Preston Park train station reduced level or service from 2018

[Brovion]

I use it. There already seems to be a reduced service as it seems to me that the other 'little' stations south of Haywards Heath (Wivelsfield, Burgess Hill, and Hassocks) get more trains than PP does.

I'd like to see it used more often so that we spread the increasing load between the Brighton stations as opposed to just dumping everybody in the centre and letting them make their own way out. Mind you this would need planning and a massive improvement in Brighton's woeful bus service (no buses directly serve either London Road or Preston Park stations), so there's absolutely no chance of that.

I know, I know. Brighton wasn't designed for trains or buses.

 

[Brovion]

GTR who already run the Thameslink train services and will run Southern services from July 2015, are preparing for a brand new timetable that will run from 2018,

The changes include the loss of some services to and from Preston Park.

I see these is a petition trying to stop them doing it.

Am i the only one who welcomes this move to reduce the level or service to PP.

It s always a ball ache having the train stops and this station with very few at at most times no one getting on or off and just seems to be an interruption to the London to Bright journey.

Does anyone on here use PP station.

Well you must be ****ing blind then. loads of us get off - and loads get on in the morning.

 

[Garage_Doors]

And how would you better spend that time you saved? Additional voluntary work? Little longer on the sofa? Increased contribution to world peace? Bit more time in bed?

Is that minuscule amount of time real worth getting worked up about?

I'm not sure the actual time taken would be of any benefit to be honest, but i would benefit from lower stress levels whilst sitting there stopping whilst no one either gets on or off.

 

[Garage_Doors]

Well you must be ****ing blind then. loads of us get off - and loads get on in the morning.

By the morning I assume your talking about commuters prior to 9am.
If this the case I'm not a train commuter and only travel after this time so guess the foot traffic is different.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

But I need the fast train to call there to get me out of this slum on a match day

Have you got your old mans pad in West Wickam then?

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Preston Park is the station for London Road. If you want to go to Preston Park, use London Road station.

Fair point and I understand the inference, but not if your pupils have a limit to their walking distances and would be better served at the interesting end of PP.

Do we not have any wheelchair users in Westdene/Withdean/Tongdean?

 

[Deleted User X18H]

The thing about PP is that the Wellsbourne prevents any type of improvements. Also every time I use it, except when I commute pre 9am there is someone there with a cat or dog basket . PDSA users rely on it and the charity advertise themselves as being 200 yards or so from the station .

 

[seagull_in_malaysia]

Have you got your old mans pad in West Wickam then?

Unfortunately that place is long gone. I'm in a flat in West Croydon now, just off Purley Way.

And you still haven't told me how you know the old man!

 

[8ace]

Preston Park Station - Caroline Lucas MP fears effects of rail cuts on commuters (From The Argus)

View attachment GTR_2015_Consultation_Document.pdf

 

[Hamilton]

I read the consultation document on the proposed changes yesterday. It is utter gibberish.

It all amounts to some poor claims about improving commuter times from London to Littlehampton by about 5 minutes amongst claims that this is what passengers want. Utter tosh. Don't they know that what passengers are really concerned about is the 30 minutes+ delays, the train cancellations and the poor information. Not stopping at Preston Park (or other stations) isn't going to change any of that.

And what does the removal of the stops at PP do? Just increases the congestion at Brighton.

What this is all about is reducing costs and so improving profits for the train operating companies. The sooner we look at renationalising the railways the better.

One thing they could start by doing is the end of first class. It is an utter disgrace that first class exists on commuter lines. If a passenger is spending £4.5k a year on a ticket they should be as entitled as anyone else to a seat. The Govia CEO wants to create more space for commuters. He can start by ripping out first class.

I have an ongoing twitter war with [MENTION=26542]Southern[/MENTION]RailUK going on the trains after the games at the Amex. They still persist in running trains direct to Brighton and bypassing Moulescombe and London Road. Why do this? After the game, for the first hour, let every train stop. It eases congestion at Brighton and is in the interests of passengers. Trying to get Southern to listen to that is impossible. The answer from them is that each train is carefully timetabled and any changes can cause other trains to run late. Well I have news for them - every train is already running late!!! Or better still, just plan it in.

The people that run the railways are loons.

You can protest about the reduction in services to Preston Park by emailing gtr.timetableconsultation@gtrailway.com and write to Caroline Lucas as well caroline.lucas.mp@parliament.uk so your MP can see any opposition.

 

[8ace]

Reread 'NON' stopping means no EC,CJ Or PP, all trains from Brighton to Lindon stop somewhere in between

Under the new proposals the fast BTN-VIC trains will only stop at GTW.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Link to Caroline Lucas petition

http://www.carolinelucas.com/save-preston-park-trains

 

[Dirk Lehmann's Python]

I read the consultation document on the proposed changes yesterday. It is utter gibberish.

It all amounts to some poor claims about improving commuter times from London to Littlehampton by about 5 minutes amongst claims that this is what passengers want. Utter tosh. Don't they know that what passengers are really concerned about is the 30 minutes+ delays, the train cancellations and the poor information. Not stopping at Preston Park (or other stations) isn't going to change any of that.

And what does the removal of the stops at PP do? Just increases the congestion at Brighton.

What this is all about is reducing costs and so improving profits for the train operating companies. The sooner we look at renationalising the railways the better.

One thing they could start by doing is the end of first class. It is an utter disgrace that first class exists on commuter lines. If a passenger is spending £4.5k a year on a ticket they should be as entitled as anyone else to a seat. The Govia CEO wants to create more space for commuters. He can start by ripping out first class.

I have an ongoing twitter war with [MENTION=26542]Southern[/MENTION]RailUK going on the trains after the games at the Amex. They still persist in running trains direct to Brighton and bypassing Moulescombe and London Road. Why do this? After the game, for the first hour, let every train stop. It eases congestion at Brighton and is in the interests of passengers. Trying to get Southern to listen to that is impossible. The answer from them is that each train is carefully timetabled and any changes can cause other trains to run late. Well I have news for them - every train is already running late!!! Or better still, just plan it in.

The people that run the railways are loons.

You can protest about the reduction in services to Preston Park by emailing gtr.timetableconsultation@gtrailway.com and write to Caroline Lucas as well caroline.lucas.mp@parliament.uk so your MP can see any opposition.

I agree with almost all your post, but you've missed a key item - running 'fast' trains to Brighton actually helps clear Falmer quicker surely, the knock on effect of being able to clear the line quicker and send them back in the other direction?

 

[beorhthelm]

What this is all about is reducing costs and so improving profits for the train operating companies. The sooner we look at renationalising the railways the better.

i agree its gibberish, i tried and failed to understand what they are changing. but then how do you come to the conclusion that this is to reduce costs and improve profits?

as far as i can tell they are saving one stop on one service and tweeking the stopping pattern on some others, to save a few minutes on other services. so you get a slow train and a "fast" train, rather than two trains which are serving smaller stops (PP aside). i dont see the cost saving, the same number of services in total are running. the only saving i can percieve is if this mean less congestion at particular parts of the line at particular times, which might avoid late running trains?

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

as far as i can tell they are saving one stop on one service and tweeking the stopping pattern on some others, to save a few minutes on other services. so you get a slow train and a "fast" train, rather than two trains which are serving smaller stops (PP aside). i dont see the cost saving, the same number of services in total are running. the only saving i can percieve is if this mean less congestion at particular parts of the line at particular times, which might avoid late running trains?

There is no cost saving, except potentially less delay minutes being racked up so less fines being paid. Can see where they are coming from with the changes and they could work at SOME periods of the day providing they are adequately replaced by alternative services, but the plan is poor and wont really save much at all. If trains are late, they skip PP anyway as it is.

I strongly suggest those who will be affected to write to Govia Thameslink, as it isnt acceptable.

 

[8ace]

I've read the PDF and all I can seen that is changing (re: PP) is that train to Victoria will be from Brighton instead of Littlehampton

 

[Hamilton]

I agree with almost all your post, but you've missed a key item - running 'fast' trains to Brighton actually helps clear Falmer quicker surely, the knock on effect of being able to clear the line quicker and send them back in the other direction?

Surely there is not much difference between a fast train that takes 7 mins and one that stops taking 10 mins.

Also, I'd imagine that many who could benefit from getting off at LDN Rd still jump on the first train and then walk that little further rather than wait. Especially if it's raining.

It just seems like a no brainer to me.

 

[8ace]

Surely there is not much difference between a fast train that takes 7 mins and one that stops taking 10 mins.

Also, I'd imagine that many who could benefit from getting off at LDN Rd still jump on the first train and then walk that little further rather than wait. Especially if it's raining.

It just seems like a no brainer to me.

Might be something to do with the signals.

 

[yxee]

Surely there is not much difference between a fast train that takes 7 mins and one that stops taking 10 mins.

If the network weren't at full capacity, sure. But I can believe that with all the interdependencies in the timings of other trains, perhaps a -3 minute change somewhere could have knock-on effects with other commuter lines, and overall represent a more efficient use of the resources.

 

[Hamilton]

If the network weren't at full capacity, sure. But I can believe that with all the interdependencies in the timings of other trains, perhaps a -3 minute change somewhere could have knock-on effects with other commuter lines, and overall represent a more efficient use of the resources.

Nothing runs on time anyway. Who would notice the difference?

My serious point would be that it would be easy to plan it in.