined that the Committee would be investigating Maidstone’s rail services as a whole and would not only be focusing on the removal of the fast service from Maidstone East to Cannon Street but would also consider the efficiency of services more generally.

Mr Nash informed the Committee that there were two main services into London via Maidstone; the first was to west London, via London Victoria and the second was to Charing Cross via Cannon Street and London Bridge.  The fast service to Cannon Street ran from Maidstone during the off peak and ‘shoulder peak’ times.  He informed Members that the average journey between Maidstone and London Bridge took approximately 48 minutes.  To travel via London Victoria, however would increase this journey time to between an hour and a half and two hours, which was particularly difficult for commuters to London, who would typically work until 7pm.  Mr Nash stressed the likelihood that this would discourage businesses and people from locating in the Maidstone area, and may force existing residents and business to relocate to areas with more efficient rail services.

Members were told by Mr Nash that he did not find out about the removal of the service from Southeastern, who he considered to have been secretive about the proposal, but rather from a member of the West Malling Rail Users Association.  Once he knew of the proposals he sought to begin a petition with regard to the service cuts.  Over 1,200 signatures had been collected.  He met with Ann Widdecombe MP who suggested lobbying the Secretary of Transport, which had been done.  A meeting had been held with Ann Widdecombe, the Assistant Director of Development and Community Strategy and representatives of Southeastern.  The most likely chance of success was to ensure the Department for Transport (DfT) was aware of the opposition towards the proposal.  Members were also informed that a list of email contacts had been collated.

The Committee was informed that the DfT outlined minimum standards which rail operators were required to meet, including particular service requirements.  The fast service to Cannon Street via Maidstone was not required by the DfT, nor was the High Speed 1 service which was to operate from Kent into London.  No subsidy was available from the DfT to Southeastern for these services.  A Member requested that the Committee be provided with details of the requirements the DfT made for services which ran through Maidstone.

Mr Nash informed Members that Keep Our Trains was of the impression that service usage figures produced by Southeastern were misrepresentative.  He noted that a significant proportion of commuters drove to stations such as Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Paddock Wood because services were often more frequent, faster and more cost effective.  Nevertheless, had services from Maidstone been more efficient, commuters would wish to travel from there.  Keep Our Trains and the Rail Users Association for the area were undertaking a user survey in an attempt to demonstrate this.

Ms Cloke identified that Maidstone had not previously had a rail users association, allowing Southeastern more opportunity to ignore concerns of the local commuters. The Maidstone and Bearsted Rail Users Association had been running for approximately six weeks.  The Association was to continue running permanently and was to allow passenger to express views regarding all areas of rail services.

The Committee was reminded that the closing date of consultations for both the removal of the fast service to Cannon Street and all other proposals outlined within the Kent Rail Utilisation Strategy (RUS) was the 23 July 2009.  Keep Our Trains had already submitted its response with regard to its opposition to the removal of the fast Cannon Street service.  The Chairman informed the Committee that the Council had responded to the RUS through Ann Widdecombe and had also submitted a response to the DfT from the Council itself. A Councillor suggested that Hugh Robertson MP and members of the European Parliament should also be involved.

Councillor FitzGerald, who belonged to the Kent Rail Community Partnership, outlined how these proposals may also impact upon the Medway Valley Line.  These are set out within Appendix B.  It was requested that this information be forwarded to the Assistant Director of Development and Community Strategy to be incorporated into the Council’s response to the Kent Rail Utilisation Strategy.

Mr Nash identified that it was possible that the expansion of the rail service to Blackfriars would enable additional services into London via Maidstone, however he was of the opinion that this service would not be frequent enough and was not particularly convenient as there was no underground service from Blackfriars.  The Committee raised concern that there appeared to be a lack of a strategic plan with regard to integrated transport for Maidstone and suggested that this be looked into.

The Committee requested that contact be maintained with Keep Our Trains and the Rail Users Association and that a letter be sent to them indicating the Committee’s support for its work.

Resolved:

  That;

a)  The information provided by Councillor Mike FitzGerald and gathered during the interview be forwarded to the Assistant Director of Development and Community Strategy to be incorporated into the Council’s response to the Kent Rail Utilisation Strategy;

b)  Keep Our Trains be kept informed of the Committee’s work on rail services in Maidstone;

c)  The Department for Transport’s minimum standards for rail services serving Maidstone be obtained;

d)  The Assistant Director of Development and Community Strategy be requested to involve Members of the European Parliament and all Members of Parliament for Maidstone Borough in the Council’s ongoing lobbying with regard to rail services;

e)  The Committee supports the campaign to keep services between Maidstone East and Cannon Street, and a letter stating this be sent to Keep Our Trains.