Our stations are dangerously overcrowded

Local people are increasingly worried about overcrowding at Denmark Hill and Peckham Rye stations. Susie Wheeldon, who lives in Peckham, says: "It’s scary to see platforms and entrances jam-packed at rush hour. And it’s unbelievable that there’s still no step-free access at Peckham Rye!"

Rail fares rose by 3.4% on 1 January — up to £150 extra per year. Fares have risen twice as much as pay in the last eight years. Shareholders made billions of pounds in profits last year, while passengers saw services delayed, disrupted and cancelled. This has to change.

We’re calling for a new exit at Denmark Hill and for lifts to be installed at Peckham Rye as a matter of urgency.

As train fares go up, the Green Party is calling for railways to be brought back into public ownership. Rail fares rose by 3.4 per cent on January 1, 2018, costing many people up to an additional £150 a year.

This week, Southwark campaigners are protesting against the increases at Denmark Hill and Peckham Rye stations. They are sharing the Green Party petition to bring the railways back into public ownership and asking Southwark residents to write to Harriet Harman, Helen Hayes and Neil Coyle to find out what solutions they support.

Southwark Greens support the cross-party local campaign for a tube station at the Bricklayers' Arms.

At a well-supported demonstration on Saturday 4 November, Peter Wright from Living Streets demolished the claim that it would be ‘too close’ to other tube stations – it’s farther to any of the nearby stations than the average distance on the Bakerloo line. Simon Hughes pointed out that the original plans for the Jubilee line didn’t include a stop at Southwark – now a very busy station. Caroline Pidgeon pointed out that major investment and disruption are already proposed for the construction of a ventilation shaft - constructing a station would be a relatively small additional cost. And a tube station need not be a large building, since most of the business happens below ground – Bermondsey tube station is a good example of this.

Eleanor Margolies from Southwark Green Party affirmed the local party’s support for a station at Bricklayers' Arms and asked for it to be set in the context of local travel needs.

If you’re wondering where Camberwell Station is, take a look next time you’re passing Camberwell Station Road! This stop on the Thameslink line has been out of use for many years.

We support the campaign to reopen the station to relieve crowded Walworth Road buses and improve access to King’s College Hospital. Trains on this line come from Brighton, Sevenoaks and Sutton, going through Elephant & Castle, Blackfriars and King’s Cross St Pancras – right up to St Albans and Bedford.

www.southwarkcan.org/camberwellstation