Nearly half of the complaints about South West Trains in a year were about late services and crammed carriages, it has been revealed. Figures from the Office of Rail and Road showed that they topped the 2015-16 list of passenger complaints to the franchise that covers a large chunk of Surrey. That was despite the share of … Continue reading
As the iconic Flying Scotsman steamed through Surrey today, it was revealed that just a third of Britain’s railway network is electrified. Latest Office of Rail and Road figures confirm there are nearly 9,800 miles of routes in Britain, of which 3,275 are electrified. The electrified routes do not include around 29 miles of the North Downs … Continue reading
Surrey County Council has revealed plans to launch a study to examine the possibility of creating a rail link to Heathrow from the south in the month the airport celebrates its 70th anniversary. Around 9,000 people from Surrey work at the airport but there is currently no direct rail link from the county. It means … Continue reading
Surrey County Council has signed off plans for the second of a three-year review into local bus services in the county at today’s meeting of Cabinet. The latest changes will save the county council more than £720,000 annually while ensuring people can make virtually all the journeys they did previously. Watch Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member … Continue reading
Listen to rail passengers, county council Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning Mike Goodman and Great Western Railway give their views on the enormous economic benefits of fully electrifying the North Downs Line to BBC Surrey. It has been estimated that upgrading the last two sections of the Reading to Gatwick like would generate 8,000 jobs … Continue reading
Projects to help young people preparing for the world of work were among scores to benefit from more than £800,000 of grants awarded to community groups by Surrey County Council’s local Members last year. Each of Surrey County Council’s 81 councillors is given an allocation every year to donate to projects in their local area … Continue reading
Fully electrifying the North Downs Line will generate thousands of jobs and almost £2 billion for the region’s economy, Surrey County Council’s Mike Goodman told an event attended by the Transport Secretary. Patrick McLoughlin heard Surrey’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning call for the last two sections of the Reading to Gatwick line to be … Continue reading
Plans for Transport for London to take over rail routes in Surrey offer the chance to improve services for passengers and businesses “currently being let down”. Responding to a consultation on the proposals, the county council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning Mike Goodman (pictured) said Surrey’s rail network suffers “a lack of rail capacity … Continue reading
Following Chancellor George Osborne’s Budget announcement of £80 million to kick-start Crossrail 2, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning Mike Goodman (pictured) said: “It’s great news that Crossrail 2 is now firmly on track. The new line signals quicker journeys for commuters who regularly pack like sardines into London-bound trains and will … Continue reading
Following the publication of Lord Adonis’ National Infrastructure Report Surrey County Council has backed the claims that Crossrail 2 should be taken forward as a priority. Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning Mike Goodman said: “This report proves that Crossrail 2 is just the ticket for the region’s overburdened rail network and the country’s … Continue reading
Mike Goodman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning at Surrey County Council, has written to all of the county’s 11 MPs calling on them to join him in backing Crossrail 2 while stressing the benefits for commuters and businesses and the boost it would bring to Surrey’s economy. See below for the full letter. Dear … Continue reading
Following the news from consumer group Which? that a survey of rail passengers revealed complaints about poor service, Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning talked to BBC Surrey about the council’s push for Oyster-style ticketing on trains and buses in the county. Audio courtesy of BBC Surrey.
Oyster-style ticketing that can be used on all public transport should be rolled out across Surrey, according to the county council. The authority wants the company winning the next South Western rail contract to introduce a smart system that also allows passengers to pay for bus journeys. It comes after FirstGroup and Stagecoach, which currently … Continue reading
Following today’s announcement of plans for Transport for London (TfL) to take control of the capital’s suburban commuter network from rail companies, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Planning Mike Goodman said: “With four Surrey services among the top 10 most overcrowded trains in the country we welcome any plans that boost businesses … Continue reading
Leaders behind the devolution bid for three of England’s strongest performing counties have outlined to Government how their plan would boost growth for the region’s residents. Communities Minister Baroness Williams heard the proposals for how East Sussex, Surrey and West Sussex would work together to help tackle the congested road and rail network, pioneer new … Continue reading