Aldous in talks over Suffolk railways
24th June 2010
Waveney MP Peter Aldous has met with National Express to discuss their changes to rail services on the East Suffolk line that will come into effect in December 2010. The changes mean that passengers will no longer be able to travel directly from Lowestoft to London Liverpool Street and the elderly, disabled and mothers with children will have to use the bridge to change platforms due to the lack of a lift at Ipswich Station. He was joined by Therese Coffey, MP for Suffolk Coastal and Dan Poulter, MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich.
Mr Aldous will be pressing for the through train between Lowestoft and London Liverpool Street to be reinstated. Transport Minister Theresa Villiers has recently announced that the Department of Transport is to consult on the future of rail franchising, with the aim of considering whether longer franchises would be able to offer investment in improvements to trains and services.
In the interim Mr Aldous is keen to ensure that the inconvenience passengers will suffer as a result can be minimised, thus he and the other MPs have asked National Express to confirm that additional staff will be available at Ipswich Station to help passengers over the bridge until a lift has been installed. They have also proposed that fares should be decreased due to the poorer service to be provided to passengers.
Mr Aldous commenting said:
“It was good to meet with National Express to press home the importance of good rail links in the area. I am particularly concerned that elderly passengers, mothers with children and people with disabilities may have to switch platforms at Ipswich to board London bound trains without the assistance of a lift. We have asked clarification over a number of issues, including arrangements to help passengers until a new lift is installed at Ipswich Station; journey times and connection arrangements, as well as whether fares will be reduced if the quality of service declines.”
