New platform at Waterloo on schedule

19th August 2008

MP worried "the extra trains will be late"

South West London's Liberal Democrat MPs, Edward Davey, Susan Kramer and Vince Cable, are warning that extra services for Waterloo's new platform 20 may be running late, so Kingston and Surbiton's MP, Edward Davey, has written for the group to Ruth Kelly, the Secretary of State for Transport, to seek reassurances that new trains have been ordered.

The Liberal Democrat MPs ran a successful campaign first to keep the former Eurostar platforms at Waterloo for train services, not shops, and then to ensure they would be used for commuter services.

At summer meetings they held with rail industry representatives, the Lib Dem MPs were reassured that the works to convert one of the former Waterloo International platforms for domestic use are on schedule, and that a new platform 20 will be open from December.

Yet their questioning uncovered the possibility that platform 20 may open without any new services and trains in place to exploit its full potential.

Commenting, Edward Davey MP, said:

"It would be bizarre if Waterloo's first new platform for many years opens on schedule, yet the new trains it needs are late by months, or even years.

"It is excellent news that Waterloo is getting platform 20, and we are delighted that our campaign over the last three years has worked. Yet the benefits of flexibility and extra reliability that an extra platform brings are much smaller than the benefit of extra capacity which is the ultimate objective of our work. Only extra trains gets you that extra capacity.

"We believe Waterloo is London's most congested major station, and its trains some of the most overcrowded - and that the Department for Transport's figures underestimate the numbers of passengers travelling into the station every day.

"It's becoming urgent that Waterloo's train services gain additional capacity, yet time after time the Department for Transport prioritise other London terminals over Waterloo for extra investment. It's time Waterloo's commuters got the extra investment in trains, given our case is so strong."

Edward Davey's arguments and concerns are set out in detail in the letter to Ruth Kelly (below)

Letter to the Secretary of State

Rt Hon Ruth Kelly MP
Secretary of State for Transport
Department for Transport
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DR

9th August 2008

I am writing on behalf of myself, Susan Kramer MP, Vince Cable MP and our constituents, on the new Platform 20 at Waterloo, services to that platform and the longer term plans for Waterloo.

Background

As you know, myself, Susan and Vince have long campaigned on the future of the platforms of the former Waterloo International Terminal. First, we successfully campaigned against ideas that they might be used for shops and/or offices. Then we campaigned for them to be used for domestic commuter services, and we were pleased when your Government announced the funding for Platform 20 to be converted for domestic services.

We understand from various meetings we have held that the conversion of Platform 20 is on schedule, and it should open this December. We would be grateful if you could keep us all updated on progress, as we have been so closely involved in this throughout the long process.

New services at the new Platform 20 at Waterloo: the urgency for extra capacity

There of course will be some immediate benefits for South West Trains and their passengers when Platform 20 opens. An extra long platform should provide more flexibility at busy times, helping SWT achieve greater reliability, punctuality and so on.

Yet those benefits are small when set aside the major goal - namely achieving extra capacity. For we had all hoped that, along with those benefits of extra flexibility, there would also be extra commuter services too. For this is the key issue for Waterloo - the need to provide extra capacity, to reduce overcrowding, and get more people into London, quicker, with a more pleasant journey.

Of course, for extra capacity, it is not simply a question of extra platform space, though that is an essential first step in Waterloo's case. There must also be extra trains and / or longer trains.

Therefore, can you please set out what extra services will be running from Platform 20, when it opens in December 2008, as we are sure the Department has been planning for those services, since the announcement of the new platform some years ago?

Indeed, we would be grateful if you could set out what actions the Department has taken to procure extra services for Platform 20, both from this December and later. To answer this broad question fully, we would be grateful if you could include answers to the following specific questions:

• Was the provision of new services for Platform 20 required to be part of the new franchise awarded to SWT last year, after the platform announcement had been made? If not, why not?
• If it was not required as part of the franchise, what process has the Department used to efficiently utilise platform 20 in the short term to reduce overcrowding? Have you asked SWT for a "bid" or "price" to provide new services? If so, has this been submitted? At what stage are the negotiations?
• If there is a bid, and negotiations are underway, could you set out exactly when a decision will be taken? - because we imagine there may be a delay between a decision to procure extra services, and those services coming on stream - so an early decision becomes essential.
• Could you estimate how long it will be from a decision to purchase new services for Platform 20, and those services coming on stream, setting out the key milestones for any purchases, works, consultations and so on?

As you will know, this extra capacity at Waterloo is needed now. We cannot wait any longer. Indeed, our research suggests that last year's White Paper seriously underestimated the number of people using Waterloo now - with White Paper figures showing 74,000 people a day, and Network Rail figures showing 90,000 people a day.

Can you confirm that the figures in the White Paper may have underestimated the capacity problems at Waterloo, and if so, can you reassure us that you recognise the urgency of the problem of capacity at Waterloo, and will not put off any decision that might ease this severe problem even in the short and medium term, whilst longer term solutions are also studied?

You will know - because Susan, Vince and I have all made this argument before - that services into Waterloo have just not received their fair share of capital investment in recent years. Other lines and other regions - from the Kent area to the North West - have received far more investment, whilst our capacity problems have continued to get worse and worse. PLEASE do not delay a decision for extra services to Platform 20 - and any other similar measures - any longer.

We all feel so strongly about this that we would request a meeting to follow up any reply you are able to give to this letter. Obviously, we are happy for a meeting to wait till October, but it would be good to schedule such a meeting soon. At such a meeting, we would like to discuss, in addition to the above, your longer term thinking about Waterloo, and in particular ideas for lengthening the platforms at Waterloo generally, bringing on stream the other Waterloo International platforms and options around AirTrack/AirLink.

Thank you for your assistance, and we look forward to receiving your reply and meeting you in October.

Yours sincerely,

Edward Davey MP

cc Susan Kramer MP and Vince Cable MP