The MarshLink Action Group’s (MLAG) annual general meeting will take place at Rye Town Hall on Friday, February 23 with presentations from Southern, Network Rail and Sally-Ann Hart MP from 7pm. Following presentations there will be a question and answer session. It is important for us to hear, regularly, the views of Southern and Network Rail (the companies that, together, provide our rail service) about how they evaluate the service provided over the last year or so – this is so we can question the service provided, raise concerns and suggest changes.
I trust there will be some time for us to do that at this meeting but our primary objective this time is to hear about some major work being planned along the Marshlink line and get an early idea of the effect those works will have on the rail service during that period.
We will hear from Network Rail about the works that are being planned at the Ore Tunnel, between Three Oaks and Ore stations, which are currently envisaged to take place from around October 26, the start of school half-term to try to minimise disruption to passengers, and to take about two weeks.
The works will blockade the line and inevitably there will be disruption in the rail service, but Southern will be looking at how to minimise that disruption. MLAG together with Hastings and Rother Rail User Alliance (HRRUA) – the alliance of rail action groups along the line – has a good working relationship with Network Rail and Southern and discussions have started at our regular meetings on the task of doing the works while running a service for passengers – at this stage it is difficult to be specific about the effect on services but we will endeavour to update members when we can.
We look forward to seeing you at the meeting and hearing your comments.
Image Credits: Stuart Harland .
Users of the line care about one thing only: punctuality. Once again this morning delays mean a missed connection at Ashford. It never changes.