Chris Burchell
Managing Director
Southern Railway Ltd.
3rd Floor
41-51 Grey Street
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 6EE

22 September 2011

Dear Chris,

I am writing to you to express my concern about the discrimination shown towards University of Brighton Students by the Southern Rail ‘Unicard' discount scheme. As you will be aware, Brighton is a city containing two universities, the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex. Each university has a site adjacent to Falmer station, and each has a large population of students who commute there by train. The ‘Unizone' discount offered by Southern is only available to students from the University of Sussex.

I have been contacted by several concerned constituents about the discrimination against students from the University of Brighton, who, as one constituent pointed out, include more ‘widening participation' students from low income families or families with low levels of parental education.

Please can you explain this decision, and set out what steps you intend to take to remedy it. I look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,

Caroline Lucas, MP, Brighton Pavilion

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