Letter on Kent's Railways to KoS

In response to "Southeastern can kiss goodbye to franchise" in this week's Kent on Sunday:

Dear Sir,

You could almost be forgiven for thinking that the Conservatives were the champions of Kent's rail users following their Fares Fair campaign in the run up to this year's general election and with last week's threats to Southeastern by Roger Gale MP (Kent on Sunday, 28th November).

However, those of us with a slightly longer memory will recall that the Tory campaign to curb the rail fare rises placed the blame squarely on the government rather than the franchise holder. Perhaps someone ought to remind Mr Gale who is in government now.

And of course we must not forget that the real reasons that rail fares are the highest in Europe are due to the Tory privatisation of rail, the massive closures in the 1960's and of course the lack of investment by successive governments.

Public transport should be a public service run by the government. Investing in clean public transport while taxing more polluting forms is how government should support our rail service. Perhaps someone remind Mr Gale of this?

Stuart Jeffery
Kent Green Party

Cannot St service still ConDemned

Greens have slammed the government's decision not to reinstate the Cannon St service from Maidstone and branded Conservative and LibDem coallition as failing the people of Maidstone. They have criticised Helen Grant for her rhetoric in the pre-election period and her failure to secure a return of the service.
Stuart Jeffery of Maidstone Green Party: "We are deeply disappointed at the failure of the new ConDem government to back public transport in Maidstone. Despite the rhetoric of both the Lib Dems and Conservatives in the pre-election period, it seems that they had little intention of improving public transport and the promise were simply false.
"Maidstone is the county town of Kent and needs better train links, not to have them continually down graded. The people of Maidstone have been misled by both Conservatives and Lib Dems; Maidstone deserves better.
"Pre-election comments by Helen Grant are especially galling. Despite her declared support for the local rail campaign group, it seems that this was simply an idle promise."
Notes:
1. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2010/june/2/no_changes_to_timetable.aspx?lang=en-gb
2. http://www.helengrant.org/acatalog/Keep_Our_City_Trains.html
3. http://www.libdems.org.uk/siteFiles/resources/PDF/Election%20Policy/Liberal%20Democrat%20Environment%20Manifesto.pd

Maidstone to Cannon St

The fast service from Maidstone to Cannon St has been axed, as most people in Maidstone are now aware. MARUG are calling on people to write to the DfT:

The DfT has finally made a decision not to retain the City services in the 13th December Timetable changes. 
This
is a real blow to the Keep Our Trains campaign as we have worked
incredibly hard to fight for services from Maidstone East to be
improved, but it is not the end. All of the MPs involved are disgusted
at this response and will be challenging Chris Mole on his decision. As
a user group we will be writing a response and I would like to
encourage you to do the same. 

Can you please send your letters to:
Mr Chris Mole MP
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State
Department for Transport
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DR 

I spoke to the Kent Messenger yesterday stating:

"As leaders across the world are meeting to reduce CO2 emissions in
Copenhagen this month, it seems astonishing that the government has axed
the Maidstone to Cannon St service, causing not only misery to those who
rely on it, but increasing CO2 emissions as people are forced to drive
to Ebbsfleet or Paddock Wood to access other parts of London.

"Public transport is one of the main tools that the government has in
reducing both congestion and carbon emissions, and we are calling on the
government to reinstate this service immediately."