Nick met with GTR CEO Patrick Verwer and Network Rail South East route manager John Halsall to discuss ongoing issues with rail service in the constituency.

GTR confirmed that, from the date of the timetable change on Monday 20 May 2019, a direct Southern service will be reinstated between Hassocks and Clapham Junction at 07:10 in the morning peak time, returning at 17:24 from London Victoria.

Nick attended a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Rail in Westminster, to discuss the Government’s Rail Review . The Review, which is chaired by a former Chief Executive of British Airways, will look at proposals to integrate track and operating companies more closely.

At a meeting with Patrick Verwer, CEO of GTR, Nick received assurances that GTR plans to undertake a public consultation in early 2019 to add direct peak-time train services from Hassocks to Clapham Junction.

Nick met with senior managers from GTR and Network Rail to discuss the local rail service. 

Further to his letter of 2 July, co-signed by 14 Conservative MPs, to the Transport Secretary calling for a "significant rebate" for passengers who had suffered "appalling disruption" in the wake of the new timetable introduction, Nick received a response from the Secretary of State giving further information on the special compensation scheme for Thameslink passengers.  The Transport Secretary also set out what measures are being taken to restore service reliability and to ensure that this is not repeated in the future.

Nick spoke in the Commons Urgent Question on the Govia Thameslink Franchise, urging the Rail Minister to look again at the issue of direct peak services between Hassocks and Clapham Junction.

Nick met with the new Chief Executive of GTR/Southern, Patrick Verwer, to discuss the local rail service, the present disruption and the roll-out of the interim timetable.  At the meeting in the House of Commons, which was also attended by John Halsall, South East Route Managing Director at Network Rail, Nick restated his call for the restoration of peak direct Hassocks to Clapham Junction services.

Further to Nick's letter to the Secretary of State of 4 June, Mr Grayling wrote back to Nick apologising to passengers that have experienced disruption, and outlining the steps being taken to improve reliability on the network. 

Nick welcomed GTR's decision to reinstate the 08:28 train service from Wivelsfield to Hassocks as part of its new ‘interim’ July timetable, an issue which he had raised directly with the rail operator.

Nick received a letter from the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, regarding a new compensation scheme for Thameslink passengers.   This followed Nick's call for compensation for passengers affected by the "appalling" disruption on the network.

Nick spoke in the Commons Urgent Question on Govia Thameslink to raise the ongoing disruption and to call for a compensation package, to be funded by GTR.  In response the Rail Minister, Jo Johnson, recognised that local passengers, including those who use Hassocks station, have endured an unacceptable level of service, and will receive compensation comparable to that given to Southern passengers in December 2016.

Nick wrote to the Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling, calling for a "significant rebate" for Thameslink  and other rail passengers who have suffered "appaling disruption" following the "chaotic" introduction of the new rail timetable.  The letter was co-signed by 14 other Conservative MPs whose constituencies are served by Thameslink.

Nick also wrote an article for Conservative Home calling for accountability for the "shambles" of the timetable introduction, and restated his call for significant compensation for passengers.  You can read his news release on this here. 

Nick wrote to the Rail Minister, Jo Johnson MP, to follow on from his recent Westminster Hall debate.  He again highlighted the impact on his constituents of the continuing disruption and asked if the Minister would raise the issue of direct Hassocks-Clapham Junction services with GTR.

Nick received an update from Nick Brown, COO of GTR, on the implementation of the new timetable and on GTR's upcoming change in management, with current CEO Charles Horton stepping down to be replaced by Patrick Verwer.

In the letter Mr Brown acknowledged that "The service has simply not been good enough for you and your constituents, and for that we are truly sorry".  He went on to explain the plans to rectify the disruption arising from the new timetable changes - You can read GTR's letter in full here.