Welcome to the website of the Greenwich Line Users’ Group. The Group started in 2012 and covers Westcombe Park, Maze Hill, Greenwich and Deptford stations, part of the Greenwich Line in south-east London.
In 2019/20, an estimated 8.1m passengers used these stations, according to the latest statistics from the Office of Rail and Road*.
Our objective is to stand up for the passengers who use Westcombe Park, Maze Hill, Greenwich and Deptford stations each year by lobbying for:
- more reliable and frequent trains
- more capacity
- better information for passengers, and
- safer and cleaner stations.
The Users’ Group considers any issue about either the train service or the train operating companies, Southeastern and Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR). In addition to regular meetings with both operators, the Users’ Group makes submissions on proposed timetables and on other public consultations. Those made in the last two years can be seen here Policy briefings etc
A Fanzone with a capacity of 30,000 was proposed for Greenwich Park during the Euro 2020 football competition. GLUG raised concerns with both Southeastern and Thameslink about the impact this would have on trains, particularly at peak times when they are already full. GLUG believes the transport assessment was flawed and the proposed mitigation measures inadequate. We lodged a formal planning objection. Response to Fan Zone planning application In the event, planning permission was granted but the event has now been cancelled. If a further event is proposed for the re-arranged Euro 2021 competition, a fresh planning application will need to be made.
GLUG has been asked for suggestions on how to spend money from a Passenger Benefit Fund set up by GTR following last year’s disruption. £160,000 has been allocated across the four stations on the Greenwich line, and the aim of the fund is to provide tangible improvements for GTR passengers. The Department for Transport (DfT) initially restricted spending on Southeastern managed stations to “wider passenger benefits”, but, with the assistance of Matthew Pennycook MP, this was lifted. For wider passenger benefits, GLUG has suggested raising platform heights to help with getting on and off trains, putting Wi-fi on Thameslink trains, better publicity about the Thameslink service, and better signage to rail replacement bus stops. To see what GLUG has suggested for specific stations click here: GTR passenger benefit fund revised
GLUG learnt in April 2019 that Network Rail intended to close the foot crossing over the
Angerstein Wharf freight line, used by passengers to reach Westcombe Park station. There are only one or two freight trains a day on this line, and no safety issues about the crossing have arisen. GLUG objected to this closure and wrote to Network Rail. Network Rail installed gates and have now said the closure will not go ahead. The letter can be read here Angerstein foot crossing.
The Group has strongly opposed Southeastern’s policy of “station skipping” during the autumn leaf fall season when off-peak trains do not stop at certain stations on weekdays. GLUG believes the policy is an unnecessary inconvenience for rail users. No other train operator in London adopts this policy. The policy was introduced in 2015 when it affected services for four weeks. In 2019 the station skipping timetable lasted nine weeks, from 14th October 2019 to 13 December 2019 . GLUG submitted feedback from our monitoring of performance. Autumn timetable 2019 final This year, alternate Southeastern trains are not stopping at either Maze Hill or Westcombe Park. In total, 100 trains each weekday will miss out one of these stops from September to December. Deptford and Greenwich maintain a full service. GLUG has, once again, registered its strong opposition to this timetable.
In response to a request from Southeastern to nominate a station to install step free access, GLUG nominated Maze Hill. The present step free access to platform 2 (towards Woolwich) is unsuitable, and GLUG has supported a proposal by the Westcombe Society to install a new ramp giving direct access from Maze Hill to the platform.WSENV proposals for step free access to stations September 2018 (1)
This website helps rail passengers to see what GLUG has been doing to get Network Rail, GTR and Southeastern to improve our train service.
Recent news is shown here Recent news. The competition for the next Southeastern franchise has been cancelled and the current operator, GoVia, will continue until 16 October 2021, with a possible extension to 31 March 2022. What happens after that remains to be seen, and GLUG will be monitoring any developments closely. Our concern is always the service that is to be provided for passengers. A history of the franchise can be read in Policy briefings etc
Please let us have your feedback, either by commenting below or emailing our convenor Mike Sparham at greenwichline@outlook.com.
Greenwich Line Users' Group 
I work at Goodge St and used to take the train from Greenwich to Charing Cross to get the Northern Line to work. It was straight forward and one of the reasons I live in this area. Now with all trains diverted to Cannon St, I have to go to Cannon Street and get the Circle/District to Embankment and change to the Northern line there.
So far I have had mixed success. Going to work has been ok, but coming home it can be very hard to judge how long it will take to get to Cannon St and connect with my train home. Twice this week I have missed my train to Greenwich as the Circle/District stopped and waited at all stations ‘to regularize the service’. If I do miss my normal Greenwich train home from Cannon Street – the 7.57pm, I have a 20 minute wait until the next service to Greenwich which at that time, on a week night in the Capital city is terrible.
My main gripe with the current situation is that whilst I had planned to walk from Cannon St to Bank and get the Central Line to Tottenham Court Road, the Central line is not stopping at Tottenham Ct Rd until December 2015 so that link to the West End is not an option. I don’t understand why the rail companies didn’t pre-plan this better rather than coincide the diversion of so many South East London trains to Cannon Street with the suspension of the nearby Bank to Tottenham Court Road link – one of the West Ends busiest stations and my place of work.
It just seems that everyone in London is complaining about the train service at present, regardless of where they live and its time the powers that be understood that the price to service ratio is not acceptable at present.
LikeLike
I was horrified to hear in the Mercury that the Charing Cross line is not going to be re-instated ever! I use Plumstead station and at the moment all the trains go to Cannon Street. Plus I have now been hit by a double whammy as I cannot use the tube at North Greenwich as I have nowhere to park my car! It looks like all the people who work are now parking there and you can’t blame them. I would like to keep up with your campaign as the changes affect me greatly.
Many thanks Hilary Carnihan
LikeLike
I moved to Greenwich few months ago as I work close to Charing Cross and it was easy for me to commute from Greenwich to Charing Cross. I thought to stop the direct trains to Charing Cross was a temporary thing until all the works at London Bridge are completed, but it seems it is not the case.
I am very surprised to hear that the plan is to cut the direct trains from Greenwich to Charing Cross as this line was used by a lot of people and for what I can see the population in this area is growing and requires better public transport and not trains to be cut. Using the common sense I think it is better to split the trains between Charing Cross and Cannon St and not to bring everyone to one station with all the problems it creates.
I definitely support this campaign as I am not able to understand the decision to cut the direct trains from Greenwich to Charing Cross.
LikeLike
Hi guys.. I want to help out. Do we know for. sure that there will be no. connection to charring cross after 2018?
LikeLike
Nothing running toward Kent this afternoon and no information at all at Westcombe Park Station. Southeastern must really hate the people that use this line, so what’s next I wonder? Maybe they will close the Greenwich line altogether a there’s no service on a Sunday and there hasn’t been for some time. I’m sure that some bright spark will tell us that as we live in Blackheath, we have a perfectly good station on a different line in the village, over a mile away.
LikeLike
Sent my objections to bettersoutheastern@dft.gsi.gov.uk with the following concerns. Not sure if we have an official list but feel free to add to this or reword and reuse as needed:
I write to express my concern at plans to route all Blackheath and Greenwich train services via Cannon St rather than continuing to support the current destinations of Charing Cross, Victoria etc.
This is clearly a retrograde step and will lead to:
• Longer journeys to these destinations
• No contingent routes when we have inevitable issues on that one line
• Some leisure trade loss in the areas made more difficult to access by the changes
• More load upon the tube and overground networks to complete journeys to those areas
• Additional expense for those forced to use more buses
• Potential for more road journeys to connect with those areas
• Likelihood of more people driving into West London, particularly evenings and weekends
• Loss of attractiveness of the Blackheath and Greenwich areas for commuters
• Loss of house values
• Likely disruption of families and children moving schools to enable parents to get to and from work in a reasonable time
These and other potential impacts will compound the already limited public transport options in the South East, as there is no tube or other overground network to support these areas as the rest of London has in zone 2/3.
Thanks and Regards
Carl Thomas
LikeLike
Hi! Is this group still running? I have some complaints about the London Bridge service that started last week.
Best wishes,
Jennifer
LikeLike
Hi Yes, this group is still running. I will try to help if you send details to greenwichline@outlook.com. Mike
LikeLike
After spending billions of pounds to increase capacity on train services to London Bridge how on earth did we end up with worse service! Before there were trains every 10 minutes. Now there are trains every 17 minutes, 12 minutes, 18 minutes, 15 minutes – you have to look up every time you want to travel what time the next train is coming. It is unacceptable to have a gap of 17 minutes on a metro line like this.
To give a franchise to Thameslink, who couldn’t reliably run services before! They need to run less routes not moe.
Why couldn’t They just leave well enough alone? now things much much worse!
Who is the best agency to complain to?
Did our councillors and MPs support this?!
LikeLike
I live in Maze Hill and I used to be able to get on the train when it was relatively full but I could still stand in the aisle. Now I am lucky to be able to stand in the doorway. I pity the people getting on in Greenwich and especially Deptford. It is a joke! Still MORE flats being built and no increase in frequency of trains. I would love to take the Thameslink straight to St. Pancras but it is impossible to get on as it only comes every half hour so have to make do with changing at London Bridge.
LikeLike
The underpass in Westcombe Park railway station doesn’t smell the best. Needs cleaning.
On a side note, why do the railway stations Westcombe Park and Maze Hill come under Zone 3 where as railway stations Lewisham and Brockley are in Zone 2? And North Greenwich tube station is in Zone 2 as well. Surely, the distance from Central London to Westcombe Park is less than the distance from Central London to North Greenwich. And the distance from Central London to Lewisham is not any less than the distance from Central London to Maze Hill.
Needless to say, Greenwich (South Eastern) Line commuters from Zone 3 to Central London pay a higher price than commuters from Zone 2 to Central London.
LikeLike
Thank you for your comments. We will raise with Southeastern, who manage the station, the issue of cleaning the subway at Westcombe Park. It was freshened up a couple of years ago when it was painted, but I agree drainage is an on-going problem and another clean is required.
The Users Group does have a policy to change the Fare Zone to Zone 2/3 and this has been raised a few times with TfL and Southeastern. There is no logic to the present boundaries. Needless to say, logic does not seem to be the determining factor. The response of Southeastern is that such a change would reduce revenue. Now that all revenue goes direct to the Government, I suspect this will continue to be a factor. The Users Group will continue to press the case at every opportunity.
LikeLike