Labour MP for Greenwich and Woolwich, Nick Raynsford, has called on SouthEastern to rethink their proposals for rail service changes during the Olympic games in the summer of 2012.

Under the proposals, which SouthEastern have only put out for limited public consultation, there will be fewer trains calling at Maze Hill, Westcombe Park, Charlton and Blackheath stations throughout much of the daytime during the Games, which begin on 27 July and continue to 12 August 2012 (a period of 17 days). Woolwich Dockyard station will close completely in Games-time.

SouthEastern has also proposed that Charlton station will only have six trains an hour in each direction during the day, two trains fewer than the eight trains it normally has, even though it will be the designated station for the Gymnastics and Basketball events at the North Greenwich Arena (as the O2 will be renamed during the Games).

Westcombe Park and Maze Hill stations will also be badly hit. Between midday and 9.45 in the evening, there will be no trains from Maze Hill to London at all. From Westcombe Park, there will be only five trains to London between 7am and 9am during the Olympic Games – half the usual service – and only two trains an hour up to London after that.

In the opposite direction no trains from London will be stopping at Maze Hill station until midday. Westcombe Park will only get two trains an hour from London during the day, down from the normal service of six trains an hour, and the station will have far fewer trains than normal in the evening peak.

“I agree that there needs to be some changes made to train services to accommodate the thousands of spectators coming to watch the Olympic events in Greenwich Park, and on Woolwich Common,” says Nick. “But the current proposals from Southeastern are unduly disruptive of normal schedules on which many rail users depend. I am seeking an urgent meeting with SouthEastern to discuss these poorly-thought out proposals and urge them to think again.”

“Southeastern has to recognise that many local people will have to commute to and form work as normal during the Olympic Games, and that they must provide a decent service for these people as well as Olympic spectators.”

“Sadly, I can see that there may be little alternative but to close Woolwich Dockyard temporarily, because 12-carriage trains will be running during the Games and the station can’t take trains longer than ten carriages. But I don't see why services to and from Maze Hill and Westcombe Park stations need to be cut so drastically, or why there will be no trains at all between Blackheath and Charlton unless you are travelling before 6.30 in the morning.”

 “SouthEastern Railway has said that they will be ‘looking to run a normal service Monday to Friday’ during the Olympics and that ‘where we can, we will strengthen trains’. But their current proposals do no such thing,” adds Nick.

The Westcombe Society, the Charlton Rail Users Group, and other local organisations are also objecting to the plans.