Calls for the Gatwick Express to be extended to Three Bridges

5.32.28pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 6th Sep 2006

Cllr Gordon Seekings wants to see the Gatwick Express service extended to Three Bridges station

Northgate Councillor Gordon Seekings has written to Gatwick Express asking if they have any plans to extend their service. In particular he would like to see the service additionally serve Three Bridges Station and allow Annual Season Ticket holders, from stations south of Gatwick Airport, to use the service without incurring additional charges.

Gordon said "As a regular user of this line it seems to me that one of the biggest bottlenecks on the London to Brighton line is the availability of platform/line space at Gatwick Airport. This is due to the Gatwick Express trains waiting in the platforms for their next duty for anything up to half hour. Extending the service to Three Bridges would reduce this bottleneck and at the same time enhance the service. It would also potentially increase income from passengers travelling from Three Bridges to London Victoria."

Continuing Gordon said "At present annual season tickets holders from stations south of Gatwick Airport station are specifically excluded from using the service - although when Gatwick Express was first started this was allowed. I know that in cases of major rail delays Gatwick Express allows the service to be used at no extra cost but it does seem to me that this should be a regular thing and not a one off."

"Most people who have London Victoria annual season tickets covering the route would not make use of it on a regular basis - after all they are going to stops beyond the present limit - but it would provide an additional back up in getting to and from London Victoria at times of more minor delays and cancellations on the Southern Railway routes."