Residents & commuters urged to come along

Local residents and rail users are invited to find out more about Putney Railway Station between 3pm & 7pm on 19th January.

You can ask Network Rail questions about the improvement project there. Go to the ticket booking hall on January 19 between 3pm to 7pm.

Judith Chegwidden, Chair of the Putney Society has commented:
"It is appalling that the station still looks like this after three years of "improvements". Each time we go to meeting with the managers they promise progress - but little has been done. they have failed to obtain a high voltage electricity supply to optimise the way the lifts function - and to allow retail units and a new ticket office to be installed. The high voltage supply was promised for last summer and before that, last spring.

Judith continued:
"The façade of the station is a complete disgrace - metal excrescences masquerading as hoardings, rotten brickwork, dripping gutters and broken windows. There are more than 11 million passenger movements through Putney every year - passengers deserve better".

Wandsworth’s transport spokesman Cllr Jonathan Cook is encouraging residents to use this as an opportunity to encourage SWT to open a second entrance to the station. He said:
“There is a compelling case for a second entrance to Putney station from the western end of the platforms. This would provide a shorter and much more convenient route into the station for residents who live in East Putney, reduce overcrowding at the main entrance and help to ensure that all spare capacity throughout the train is used as people are spread more evenly along the platform.

“It would also widen the transport options available to local people as it would drastically reduce the foot journey to East Putney station and destinations to the north and south served by the District Line.

"Unfortunately senior managers at Network Rail and South West Trains are dragging their heels and have not committed to any kind of solid timetable for this important project, despite it having been on the table for a number of years.

“You only have to look at the positive effect a second entrance has made to the daily lives of thousands of people who now use the Brighton Yard entrance at Clapham Junction.

“Having learned this important lesson at Clapham Junction it is rather bewildering that this proposed service enhancement at Putney is not being treated as a top priority by the rail companies.

“It is also especially galling for passengers at Putney who have to endure several years of disruption while other improvement projects have started and then stalled. Some of these improvements, which should have been completed two or three years ago, still remain unfinished.

“We would urge passengers to take advantage of next week’s feedback session to lobby rail chiefs to work with us in providing much better and easier access to trains for people living in East Putney.”

For further information, contact the Network Rail National Helpline on 03457 11 41 41.

January 18, 2016