Eight trains an hour are now running to London Victoria, allowing travellers to reach East Croydon, Streatham Common, Battersea Park, Clapham Junction and Wandsworth Common, Balham, Mitcham Junction and Sutton.
There are fewer trains than normal, with far fewer people travelling due to the work-from-home directive, but passengers may have to change trains to reach their destination.
The services are in addition to the reduced timetable which is currently running, to allow engineering work and due to Covid affecting staff members.
Govia Thameslink Railway Interim Chief Operating Officer Angie Doll said: “From Monday, we will begin to run a service to and from Victoria again. Due to the continued significant challenges we face with Covid affecting many of our colleagues, there will be fewer trains than normal. Although we have far fewer people travelling with us at the moment due to the work-from-home directive, passengers may have to change trains to reach their destination. We’re really sorry if this affects your journey.
The resumption came after Southern rail were criticised by Wandsworth council chiefs for cutting some services.
Wandsworth council leader Cllr Ravi Govindia wrote to Southern’s managing director to express his “deep concern” over the decision which he said was “disproportionately damaging to the residents of this borough, our businesses and visitors.”
He added: “The recent replacement bus service was inadequate by not connecting Balham with Battersea Park, with passengers advised to change at Clapham Junction for South Western services to Queenstown Road and then walk.”
The Southern letter to Cllr Govindia said: “We will continue to reintroduce services as staff availability improves.”
Cllr Govindia said: “It is still not good enough and the company needs to do much more to get its full timetable back on track.
“This is a still a relatively low level of service for Battersea Park, Clapham Junction and Balham stations. Residents can rest assured we will keep the pressure up on Southern to resume its full range of services as quickly as possible.”
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https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/govia-thameslink-have-restored-eight-routes-an-hour-from-victoria-to-south-london-stations/
