Lynne Featherstone MP last week met with a representative from Govia, the company who will shortly start managing Thameslink rail services in and around the local area.

The representative from Govia confirmed their commitment to improving local services, including evening and weekend services to Moorgate from December 2015, and newer, more modern trains with extra space from 2018.

Other changes include the introduction of permanent staff at rail stations from September 2015, and the installation of ticket gates at Hornsey and Alexandra Palace stations. This news follows a long local Liberal Democrat campaign to keep and improve local rail services.

To follow up comments raised in her recent local survey, the Liberal Democrat MP then pushed for better accessibility at local stations, to make them more usable for disabled and elderly residents, as well as those with young children and pushchairs.

The Govia representative said that they aimed to deliver station improvements in partnership with network rail, and would find out whether any studies had been done into the feasibility of making stations more accessible.

Lynne Featherstone MP commented:

“It was great to meet with Govia and to hear the representative reaffirm the commitment to make improvements to our local services. Evening and weekend services into Moorgate and new, modern, spacious trains will be most welcome.

“But what we also need are huge station improvements, to make them more accessible for everyone. The number of steps and the lack of lifts at our local stations prevent some disabled and elderly people using them, and this is just unacceptable. I will continue to push Govia and Network Rail for these improvements.”