Rezoning

Last year I launched a campaign to re-zone Kingston and Surbiton train stations from zone 6 to zone 5.

Why? Because they shouldn’t be in zone 6! There are 23 stations in zone 5 further away from their London terminus than either Kingston or Surbiton stations: that means our fares are too high.

A parliamentary answer I obtained showed 24 stations have been re-zoned since 2005, so it’s certainly possible.

You can see the background details at www.edwarddavey.co.uk – and sign my online petition. You can, for example, read the legal case we made to the regulator or watch the TV programme I made with Channel 4. [Return to the home page to see the video].

This campaign is likely to be a long one, so here’s an update.

The 2 remaining stumbling blocks are SWT and Transport for London [TfL].

SWT have conceded they would consider re-zoning but only if there were London-wide re-zoning. That’s conceding the principle, whilst avoiding doing anything.

As for TfL, I worked hard to gain the support of the Mayoral candidates, prior to May’s elections. Whilst Ken Livingstone refused, Liberal Democrat Brian Paddick was first to make it an election promise, and Conservative Boris Johnson followed.

So the next step is to work with Mayor Johnson – now TfL’s boss. I’m hoping he will soon reply to my request for a meeting made on May 2nd. Yet his delay means it is unlikely we can win re-zoning in time for the fare increases next January.

Perhaps, like this year, our campaign will persuade them to keep fare rises lower than elsewhere. After all, lower fares are the ultimate objective.