20 January - No trains for nine days 15th to 23rd February
I
thought the most interesting part of last Wednesday’s Transport meeting was
likely to be Network Rail’s report on the forthcoming Bexleyheath line closure;
their
report on last year’s landslip was very informative but sadly their new 17
slide presentation was probably not of widespread interest.
It reported in great detail what Network Rail has done to publicise the closure and how public
awareness was much higher than following any similar campaign held elsewhere. The
figures were undoubtedly very impressive and clearly Network Rail has put in a
great deal of effort but public interest is likely to be what will actually happen
before, during and after the week in question, not the planning that went into it.
Despite the slide show disappointment a few useful facts emerged.
As is to be expected train tickets will be valid on TfL bus services and also
from North Greenwich to London Bridge on the Jubilee line. Rail Replacement
buses will consist of two buses per hour going along the route, Dartford to
Lewisham. Two buses per hour will shuttle between Barnehurst and Slade Green,
four buses per hour will run from Bexleyheath to Welling and on to Abbey Wood.
Four more buses per hour will connect Welling to the Sidcup line at Falconwood
and Eltham. There will be another four between Kidbrooke and Blackheath.
These services will allow all passengers the choice of either going along the
Bexleyheath line route, to the North Kent line or south to the Sidcup line.
Passengers who normally use Bexleyheath station and who live on the 301 bus route
will be able to use it to Abbey Wood. All the station staff will be out at the
bus stops assisting travellers and an explanatory leaflet is in preparation.
All the Bexleyheath line rolling stock will be deployed to the other two lines.
The Sidcup line will gain 35% capacity in the morning with North Kent gaining
55%. In the afternoon the figures will be 35% and 74% respectively. The Charing
Cross terminal restricts the use of 12 car trains with its several short platforms
but trains will be lengthened when possible.
Trackside residents, 4,600 of them, have been sent four letters each since
November to explain the situation. Work will be 24/7 with noisy operations
restricted to between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Being in a deep cutting, noise and
light pollution will be naturally attenuated.
Preparatory work has begun already and some embankment trees have been removed.
They will not be replaced because they “undermine” the cutting.
New Road in Welling will accommodate one of the site storage depots with some impact on
local traffic levels. There will be another in the Barnehurst station car park.
Some work will continue beyond the nine day closure period until April
and will cause some as yet undated weekend line closures.
Chairman Val Clark thanked the Network Rail staff for their help and cooperation
and thought “we have come up trumps with this one”. It looks to me she is right,
a good choice of alternative routes and the end of constant land slips. A good job all round.