Proposals for new Loop High Speed service from January
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Deal and Sandwich on track for 2 Javelin
High Speed trains every hour and all day.
Deal and Sandwich are on track for a new HS service that will provide two high speed trains every hour to St Pancras, one via Dover and the other via Ramsgate, Margate and Faversham.
The proposal for an all day loop service around the Kent coast using the Javelin HS1 trains came a step closer last week when at the Kent Rail Summit representatives of the Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that it was in negotiation with Southeast Trains over how the new improved service would operate.
The detail will probably be officially announced in June.
The development will be a massive victory for our campaign and will mean train times to and from London will be reduced to around 1hr 20 mins throughout the day and for the first time there will be a direct, fast rail service to the towns around the Kent coast late into the night and from early morning.
When we started in 2009 none of the local or national politicians were in favour of including the two towns in the HS service. The county rail transport plan did not even show Deal or Sandwich on its maps. Dover District Council had secured a service for Dover at the expense of Deal and Sandwich. The DfT tried to brush us aside saying it was impossible to stop fast trains "at every little village" - an absurd contention given the size, economic importance and potential of the area.
Now they are all in favour of the scheme.
Well, we would like to thank everybody. Getting people to agree with you is the essence of any successful campaign and the benefits of this change will be felt for many years to come by the whole community.
So thank you.
It is too soon to relax yet as we have yet to see the detail of the proposals but we are certainly on track for a huge summer celebration.
Trains4Deal is not going away, we have been working on ways to promote both the new loop trains and the existing HS1 service. Without enthusiastic use the new services we have worked to long to get could be taken away in 2018.
Later this month we will launch the first of our pilot schemes involving cheap and discounted fares in partnership with an array of local businesses.
Next year we plan to expand this scheme across the whole of the area of the loop by including all of the other towns which will benefit and to showcase local produce and chefs on the new high speed trains.
We will also have promotions for local arts, festivals and food.
High Speed trains every hour and all day.
Deal and Sandwich are on track for a new HS service that will provide two high speed trains every hour to St Pancras, one via Dover and the other via Ramsgate, Margate and Faversham.
The proposal for an all day loop service around the Kent coast using the Javelin HS1 trains came a step closer last week when at the Kent Rail Summit representatives of the Department for Transport (DfT) confirmed that it was in negotiation with Southeast Trains over how the new improved service would operate.
The detail will probably be officially announced in June.
The development will be a massive victory for our campaign and will mean train times to and from London will be reduced to around 1hr 20 mins throughout the day and for the first time there will be a direct, fast rail service to the towns around the Kent coast late into the night and from early morning.
When we started in 2009 none of the local or national politicians were in favour of including the two towns in the HS service. The county rail transport plan did not even show Deal or Sandwich on its maps. Dover District Council had secured a service for Dover at the expense of Deal and Sandwich. The DfT tried to brush us aside saying it was impossible to stop fast trains "at every little village" - an absurd contention given the size, economic importance and potential of the area.
Now they are all in favour of the scheme.
Well, we would like to thank everybody. Getting people to agree with you is the essence of any successful campaign and the benefits of this change will be felt for many years to come by the whole community.
So thank you.
It is too soon to relax yet as we have yet to see the detail of the proposals but we are certainly on track for a huge summer celebration.
Trains4Deal is not going away, we have been working on ways to promote both the new loop trains and the existing HS1 service. Without enthusiastic use the new services we have worked to long to get could be taken away in 2018.
Later this month we will launch the first of our pilot schemes involving cheap and discounted fares in partnership with an array of local businesses.
Next year we plan to expand this scheme across the whole of the area of the loop by including all of the other towns which will benefit and to showcase local produce and chefs on the new high speed trains.
We will also have promotions for local arts, festivals and food.
Trains4Deal gets the Government and Southeastern to confirm the new HS1 loop service will go ahead at the 2014 Kent Rail summit
Click below to see a broadcast of the relevant section of the Kent Rail Summit.
The meeting on 30 April in the Council chamber at County Hall was chaired by David Brazier, KCC transport cabinet member.
This is the only chance we get to hold the Government and the rail company to account in public.
The 2014/2018 rail franchise negotiation for Kent is being conducted entirely behind closed doors between these two after the abandonment of the agreed franchise process following the Virgin West Coast Main Line fiasco last year when the Government was taken to court after it tried to remove that franchise.
Tom Rowland for Trains4Deal asks JohnJohn MacQuarrie, Head negotiator for the Department for Transport South Eastern Direct Award Team and Charles Horton, Chief Executive Southeastern Trains to give us an update on the negotiation.
Earlier in the meeting Charles Horton had said he was not prepared to discuss the Direct Award negotiation until it had been settled.
We already knew the HS1 Loop including two hourly services from Deal to London was under discussion but this is the first official confirmation that it is going ahead.
Here's what they said
The meeting on 30 April in the Council chamber at County Hall was chaired by David Brazier, KCC transport cabinet member.
This is the only chance we get to hold the Government and the rail company to account in public.
The 2014/2018 rail franchise negotiation for Kent is being conducted entirely behind closed doors between these two after the abandonment of the agreed franchise process following the Virgin West Coast Main Line fiasco last year when the Government was taken to court after it tried to remove that franchise.
Tom Rowland for Trains4Deal asks JohnJohn MacQuarrie, Head negotiator for the Department for Transport South Eastern Direct Award Team and Charles Horton, Chief Executive Southeastern Trains to give us an update on the negotiation.
Earlier in the meeting Charles Horton had said he was not prepared to discuss the Direct Award negotiation until it had been settled.
We already knew the HS1 Loop including two hourly services from Deal to London was under discussion but this is the first official confirmation that it is going ahead.
Here's what they said
Trains4Deal is a volunteer organisation supported by Deal Town Council and Sandwich Town Council.
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