FURIOUS parents have hit out at major changes to the train timetable which will leave them unable to get to work on time after dropping children off at school.
Thousands of Reigate and Redhill passengers who rely on direct trains to the capital face three years of disruption during the planned refurbishment of London Bridge.
The 8.02am and 8.31am trains from Redhill to London Bridge have already been diverted to London Victoria.
But from January, the 6.56am and 7.51am from Redhill to London Bridge will be axed, and the 7.40am from Reigate will also terminate at London Victoria instead. The cancellations and alterations will be in place until 2018.
Commuters say the changes have been made without proper consultation or consideration of the affect it will have on them.
A new Redhill and Reigate Commuters Facebook group has already got 165 members, many venting their anger or trying to work out how to juggle commuting with childcare.
Earlswood resident Sara Pont currently drops her children off at school and gets the 7.51am train to work. She says the cancellation will mean she can no longer get in on time.
She told the Mirror: "It is just not acceptable, we have been completely hamstrung by this.
"You can't turn up to work and say 'Sorry I'm late, they cancelled my train and this is going on for the next three years.' You just can't do that and that's fair enough from work's point of view.
"Southern have left us up the creek without a paddle."
Others have slammed train operators Southern for not discussing the issue with commuters.
Katy Harries said: "Southern would have known about this for years and could have spent time speaking openly to commuters to find out what changes across the network as a whole would minimise disruption."
She added: "Any defence that we have Victoria trains is crazy as that doesn't help many of us that chose where we live on the ability to get to London Bridge specifically." The work at London Bridge, part of a £6 billion Government project, includes plans to develop a new concourse for passengers. The track will also be reconfigured to allow for nine platforms which trains pass through and six where services terminate.
Southern were contacted for a response but could not reply before the Mirror went to press.
Speaking previously, Southern spokesman Chris Hudson said the firm had worked hard to get as many trains as possible into London Bridge during the work, and had mitigated the effects of cancellations where possible. He added that details of the changes have been "widely communicated".
