Recently, icy conditions on the tracks from Kent into London have caused massive delays. Customers feel this is unacceptable since as far as winter conditions go; a little frost is not unusual for this time of year.
Southeastern railways have stated that due to icy conditions on the rails, their trains are unable to take power, and therefore are unable to run between the south and the southeast of London.
Customers are rightly upset and feel that this is a bad joke, as well as unacceptable. One commuter referred to it as being a ‘normal winter’s morning,’ while another passenger complained about getting to the station at 7:20 am and realising the train from 5:40 am had not yet arrived.
This has led to more calls to get a petition to get 100,000 signatures in order to get the government to act and possibly strip them of their contract. Passengers feel there is no reason for the entire train system to be shut down due to normal winter weather conditions such as a little frost.
With so many passengers commuting into London from the southern suburbs, train cancellations and delays of up to two hours aren’t acceptable. Customers are very likely to call for a resolution as these types of issues affect their ability to make it to their own jobs on time.
Yes, Southeastern runs a delayed train scheme where a customer can get their fares back, but if it means you’ve missed a day of work, getting the fare back doesn’t make up the difference. Passengers want a reliable train that they can depend upon to get them to their destinations in a predictable and timely manner.