Here is the letter that Blackheath Bugle wrote.

Door on the access ramp is locked

Please can you unlock the sliding door on the Kent-bound platform (half way up the long ramp)? It never used to be locked all the time, and it makes it slower for commuters to escape into the fresh air! It's after the oyster readers, so it wouldn't affect whether people paid their fares or not.

Just a note to say that we're aware of the bounceback on this email, and have re-sent it to what we now believe is the correct address. Here's hoping for a reply from Southeastern soon.

How long should we wait for a reply? What if SouthEastern never reply? What are the next steps? Thanks!

I think 5 working days is reasonable.

Did you see the 'mail delivery' message (#3)? Does this mean SouthEastern might not have got the message?

Is it not Network Rail rather that South Eastern? They own the stations, South Eastern run (?) the trains.

Blackheath station is managed by SouthEastern. See here: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations/bkh/details.html

re: Laura - see response #4 from Myf Nixon (one of the site administrators) - fixmytransport have re-sent the messages to the correct address.

Thank you Bugle, I stand corrected.

South Eastern will be doing a "Meet the Managers" day at Charing Cross station tomorrow morning (from 8-10am). Is it worth asking them how FixMyTransport should contact them about this issue?

I think we'd be better off asking them why they've locked the gate, as well as how to contact them!!

Hi Blackheath,

rail companies are obdurate. they often don't like passenger desire lines/walking routes that are messy and don't conform to their modelling. or they just dont' care.

I ran a large campaign against network rail about their closure at kings cross of a popular community entrance. see
http://www.kingscrossenvironment.com/2007/04/kings_cross_acc_2.html

you need to make a case but also do it in a way that will get noticed and not just swallowed by a system that is designed to soak up customer complaints without actually acting upon them. This can't be a big issue for SETrains so it ought to be resolvable.

1 - What do station staff say about the door closure?

2 - Go to the meet the managers event. take some pics with you if possible and maybe a sketch map of the station. If you don't get any sense or feel you are being 'stakeholder managed' try using the phrase 'I do hope you can help i am planning to raise it with Sir Alan Greengross on the Passengers Panel and also write to Andy Pitt the Managing Director of South West Trains.'

3 - write a letter to Mr Pitt on paper, the old fashioned way and copy it to Sir Alan

Andy Pitt
South West Trains
Friars Bridge Court
41-45 Blackfriars Road
London
SE1 8NZ

the passengers panel can be contacted c/o the same address or through the contact form
http://www.swtpp.co.uk/?q=contact

3 - take an electronic copy of the letter and send that to your local councillor - there is bound to be some interplay between the council and the station about ingress and exit - does the entrance give out onto a busy road for instance?
the councillors for the station are shown here
http://www.writetothem.com/who?pc=SE3+9LE

4 put the text of your letter on your website and encourage a discussion

5 - i notice that there have been 'improvements' at blackheath recently - is the closure anything to do with these works? often station improvements go hand in hand with dis-improvements as we found in kings cross. http://www.rail.co/2011/07/21/blackheath-station-becomes-more-accessible/
If they are related to these works and there was a planning application at the time SET may well say that they consulted then and no one objected

this may be a palaver and you may be unwilling to go off web into hard copy but that tends to get through better in my experience

you should then get a clear explanation of what's happening that, if it doesn't fix the problem then gives you the basis for further action.

cheers

william perrin

Thanks for the reply William. SouthEastern trains don't have a Passengers Panel (I asked them today at the Meet the Managers session). They also suggested writing a letter. On paper. In 2011! They mentioned Passenger Focus and London Travel Watch as possible alternatives, and gave me the email address of the head of communications - sarah.boundy@southeasternrailway.co.uk

Hi
Is this the same door/problem as this user? http://www.fixmytransport.com/problems/204

Perhaps you should join forces to get that door open!

When I enlarge the picture it refers to carrying out works and normal business as usual. So why shut the gate? Are the works complete?

Hello BB - I was wondering what the station staff said when you asked them. Can you tell us? thanks, Tom