Despite the fact that over 2,000 passengers per day use the Spring Hill Gardens gate to access and leave the station, Southern’s plan was to shut this gate permanently. Direct access to the up platform was only to be available to passengers who could “prove” to the staff in the booking office that they were disabled or needed step-free access via a buzzer and CCTV system. At Forest Hill, the gate leading down the steps to Perry Vale was to be shut, opening only during the evening rush hours.

 

The Society met Southern in June along with Lewisham’s Deputy Mayor and Jim Dowd MP. Against all advice, the Train Operating Company insisted on proceeding with the scheme.

 

When it finally went into operation, the new gating system proved as unworkable as its critics claimed. Passengers usually able to access the up platform directly, were now forced to use the new barriers erected in the booking office which quickly proved unable to cope with the flow of passengers particularly during evening rush hours. Many disabled passengers were refused entry via the new Spring Hill Gardens entrance because station staff claimed “they did not look disabled.” At Forest Hill, during evening rush hours passengers often stood in the pouring rain on the down platform for up to 10 minutes waiting for a solitary member of staff to inspect tickets.

 

Passenger dissatisfaction with the new system was clear. The Society leafleted Sydenham Station and set up an online petition demanding access on both sides of the station. Over 500 signatures were collected within a few days. Matters came to a head when Mayor Steve Bullock invited senior managers from Transport for London and Southern to a meeting with angry commuters at Forest Hill and Sydenham stations to discuss the situation.

 

A week later, we had a breakthrough. Plans for construction of a new gate on the up platform at Sydenham have now been lodged with Lewisham council. The gate will allow automatic access via barriers to anyone with a valid ticket and will eventually accept all Oyster Cards. It will take a number of months for these proposals to go through the planning procedure and subsequent implementation. Meanwhile Southern has agreed to open the gate to provide access to Platform 1 for all passengers with a valid ticket from 7am to 10am and then from 4pm to 8pm on Mondays to Fridays. There will be a member of staff present to check and collect tickets. Outside these times during the day (10 am to 4pm) entry and exit will still be available by using the buzzer. After 8pm and at weekends, the gate will be left open. At Forest Hill, the gate at the Perry Hill side of the station will now be open at all times until a new gate is constructed.

 

This is a very welcome outcome for the Society’s campaign to provide fair and easy access to local stations. We are grateful to Lewisham’s Mayor and Jim Dowd for their support in this campaign. We now need to ensure that station improvements continue as passenger numbers grow. But with new access gates and improved train services to come, for once we appear to be heading for a positive future with local rail travel.