I found this piece, and photograph, on the BBC South East page, otherwise I haven't found anything else about the Rail Summit on Friday, yet! Our MP Amber Rudd plus...
"The rail minister, Paul Maynard was also at the public event, together with Hew Merriman, the MP for Bexhill and Battle, and bosses of Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR).
The 18-month-long dispute between Southern, owned by GTR, which has cost the South East's economy around £350m, was raised at the meeting.
Mr Maynard responded: "Ever since I took on the role as rail minister I have been apologising to passengers for the inadequate service they have been experiencing, but since the start of the dispute we have seen big improvements in GTR's performance."
Amber Rudd, who is also the Hastings and Rye MP, said she was "impatient" about getting faster rail services for her constituency, but was "realistic" about getting things to happen."
OK, a couple of comments, and it's a shame I couldn't be there on Friday, but... first, this has been an 18 month dispute, which could have been sorted out last year but for political interference as I've said a few times, and all Maynard can say is he's been apologising, which doesn't actually sort out the problem, that is (his) Government interference! Oh yes, and he says that performance has improved, but that's only because they've changed the timetable, with journeys taking longer, and they run fewer trains with fewer carriages... so that's an improvement?!?
If anyone did go to the Rail Summit, please contribute, many thanks!
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