Five go mad in Sevenoaks

[theageofthetra]

The Greater London Authority tweeted earlier that their entire transport committee will be travelling down to Sevenoaks by train tmmr. Any idea why and which service?

 

[SF-02]

Good to hear. The GLA often seems to be the only body in local or central govt that has any awareness, or pays attention to, the area served by Southeastern. Except HS1 of course.

 

[eisenach]

Is this an Enid Blyton story, albeit with a darker side ?

 

[GatwickDepress]

Is this an Enid Blyton story, albeit with a darker side ?

They're really putting the lashings into lashings of ginger beer.

 

[ComUtoR]

Any idea why and which service?

Probably on the Hastings. In a coach designated just for themselves with additional SE staff, second Driver, 1 Guard doing tickets, 1 doing dispatch and a plethora of REO's


If they get on a networker going all stations filled with hoi polloi. I'll have sprouts in my next meal.

 

[andrewkeith5]

The Greater London Authority tweeted earlier that their entire transport committee will be travelling down to Sevenoaks by train tmmr. Any idea why and which service?

Is this a decoy so they can travel by road with minimal hassle, or just some weird PR exercise?

 

[theageofthetra]

Well they have arrived and are presently being annointed in the Sevenoaks District Council offices. I wonder if they schlepped up Tubbs Hill or were carried up on gold plated litters?

 

[jnjkerbin]

Possibly discussing Oyster Extensions? There's been a lot of talk about in the local rag over the last few months.

 

[user15681]

Word was that they were visiting to meet local council members and local rail passenger groups to talk about the possible TfL takeover of Metro.

 

[Busaholic]

A local bus operator is also getting loads of free publicity at the moment (in 'Bus and Coach Week the last two weeks) for 'new initiatives' which don't add to a hill of beans imo and even photographed with Sevenoaks MP and government fallguy (sorry, minister) Michael Fallon - wonder whether he's about to get Transport, in time for announcement about Gatwick expansion?

 

[leshuttle]

There's been much discussion about the extension in local media around Sevenoaks and surrounding towns campaigning for Oyster again and again.

If it's good operationally as well as for fares then fair enough but I don't think it can really work here.

I foresee heavy congestion on roads nearby and further more on the trains if Oyster does ever reach Sevenoaks. The peak time crowds pushed out of London from high property prices then crowd onto already full and standing Mainline fast services from Sevenoaks into Charing X/Cannon Street. It won't be Metro services that take the loads in this case unless Southeastern start excluding Oyster on Mainline services :roll:

Further afield places like Tonbridge/Tunbridge Wells may then start demanding Oyster given cost of fares - otherwise it's a hop in the car up to Sevenoaks for those who may find it more economical to do so.

Meanwhile little discussion on network-wide smartcard ticketing for Southeastern despite Southern next door having The Key in place for quite some time now.

 

[user15681]

On two of those points...

Dartford should see Oyster in around 3 months (by end of September).

The MD mentioned recently that Southeastern are 'talking' to the DfT about the potential of smart ticketing on the network and about getting funding for it from the South East Flexible Ticketing Fund - he said he hoped for news in the next few months.

 

[bicbasher]

BBC South East news report about the GLA visit to Sevenoaks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2HUdz0LByw

 

[backontrack]

I love the thread title. :razz:

 

[theageofthetra]

I would like to find out if they walked/cycled up to the SDC offices at the Green Party members insistence. Would be rather embarrassing for them if cars were used for a 1/2 mile trip.

 

[LLivery]

BBC South East news report about the GLA visit to Sevenoaks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2HUdz0LByw

Once again they claim no money is taken for profit :roll:

 

[Busaholic]

I love the thread title. :razz:

Not a criticism at all, but wouldn't the Secret Seven(oaks) have been even more appropriate?

 

[bnm]

Is this an Enid Blyton story, albeit with a darker side ?

They're really putting the lashings into lashings of ginger beer.

There were never 'lashings of ginger beer' in any of Enid Blyton's Famous Five books.

The line comes from the spoof 'Comic Strip Presents... Five Go Mad in Dorset'

 

[dave12435]

There were never 'lashings of ginger beer' in any of Enid Blyton's Famous Five books.

The line comes from the spoof 'Comic Strip Presents... Five Go Mad in Dorset'

Really would be pushing it if TfL tried to extend to Dorset though lol

Regarding the Oyster extensions Dartford makes a lot more sense than Sevenoaks as Dartford, despite being in Kent is basically part of London these days anyway, also with the future development of the Thames Gateway region such as Ebbsfleet and Gravesend e.t.c. can be viewed as new London suburbs anyways.

 

[theageofthetra]

It must be remembered that Local Authorities in Kent & in Particular Sevenoaks & Bromley have a hatred of London interference which goes back to ILEA/GLC & Red Ken. The older members of these councils remember all too well the threat to their selective grammar schools and the far-left agenda of the GLC of the 80's. It may be a long time ago now but it runs deep in these places. Its going to take a lot of 'persauding' from the GLA.

 

[jopsuk]

theageofthetra are entirely sure on all of that? Bromley, after all, has been a London Borough since 1965. It's a very long time since it was administered as part of Kent.

 

[Class 170101]

A local bus operator is also getting loads of free publicity at the moment (in 'Bus and Coach Week the last two weeks) for 'new initiatives' which don't add to a hill of beans imo and even photographed with Sevenoaks MP and government fallguy (sorry, minister) Michael Fallon - wonder whether he's about to get Transport, in time for announcement about Gatwick expansion?

Given that Michael Fallon is MP for this area it makes a change for a minister to be doing constituency duties instead of ministerial ones.

 

[GatwickDepress]

There were never 'lashings of ginger beer' in any of Enid Blyton's Famous Five books.

The line comes from the spoof 'Comic Strip Presents... Five Go Mad in Dorset'

Oh, you're such a spoilsport! I know perfectly well there isn't, but it's become associated with the books regardless! "Beam me up Scotty."

 

[theageofthetra]

Living in it I can assure you Bromley is in London but wanted for many years nothing to do with it. The two best performing selective state schools in the UK for many years are within it and held onto like the crown jewels.

 

[jopsuk]

That's as may be- though for the past seven years London has had a mayor and assembly to Bromley's liking, by voting preference- but it has little bearing on any decision made by Kent.

 

[plcd1]

The entire committee did not visit Sevenoaks. Three members did. The reason for doing so was part of the Committee's work on rail devolution so they can understand what concerns there are for passengers and politicians outside of London if TfL were to take over local rail services. I think that's an entirely reasonable thing for the Committee to do otherwise they'd be accused of ignoring people who may be affected by any future change of operator.

From what I can gather the local passenger group at Sevenoaks are fed up with South Eastern and certainly want an extension of Oyster ticketing. I doubt any TfL concession operator would actually take over Sevenoaks as I suspect DfT would require that it remains with the longer distance franchise (as with Shenfield). I don't know if Sevenoaks is a pricing point for other journeys but if it is then DfT certainly won't transfer it because of the revenue impact on the SE franchise.