OREANDA-NEWS. Phil Hufton, Network Rail’s new managing director of network operations, said: “In the last few weeks passengers have experienced unacceptable levels of service and over-crowding at London Bridge station. 

“Passengers have been very tolerant about the changes to their usual travel arrangements, but understandably they have lost their patience with the recent poor service experienced for which we are very sorry.  

“The measures we are putting in place, in collaboration with our train operators will improve both train service provision as well as station management in order that customers receive a better service at London Bridge and if delays occur, they are given the help they need.”

Action being taken includes:

  • Forming an integrated ‘one-station-team’ management structure with all staff (whether Network Rail, Southern or Southeastern) working to a single response structure with a single identity so better able to respond to and manage issues as they arise
  • Increasing the number of staff on the station, particularly at peak times and at times of disruption
  • Ensuring staff and passengers, have access to the latest travel information and advice by boosting wi-fi capability, providing tablets to staff and bolstering information screens
  • Better advanced warning for passengers of potential problems at the station offering alternative travel advice enabling people to avoid the station at times of disruption
  • Changes to the timetable to help a better flow of trains into, and out of, the station
  • Re-introducing Olympic 2012 style ‘travel champions’ and ‘customer action teams’ who can be called upon to bolster station staffing levels and help people find their way

The railway has seen tremendous growth over the last 20 years with a doubling of passenger numbers. London Bridge and other major stations will experience crowding if services are delayed because of our very well used and congested network. It’s the rail industry’s task to manage these incidents better and ensure that passengers are well informed and looked after as well as deliver a huge investment and improvement programme aimed at growing and expanding the network

Mr Hufton concluded: “I want to assure customers that we do take this situation seriously and Network Rail is committed to improving our performance by delivering improvements to deliver a safe environment for users of London Bridge hand in hand with meeting the level of train provision and customer service they rightly expect.”

About Network Rail

Network Rail owns, manages and develops Britain’s railway – the 20,000 miles of track, 40,000 bridges and viaducts, and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations (the largest of which we also run). In partnership with train operators we help people take more than 1.6bn journeys by rail every year - double the number of 1996 - and move hundreds of millions of tonnes of freight, saving almost 8m lorry journeys. We’re investing ?38bn in the railway by 2019 to deliver more frequent, more reliable, safer services and brighter and better stations.