Mike Grant
Chief Executive
Strategic Rail Authority
55 Victoria Station
SW1H 0EU

27 June 2000




Re: Franchise to run services in the South West, with specific reference to services for the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

I am writing on behalf of my constituents concerning the current tendering of the above franchise which I understand the closing date for bids to be received is the end of July 2000.

I have recently undertaken a very large transport survey of my constituents and I believe the findings will be helpful to you during the evaluation of these bids.  I hope the information I supply will enable you to reflect local residents' concerns and views when you award the contract for the routes in my constituency.  My constituents concerns can be broken down into three main areas: frequency and reliability of train services, affordability, and accessibility.

Constituents across the Borough of Kingston upon Thames believe that there are not enough trains currently servicing local stations.  This is particularly true of the Chessington South branch line where services come to an end far too early in the evening and are reduced at weekends.  I am also concerned that the extra services now provided by South West Trains, above the minimum passenger service requirement, now become a part of the new minimum passenger service requirement.  Furthermore, I am repeatedly told by residents that scheduled trains are frequently delayed or cancelled and this is proving to be a growing disincentive for many rail passengers. Such service disruption needs to be radically reduced by the winner of the new franchise

All socio-economic groups in the Borough are concerned by the cost of rail travel.  High ticket costs at the same time as complaints about poor service and performance having soared particularly annoys local people.  I hope that when performance falls, the travelling public benefit from the penalties imposed on the train company.

Finally, there are still far too many difficulties for disabled and elderly passengers  accessing local services and stations.  The stations with the worst access for service users are Kingston, New Malden and Norbiton; however almost all the other stations in my constituency require improvements, including more lift services, more disabled parking bays, and better lighting.
 
I hope that this information proves helpful and I would be grateful if we could meet to discuss more details of this refranchising process.  I look forward to seeing the winning company providing the much need investment to ensure that these long running problems are tackled in the very short term.

Yours sincerely




Edward Davey
(Member of Parliament for Kingston & Surbiton)

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