It is obviously not sensible for people to leave trains and wander down railway lines, running the risk of electrocution and being run over, as recently occurred.

However, if Connex or Thameslink do not provide information to their staff and then instruct them to pass this on to trapped passengers, what do they expect? People will not sit in the dark for hours on end when they don't know what's going on.

Within the same week, Connex cancelled the half-hourly daytime express services to London. As there is now no off-peak slow service from Brighton to Victoria (the slot has been taken by an hourly Rugby service), passengers either have to change or use Thameslink stations.

To compound the situation, Thameslink has also cancelled both its fast off-peak services to London. This leaves two slow, direct trains to and from London Thameslink stations every hour. We have effectively lost two-thirds of our direct services from Brighton to London.

Everyone accepts services can be late and trains can be cancelled, but why so many?

-Mark Walklin, Clifton Street, Brighton