'A Historic Opportunity For The Travelling Public'

25.4.05

Davey Demands Action For Kingston Commuters

Edward Davey today demanded a better deal for Kingston commuters. The Liberal Democrat candidate for Kingston and Surbiton has called for five extra platforms at London Waterloo be made available for South West Trains.

The five quarter-mile-length platforms at Waterloo International are set to become vacant when the Eurostar is moved to St Pancras in 2007. Edward Davey has written to the Chief Executives of Network Rail and South West Trains, and Secretary of State for Transport Alistair Darling, calling for these platforms to be earmarked for the use of South West Trains.

Commenting, Edward Davey said,

'This is a real opportunity to provide a sensible and simple solution to what is a problem that hits hundreds of local people every day.

'As a regular commuter myself, I know how frustrating it is to be held up just outside Waterloo, waiting for a platform to become vacant.

'With Eurostar being moved to St Pancras, there will be five perfectly good platforms on offer at Waterloo International. If these platforms were made available to South West Trains, congestion round Waterloo would ease significantly and trains could run on time.

'This is a historic opportunity for the travelling public of Kingston and Surbiton. I will continue to campaign very vigorously for those platforms to be made available for South West Trains to ensure a fair deal for local commuters.'