Southeastern apologies for daylight-blocking coverings on train station bridge
Southeastern railway has been accused of 'daylight robbery' after it papered over the windows of a busy passenger footbridge connecting two London stations.
Tens of thousands of travellers moving between Waterloo and Waterloo East stations cross the high level footbridge each day which, until Monday evening, had covered its windows with vinyl wrappers.
'How to make your customers depressed. Lesson one by Southeastern. Block out all the light in the overground footbridge from Waterloo to Waterloo East,' wrote one frustrated commuter on X.
'Why rob the customers of free sunlight? Staff do not like it.'
According to a report in The Times, station staff claimed the coverings had been introduced because it was 'too expensive to have them cleaned'.
'It's so depressing,' said one. '[We] came into work one day and they had taken away all the daylight. The only explanation we've had from the bosses is that people were complaining that the windows were dirty but they felt it was too expensive to actually clean them, so they just papered over them. No one is happy about it.'
Another said: 'It's just awful. Passengers keep asking us why we've blocked out the sunshine.'
Southeastern – one of the UK's busiest rail operators – connects London with Kent and East Sussex.
It was taken over by the UK government in October 2021 following a serious breach of franchise.
An investigation into the firm found that the operator did not declare more than £25 million of historical taxpayer funding.
The company recently concluded a £2 million station improvement programme which involved 'deep cleans' at 116 stations, alongside repair and improvement works at 20 stations.
It claimed the investments formed part of 'the wider goal of building a better, more reliable and sustainable railway'.
A spokesperson for Southeastern told The Independent that the claims around cost-cutting or cleaning were 'completely untrue'.
They added that the covering was 'simply an incorrect installation by our suppliers in the middle of last week which was swiftly taken down on Monday night'.
David Wornham, passenger services director at Southeastern, told The Independent: 'We want our stations to be accessible, safe and welcoming places for our customers. We have spent £2million in the last six months to deep clean over 100 stations, as well as repaint and repair a further 20.
'At Waterloo East, we have invested £150,000 to repaint all platform areas, replace all the wayfinding and signage and added new customer information screens so customers can quickly and easily identify the next trains to Charing Cross and London Bridge.
'The final phase of this programme was intended to install new artwork vinyls to brighten the walkway – but it was never our intention to cover the windows. This error has now been fixed and the artwork has been removed. We are really sorry for the mix up.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Sun
Tamara Ecclestone slams £26m jewellery crooks after tiny amount they repaid before being deported is revealed
TAMARA Ecclestone has blasted three foreign crooks deported after repaying just £37,000 following her £26million gem raid, saying: 'There will never be any justice.' They were kicked out of Britain in an early removal scheme, despite coughing up just a fraction of the proceeds from the heist at the heiress's mansion. 5 But Tamara, 40, daughter of F1 tycoon Bernie Ecclestone, said: 'I have not received any compensation for the burglary but no amount could ever compensate for the aggressive home invasion we suffered.' Jugoslav Jovanovic, 27, Alessandro Maltese, 48, and Alessandro Donati, 47, were jailed for a total of 28 years in November 2021 over the 2019 heist in Kensington, West London. In a proceeds of crime confiscation order, a judge told the Italians to repay £435,000. But a Sun on Sunday Freedom of Information request revealed payments of just £30,376.79, £2,155.53 and £4,349.65 respectively. They were deported having served a fraction of their sentences — and will now walk free. Tamara said: 'My children are in fear that thieves could return to the house while they are sleeping. There will never be any justice for that.' Tory MP Sir John Hayes said: 'These criminals should serve the remainder of their sentence in Italy. "They should not be allowed to walk the streets. "We have to work with the Italian authorities to try to recover the proceeds of this robbery.' The CPS said it will seek more cash if other assets are discovered. Tamara Ecclestone documentary- Shocking footage shows trail of destruction after £25m jewellery heist at £70m home 5 5 5
The Independent
21 minutes ago
- The Independent
Conservative MP refers himself to watchdog over adviser role
A Conservative MP has referred himself to the parliamentary watchdog after it was alleged that he was paid by a company that helped him write questions to government. Former minister George Freeman submitted queries to Labour ministers about the sector the firm operates in, The Times reported. The newspaper published what it said were leaked emails that showed exchanges in which Mr Freeman had asked the company's director what to ask about as he prepared written parliamentary questions related to space data and emissions tracking. He reportedly tabled the questions, which are a way for MPs to ask for more information on the policies and activities of government departments, to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. He became a paid adviser with GHGSat, a monitoring service for greenhouse gas emissions, in April last year. The appointments watchdog Acoba advised him that in taking up the role, 'there are risks associated with your influence and network of contacts gained whilst in ministerial office'. 'In particular, this is a company that is interested in government policy and decisions relating to the civil space sector and emissions. 'You noted you have made it clear to the company that you will not lobby government on its behalf, and this will not form part of your role.' Mr Freeman told the Times: 'As a longstanding advocate of important new technologies, companies and industries, working cross-party through APPGs (All-Party Parliamentary Groups) and the select committee, I regularly ask experts for clarification on technical points and terminology, and deeply respect and try to assiduously follow the code of conduct for MPs and the need to act always in the public interest. 'Throughout my 15 years in parliament (and government), I have always understood the need to be transparent in the work I have done for and with commercial clients and charities and am always willing to answer any criticism. 'I don't believe I have done anything wrong but I am immediately referring myself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and will accept his judgment in due course.' Mr Freeman and GHGSat have been contacted for comment. A Conservative Party spokesperson said: 'George Freeman MP has referred himself to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner. 'It would be inappropriate for the Conservative Party to comment further whilst the Commissioner's inquiries are ongoing.' The Lib Dems and Labour called for Tory leader Kemi Badenoch to suspend him. A Labour spokesperson said: 'Cash for questions was a hallmark of Tory sleaze in the 1990s, and three decades on the same issue has raised its head again. 'George Freeman has referred himself for investigation so now Kemi Badenoch must suspend him from the Tory whip.' Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper MP said: 'This looks like the same old sleaze and scandal people have come to expect from the Conservative Party. 'Kemi Badenoch should immediately suspend the whip from George Freeman while this is investigated. 'Failure to act would confirm that even after being booted out of government, the Conservatives are still hopelessly out of touch.' The MP for Mid Norfolk is currently on the science, innovation and technology committee and a trade envoy. He was responsible for the UK space agency in his previous role as a minister in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology under Rishi Sunak.
The Guardian
25 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Tory MP refers himself to parliamentary watchdog over adviser role
A Conservative MP has referred himself to the parliamentary watchdog after it was alleged he was paid by a company that helped him write questions to government. Former minister George Freeman submitted queries to Labour ministers about the sector the firm operates in, the Times reported. The newspaper published what it said were leaked emails that showed exchanges in which Freeman had asked the company's director what to ask about as he prepared written parliamentary questions related to space data and emissions tracking. He reportedly tabled the questions, which are a way for MPs to ask for more information on the policies and activities of government departments, to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. He became a paid adviser with GHGSat, a monitoring service for greenhouse gas emissions, in April last year. The appointments watchdog, Acoba, advised him that in taking up the role, 'there are risks associated with your influence and network of contacts gained whilst in ministerial office'. 'In particular, this is a company that is interested in government policy and decisions relating to the civil space sector and emissions. 'You noted you have made it clear to the company that you will not lobby government on its behalf, and this will not form part of your role.' Freeman told the Times: 'As a longstanding advocate of important new technologies, companies and industries, working cross-party through APPGs (all-party parliamentary groups) and the select committee, I regularly ask experts for clarification on technical points and terminology, and deeply respect and try to assiduously follow the code of conduct for MPs and the need to act always in the public interest. 'Throughout my 15 years in parliament (and government), I have always understood the need to be transparent in the work I have done for and with commercial clients and charities and am always willing to answer any criticism. 'I don't believe I have done anything wrong but I am immediately referring myself to the parliamentary commissioner for standards and will accept his judgment in due course.' Freeman and GHGSat have been contacted for comment. A Conservative party spokesperson said: 'George Freeman MP has referred himself to the parliamentary standards commissioner. 'It would be inappropriate for the Conservative party to comment further whilst the commissioner's enquiries are ongoing.' The MP for Mid Norfolk is on the science, innovation and technology committee and is a trade envoy. He was responsible for the UK space agency in his previous role as a minister in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology under Rishi Sunak.
