On Fri 21 Apr at 9:18am Earl wrote:
Went to Lewes Station for the first time in ages yesterday and what a sorry sight it was - an empty shell where the newsagent was, a ticket collector whose hi-vis said that he was an agency contract worker and signs announcing a bus replacement service. The place used to feel really cared for and we got to know the ticket collectors and station staff. It seemed like a little pocket of civilisation that had been untouched by privatisation. Does anyone know what's happening to the newsagent site?
On Fri 21 Apr at 9:42am Tim wrote:
Earl, I couldn't agree more. Southern have ripped the heart out of the railway and their staff. The picture you paint above is replicated across the whole Southern network. Staff used to be engaged, they took a pride in their work and they could provide real information.
On Fri 21 Apr at 9:49am The Greek wrote:
That's the Tory railway for you.... one advantage of agency workers is that they don't seem to care if your ticket is valid or not... more lost revenue and more decay.
On Fri 21 Apr at 9:52am Bored wrote:
How long were labour in power?? Did we see improvements in the railways??? no no no
On Fri 21 Apr at 10:07am Earl wrote:
@Bored - We did see the end of the slam door trains under Labour (whether they had anything to do with it, I don't know) - think they were introduced here in 2004. Unless you were very fond of the 40-year-old rolling stock, the new trains were surely a big improvement.
On Fri 21 Apr at 10:13am sally20 wrote:
Earl, agree that some things aren't good about the station. The lovely friendly newsagents were forced out when southern put the rent up and are now across the road. Very silly as Southern must have lost a lot of money by having an empty property. However, the staff at the station are helpful and kind and have a smile on their faces and the volunteers have created a really beautiful garden and there is a second hand bookshop. It seems it's the people that make the place certainly not the owners.
On Fri 21 Apr at 10:55am Maria Cauliflower wrote:
Vote for me and WE will destroy the rest of the country for you.
On Fri 21 Apr at 12:55pm bobobob wrote:
Do Southern have anything to gain from making it nice? There was all sorts of talk about what the contract they operate under. Do they get rents because all the ticket money goes to the government so may be the same with rent.
Needs someone with more knowledge of the contract than me but I think they just get a management fee for keeping the trains running (or not as it turned out).
On Fri 21 Apr at 2:14pm Earl wrote:
What's the use of handing over our railways to the free market when there's no competition or consumer choice? I wish they'd renationalise.
On Fri 21 Apr at 3:54pm country boy wrote:
a little worrying that you have only just notice that the newsagents has gone from the station , unless you use these local facilities they are going to disappear , you cannot run a business hoping that someone might pop in for a paper every six months you use the train !!!!!!!!
On Fri 21 Apr at 6:55pm Earl wrote:
Sorry country boy, I didn't realise that this local business was so dependent on my travel arrangements. I naively assumed that it relied on commuters. I feel bad now. I've let them down.
On Sun 23 Apr at 8:08am Redballs wrote:
Yes Earl the slam door trains disappeared under Labour they also signed the deal for the replacements. They weren't made in Swindon! No they were imported from Seimens Germany,
On Mon 8 May at 7:05am . wrote:
a costa coffee is going in where the newsagents used to be