Andrew Dismore

Dear editor,

Last week’s news of the leaked letter from Transport Secretary Chris  Grayling saying that he did not support the transfer of suburban rail services to Transport for London, so as  to keep rail services ‘out of the clutches’ of any future Labour Mayor clearly shows the decision was not made for legitimate reasons, but was based on party political considerations. The Transport Secretary has put Party politics ahead of the interest of hard pressed rail users.

What the Secretary of State is now proposing is entirely the opposite of what the Conservatives implemented  when they proceeded with rail privatisation  in 1996, splitting train operation  from infrastructure. This led to the appalling failures of Railtrack and the Potters Bar train crash which cost so many lives.

His decision goes against what we expected for Thameslink. When FCC lost the franchise to Govia, we were told that things would be better  but it  has gone from bad to worse.

We were then promised  that Thameslink would be moved to TfL when the work at London Bridge was completed and the franchise expired, but this is now not on the cards.

Conservative MP Bob Neil was right when he called for Grayling’s resignation, because “He’s acted for party reasons and not acted in the interests of London commuters”.

Barnet and Camden commuters who use Thameslink have been badly let down.

Yours  sincerely, 

Andrew Dismore AM

Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden

City Hall

London SE1 2AA