top of page

Tunbridge Wells Public Transport Forum – November 2024

The forum used the hybrid format for the first time this year and around twenty attendees were present either online or at the town hall. Speakers as usual were from Network Rail, South Eastern, Kent County Council and our local bus operators. Highlights as follows:

Network Rail updates

  • Gatwick service – Tonbridge to Gatwick is the preferred option with an hourly service. No update on this but unlikely to happen anytime soon.

  • High Brooms accessibility project – planned for the current five year Control Period which commenced in April 2024. Design incorporating two lift shafts and a new footbridge has been completed but we now await DfT sign off on funding for the construction phase. seems to a risk that, given the state of finances in government, could this be approved, not approved or de-scoped? Very much a watching brief.

  • Hastings line – new Network Rail Mobile Response Manager (known as a MOM) is now based at Robertsbridge which should improve response times on our line when an incident /accident occurs (previously had to wait for someone to attend from Ashford or Hastings).

  • Tonbridge station, although not part of our patch, is to be the first station in Kent to form part of a Network Rail strategic review taking into consideration the station itself, retail, bus connectivity, accessibility and housing development in the area.

South Eastern

  • Four days in October and November had the highest number of passengers travelling into and out of London across the whole day since March 2020 but overall commute to work level remains static against pre-pandemic levels. Off peak travel on both Saturday and Sunday remains very strong.

  • Punctuality: overall 85.3 percent in last period against a target of 90 percent but Hastings line only figure is 78.3.

  • Reliability: very strong with only 2.3 percent of services cancelled in last period.

  • TW station will get a repaint and High Brooms a deep clean.

 

Our questions

.

  • The Association welcomed the return of TW starters/ finishes on Saturday mornings but concerned that there no pm provision and London Bridge, for example, can be very busy in the late afternoon and early evening. Definitely a disconnect between demand and supply (ML did acknowledge that some mainline trains at the weekend had been extended to twelve cars).

  • The Association stressed the need to continue to monitor passenger numbers on our line as some morning and evening peak trains are very busy from Tunbridge Wells / High Brooms into and from London stations.

Kent County Council / Buses

  • KCC acknowledged the report of a 24 million grant for bus provision but have currently no details.

  • Arriva – passengers numbers up on local services but still not at pre-pandemic levels. No planned changes to service levels at this time.

  • Routes 29 (TW – Brighton) and 291 (TW – Groombridge / East Grinstead) have both enjoyed increased patronage

  • Concerns raised about short notice road works and their impact on bus services which impacts all operators.

  • Industry keen to see what happens when the three pound max fare starts in January.

  • Some recent timetabling issues for school services and the need improve liaison between KCC, TWBC and operators and of course local schools

 

AOB

  • ML took the opportunity to advise the forum that a decision had been taken to wind up the association next March due to declining membership and a general lack of interest now that commuting for many people is only two or three days per week and was no longer a hot subject. ML explained that we were in discussion with the Tonbridge group (TLC) about the future and he would keep the forum updated next year through James Read at TWBC

Committee Members Needed

The Association's committee no longer has a member who travels regularly to London. If you would be interested in joining the committee, whether or not you commute, we would be interested in hearing from you at twdrta@outlook.com ! Even if you can spare as little as an hour a month, you still could make a valuable contribution.

The forum continued with the online format for this meeting and twenty attendees were present. Speakers as usual were from Network Rail, South Eastern, plus several new councillors who were attending their first forum and our local bus operators. Kent County Council were not represented on this occasion. Highlights as follows:

Network Rail updates

  • High Brooms accessibility project – planned for the current five year Control Period 7 which commenced in April 2024. Funding decision by the DfT still awaited and delayed because of the general election. Reading between the lines, the project funding could be approved, not approved or a reduced level awarded which would lead to a revised design ie reduction in scope – very much a watching brief.

  • Hastings line – Kent and Sussex routes allocated £4.85bn for the current five year period. works to include embankment stabilisation, drainage in tunnels, improved power supply to Tunbridge Wells station and repairs to the canopy at High Brooms.

 

South Eastern

  • Commute to work showing a small increase against pre-pandemic levels as some employers now mandating office attendance on least some days. Remains heavily focused on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Leisure travel volumes remain strong at weekends.

  • June timetable revision – improvements from TW mainly around better spacing in the morning peak, some longer trains and three additional services between 0900-1030. Saturday morning TW starters have also returned to the timetable.

  • Recruitment drive – SE have launched a new campaign to attract people to a railway career.

  • Class 377 trains may be introduced on the TW services to replace the ageing Networker trains later this year.

  • Procurement exercise to replacement Networkers is now underway.

Our questions

.

  • The Association is very pleased to note the improvements in the June timetable especially the return of the TW starters on Saturdays although questioned why this is only between 0919 and 1219 rather than all day provision.

  • The Association queried why the last weekday limited stop service from Charing Cross (1315 / 1410 at TW) now calls additionally at West St Leonards at 1441 when the nearby secondary school does not finish until 1510.

Buses

  • Arriva – some service enhancements planned for routes 281 and 219.

  • Nu-venture – road works in Goudhurst a point of concern.

  • The two pound max fare scheme now extended to December.

Tunbridge Wells Public Transport Forum – March 2024

Tunbridge Wells Public Transport Forum – July 2024

The forum continued with the online format for this meeting and twenty attendees were present. Speakers as usual were from Network Rail, South Eastern, Kent County Council, and our local bus operators. Highlights as follows.

Network Rail updates

  • Gatwick service – Tonbridge to Gatwick is the preferred option with an hourly service. No start date advised.

  • High Brooms accessibility project – planned for the next Control Period 7 commencing April 2024. Design incorporating two lift shafts and a new footbridge has been completed but we are still awaiting DfT sign off on funding. Approval or otherwise for this project should be known very soon.

  • Hastings line – further track works, signalling and earth works planned over the next five years to improve the resilience of the line.

 

South Eastern

  • Flexi ticket trial will be extended /digital season tickets now being rolled out.

  • Commute to work level fairly static against pre-pandemic level and remains heavily focused on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. isure travel has remained solid with both Saturday and Sunday very strong.

  • Automatic ticket machines (ATMs’) will be upgraded to support more ticketing options

  • June this year – some timetable work planned to space out services more evenly from TW.

  • Customer satisfaction levels improved to 87 percent.

  • Thursday 15th February was the busiest single day since 2019 in terms of London bound travel.

Our questions

.

  • The Association is keen to see the phased return of TW starters/ finishes on Saturday to reflect the increase demand for off peak travel.

  • The Association stressed the need to monitor passenger numbers on our line as some morning peak trains are very busy and some employers are now mandating staff to be in their offices for at least part of the week.

Kent County Council / buses

  • Arriva – advised that passenger numbers on local routes are now around 78 percent of pre-pandemic levels.

  • Concerns raised about short notice road works and their impact on bus services which impacts all operators.

  • Industry keen to see what happens when the two pound max fare scheme finishes in October.

bottom of page