Rail operators Southern say that they intend to remove bicycle racks from outside East Croydon Station because of security considerations, including the possibility of a car bomb attack on the London to Brighton mainline.
On the rack: Southern says that this bike rack is a security issue and must be removed
Southern posted notices this week notifying that from July 1 the cycle storage facility positioned close to Platform 6, on the Cherry Orchard Road side of the station, is to be removed.
The notices offered no reason for the sudden removal of amenity for passengers who cycle to East Croydon before enduring a daily train journey into central London or elsewhere.
“They are treating us with complete contempt,” said one cycling Southern customer.
More than 300 people have signed a petition in just a couple of days in protest at the short-notice and unconsulted decision by Southern Rail to remove secure bike storage at the station, leaving them without a safe place to lock up their bicycles.
Town Hall sources have confirmed that the matter has never been raised at meetings of the council’s “advisory forum on active, sustainable and accessible transport”, chaired by Tory cabinet member Scott Roche and whose members include representatives of Transport for London and Network Rail (the people who have not managed to complete a pedestrian bridge across the station in 12 years…).
Councillor Roche has made no public comment on the matter.
Southern issued a response to one local councillor who questioned their decision to remove the cycling amenity.
“This bike rack is located within a staff car park,” a Southern spokesbod wrote.
“We have an ongoing challenge with unauthorised vehicles accessing the car park which poses an issue from a security perspective given the proximity of the car park to the train lines and platforms – ie from a car bomb perspective.
“The site has been highlighted as an issue from a security perspective and to mitigate it we need to make the car park secure. Unfortunately, given the layout of the security wall, this will mean the rack itself will no longer be accessible and so will be removed.”
Short notice: the signs that went up outside the station this week
Southern’s late scramble for an explanation said that they “recognise it’s a frustrating situation”, and that “we are hopeful that more [bike storage] can be added in the future as part of wider public realm works for this part of Croydon generally”.
Chris Galpin, the Croydon cyclist who raised the alarm, and the petition, said that he understands concerns about non-staff cars accessing the car park, but added: “Southern’s response makes no sense at all.
“Installing a car barrier while allowing pedestrian and cycle access would be the obvious solution to address the concerns.”
Southern’s response, Galpin said, doesn’t explain the lack of any consultation or the short notice. And he accused Southern of inconsistency in their “security” arrangements.
“The car park at South Croydon Station is right next to the railway – so it seems like there are one set of rules for one part of the borough, and different rules elsewhere.”
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