Travellers fear they will lose their rail station as services scrapped

Residents of Seaford told The Argus that they fear their station will close, leaving them to rely on buses.

It comes as passengers prepare to endure the second week of Southern's emergency timetable which has seen 341 services cancelled on the network.

Franchise-holder Govia Thameslink (GTR), which runs Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink, insist there are “no plans” to close stations, but this has provided little comfort to Seaford rail users.

Fiona Lewis, a commuter and one of the organisers of last week's protest, said the fear was a key inspiration for ongoing direct action.

She said: “We’ve all got at the back of our minds that they might close the station so you don’t want to give them any excuse to do that.”

She added that after a meeting at Seaford Baptists Church on Thursday evening, a GTR representative suggested that the reductions could go on for months.

A spokesman for Southern told the Argus the company “had not yet decided” whether the severely cut-back timetable would go on longer than initially planned.

The spokeswoman said: “In terms of whether or not we will extend [the temporary timetable beyond the original four weeks] me may do but we haven’t made that decision yet but we are keeping it under constant review and adding in more services as and when we can.”

The timetable was introduced to help ease problems on the line and create a more reliable service for users.

Company bosses have spoken of the timetable's promising start but passengers have said that the service is as bad as ever.

In response to rumours of closures, the spokeswoman stated: “The reduction is simply part of the emergency timetable and we have no plans to close stations.”

On Friday with the timetable five days in, The Argus spoke to commuters at Seaford station to hear their frustrations.

Fred Bass, 57, of Firle Road, has been commuting to Gatwick since 2007 for his job in marketing.

He said of the meeting at Seaford Baptists Church: “Why have they singled out Seaford for such massive cuts? That was one of the questions people were asking. The Southern representatives didn’t have a proper answer for that.

“It’s crazy. This is the biggest town in the constituency of Lewes and they couldn’t really explain why we faced the biggest cuts.

“There’s a lot of strong feeling in this town that we have been singled out for a particularly raw deal. We can share some of the pain, but not all of it.”

ONE MAN’S BATTLE WITH THE TRAINS

Matthew Lewis

MATTHEW Lewis, 37, commutes from Seaford to Worthing to teach history at St Andrew’s CE High School For Boys in Sackville Road.

He documented the first week of the emergency timetable.

Monday

I roused myself at 6am and crept out of the house so as not to wake my young son.

If I am to continue using the train I will now miss breakfast with him and am unlikely to make it home for dinner either as my day has become an hour longer.

I am getting one of the few remaining trains from Seaford which goes on to London rather than Brighton so requires a further change at Lewes for me which adds to the inconvenience.

I get back in time to see my son for just 20 minutes before bedtime.

Thank you Southern.

Tuesday

Southern have defeated me today – I drove. I had to be at work by 8am and couldn’t cope with a 5.30am start.

This is a pain because I made a conscious decision to take the train in order to work.

Every time I take the car, I am not able to mark, send emails or plan lessons. These are jobs that I will have to do after I’ve got home.

The traffic is noticeably worse. I thought I’d treat myself to a coffee at my favourite coffee shop in Seaford but their machine has blown a fuse.

Such is my feeling towards Southern, I consider whether they may be responsible.

Wednesday

Car again. Another day when my season ticket has been wasted. I am forced to do this because I need to drop my son off at nursery which means I won’t make my train in time.

Why? Because my wife has had to go up to London an hour earlier than she needs to in order to be certain of arriving on time at an event she is running.

We simply don’t trust Southern any more when they say there will be fewer cancellations and can’t take the risk.

Thursday

The early train again. There is mutinous talk by my fellow passengers. Everyone is celebrating the great success of the Seaford “Protestival”. I feel exhausted.

The end of term is always busy but the longer journeys are taking their toll and I can hardly keep my eyes open.

On the way home I have my first experience of the bus replacement service that now operates in place of the Lewes to Seaford train.

Tragedy becomes farce when the bus breaks down in the centre of Lewes causing traffic chaos. I wonder if I could make it by foot across the Downs before night fall.

Friday

I’m back on the train. I feel exhausted.

On my way home I can’t get on the first replacement bus so I have to wait for the next one.

I manage to get on the next bus – it’s heaving and creaks like an old bed.

After nearly 30 minutes I feel like I’m about to be sick – unfortunately I often get travel sick on buses and in the back of cars.

The journey takes longer as the bus driver gets lost and has to take directions from the passengers.

I finally make it home and console myself with the thought that I’ve got two days Southern-free.

NUMEROUS TALES OF WOE

Fred Bass, a Seaford commuter waiting for the “last train of the day” out of the town at 9.54am on Friday, July 15, 2016, during a period of emergency timetabling due to staffing problems Fred Bass, a Seaford commuter waiting for the “last train of the day” out of the town at 9.54am on Friday, July 15, 2016, during a period of emergency timetabling due to staffing problems

MATTHEW Lewis is not the only one who has endured a torrid time last week. Reporter Adrian Imms went down to Seaford station on Friday morning to hear more tales of woe.

Sarah McStravick, another of those who have organised recent protests, said that even though buses have been available she has had to work from home.

Sarah, who has cerebral palsy, said: “The thought of having to go out and get a bus, and then another bus, and then transfer, it would take too much out of me, it would tire me out.”

Fred Bass said that his rail replacement commute to and from Gatwick had caused him delays.

He said: “On Monday I got the bus at 8am. The bus took too long to connect with the London train at Lewes so I was 45 minutes late to work.”

After staying in London on Tuesday and Wednesday he left the capital at 4pm to get back to Seaford for the rail meeting starting at 7pm.

But missed connections meant it took three hours to get to Seaford, barely in time for the start.

Paris Finley, 25, of Lexden Drive, Seaford, goes to Sussex Downs College and gets the train to Lewes every day for his studies.

He said: “The morning service is not as bad as the later ones coming back – it’s a horrible journey home on a bus.

“It’s quite tiring to be complaining about it all the time.

“As a result of the buses, we’re having to get to the station about 30 minutes earlier.”

His friend, Liam Bray, 21, of Vale Road, Seaford, also goes to the same college and said: “I use the train every day.

“I bought a three month train ticket and now that’s wasted.”

On Facebook other commuters shared stories of woe.

Jackie Mcintyre Small said: “I can’t get to Seaford or Newhaven to meet up with grandkids and family.

“I can’t go on buses as l haven’t the strength in my wrists and elbow after an accident.”

Lee Cronk posted: “Why does the last bus replacement to Seaford always have to be late hence missing last connection bus in Seaford home and also no taxis around?”

MAY’S NEW RAIL MINISTER

A NEW rail minister has been appointed after Claire Perry quit her post on Friday over frustrations with the disruption to Southern services.

Blackpool North and Cleveleys MP Paul Maynard was appointed as her replacement to serve under new transport secretary Chris Grayling.

Mr Maynard has previously served as a transport select committee member between 2010 and 2012 and backed Liam Fox in the Conservative Party leadership contest.

The Conservative MP is only the second known British MP to have cerebral palsy and complained in 2011 that Labour MPs pulled faces at him while he spoke in Parliament in an apparent reference to his condition.

Earlier this year he invited Labour MP Angela Rayner to “step outside” after accusing her of chatting throughout a speech he was delivering to the House.

In his press release announcing his appointment, he said: “I’m very, very honoured to be asked and I’m certain there will be a big challenge ahead of me in transport.

“It will be a great challenge and an opportunity to serve my constituents and the country.”