I understand the arguments above, however I feel if I can be talking to someone then I should be. Even if just for an alerting service, so someone knows roughly where I am!
I also agree that it's better to been in touch with a local ATSU as opposed to London Info if at all possible!
However, between Shoreham, up towards Bewl Water up to Rochester there are no ATSUs (with one exception mentioned below) to speak to with the exeption of Lashenden. Which brings up 1 question and 1 point. First of all the local ATSU for that Shoreham Rochester trip is Gatwick - who with some justification will laugh their socks off at me if I ask for a FIS/RIS so busy or not I will speak to London Info, just to let them know where I am. I can infer from other transmissions where people should be in relation to me and if people broadcast turning points and next estimates we can build up a bit of a picture by ourselves.
As for my question what kind of service can Lashenden, or any other Air/Ground Radio station offer me? They are not supposed to provide a FIS, the only traffic they can report on is in the circuit. So what would be the point in talking to such a station unless you were going to transit their ATZ or pass close enough to be a threat to approaching/departing traffic?