Our campaign continues, and our team has increased in size. We have been joined by more Spelthorne Councillors and officers, Surrey County Councillors as well as supporters, meeting regularly at MP Kwasi Kwarteng’s office to discuss rail news, developments in the industry and the strategy to progress.
There have been some changes to rail transport this year. An exorbitant in-crease in the amount charged as a penalty for those without the ticket required to enter our stations, and Revenue Protec-tion Officers out in force to enforce the fine. A proposal to close station ticket offices to be replaced with platform staff on hand to assist those who need help to buy tickets, and ticket vending ma-chines. The general public were able to air their views via two independent pas-senger groups which were tasked to scru-tinise the scheme and the respons-es. Their research found too many short-comings and there was an overwhelming response of opposition. The scheme has been shelved for now, as has another plan to introduce contactless payments for fares this month – now delayed until the spring. This week rail fare ‘simplifications’ were announced, which have been criticised by many as ‘increases by stealth’.
The importance and necessity of achiev-ing our goal has therefore amplified, as being able to use Oyster card and/or TfL pay-as-you-go at our stations, as we do on our buses, would avoid all the above.
We are strongly supported by Shepperton Studios, where their huge expansion has had a big impact on the residents around the site. The already prestigious studios have the second largest number of stages in the World and has put Shepperton firmly on the map. This has also created thousands of new jobs. In their efforts to adopt the most sustainable and affordable transport option, a TfL zonal extension into Staines and Shepperton stations would be the inducement to encourage more of their workforce to leave their cars at home, travel to our stations by rail and catch the shuttle buses to the ven-ue. We are working together to achieve success.
Thank you for your support and to Monica Jones for her kindness by contin-uing to promote our Campaign in the Village Matters magazines.
Please add your name to our petition:
https://www.change.org/p/spelthornezone5
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Spelthorne in the Zone – Oyster for Spelthorne