Andrew Dismore

Impact of HS2 on Euston

Question No: 2016/4854

Andrew Dismore

Further to Question No: 2016/4380

In August you wrote a very welcome letter to the Secretary of State for Transport about the impact of HS2 on Euston setting out your concerns on behalf of residents after you met with local representatives. Details of this appeared in the Evening Standard last month. Have you received a reply yet; and if so, will you publish it; and if not what are you doing to press for a reply?

Your response being:

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

Will you now give a substantive reply?

Written response from the Mayor

Please see my response to MQ 2016/4380.

 

 

 

CS11 [1]

Question No: 2016/4855

Andrew Dismore

Further to Question No: 2016/4391

TfL have had no stakeholder meetings in Camden Town concerning CS11 even though the proposals have an impact there as well as in Swiss Cottage, as there is an issue about diversionary traffic heading onto residential streets to the east of Regents Park when Albany Street and Prince Albert Road become the main alternative route to the outer circle for traffic in peak hours (because of the shutting of gates into the park for CS11). These two roads are also affected by HS2 major utility works and are the primary HGV routes for their lorry holding area in the zoo car park, which will then journey to the main site compound and work sites on Hampstead Road, bringing under present plans one HGV every three minutes for ten hours a day on Albany Street for several years.  Will you now arrange for a stakeholder consultation meeting in Camden Town over CS11 as soon as possible?

Your response being:

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

Will you now give a substantive reply?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

 

 

CS11 [2]

Question No: 2016/4856

Andrew Dismore

I am informed in the context of CS11, TfL does not count individual petition signatories in the overall figures of supporters or opponents of a scheme as part of its consultation because TfL    say they ‘need to be certain that all respondents have had the opportunity to read and understand the detail of TfL’s consultation documents, which can be difficult to verify in the case of petition signatories.’ How do TfL ‘make themselves certain’ of this in respect of other responses?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

 

 

 

Thameslink rail devolution

Question No: 2016/4857

Andrew Dismore

You have spoken a lot about rail devolution of Southern Rail. What are you saying about Thameslink rail devolution?

Written response from the Mayor

I am very disappointed the Secretary of State for Transport has reneged on the Government’s promise to devolve suburban rail services to TfL, despite cross-party support from Assembly Members, MPs, councils inside and outside of London, and businesses and their representatives.

 

The only proven way of improving services for passengers is giving control of suburban rail lines to TfL. TfL’s Business Case makes this clear. It is a fact that TfL lines have more frequent trains, fewer delays and cancellations and more staff at stations and customers will benefit from my decision to freeze all TfL fares. I will keep pushing the government to deliver the rail devolution it has promised and that is needed.

 

Thameslink provides an important service relied on by many Londoners, which is why I will continue to press the Government to address the very serious failings of Govia Thameslink Railway, the Thameslink operator.

 

In the longer term, I am fully supportive of the multi-billion pound Thameslink Programme which will result in new trains, more frequent services, expanded stations and additional destinations.

 

 

 

children being issued with penalty fares

Question No: 2016/4858

Andrew Dismore

Do you share the concern at the number of children being issued with penalty fares by TfL inspectors because they have forgotten their Oyster ZIP cards on bus journeys to and from school? Of course, inspectors have an important job to do ensuring that fare evasion is tackled as the costs of such evasion are borne by those who do pay, but for a child on their way to or from school within the Oyster ZIP card bus area there cannot be any question of a revenue loss to TfL given that the Oyster ZIP card provides for free bus travel and a child in school uniform is clearly resident in the London area and is prima facie entitled to such free travel.  Nevertheless, given that children cannot be expected to have the same responsibility as adults and are prone to misplacing things, do you agree that it appears draconian for TfL to levy the same penalties on children for not having a valid Oyster card with them as it does for adults?  Is this not  especially so given that there is now no mechanism by which children can pay by other means if they suddenly find they have lost their Oyster ZIP card ,whereas a high proportion of adults will have a cashless payment card they can use which  cannot be assumed for children?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

 

 

Credit card readers be situated in taxis

Question No: 2016/4859

Andrew Dismore

Are you prepared to ask Transport for London not to insist that the credit card readers be situated in the passenger compartment of taxis? A taxi driver who drives for Dial-A-Cab who have had card readers in the drivers compartment since 2011 with no problems at all, has suggested to me that requiring the readers to be in the passenger compartment could endanger drivers if they have to leave the safety of the front cab as a result?

Written response from the Mayor

From 1 January 2017, all licensed taxis must have a TfL-approved card payment device fitted in the passenger compartment. It is important that the device is fitted in this position so that passengers are able to stay in control of their card details at all times. This approach was approved by the TfL Board earlier this year after the public consultation found that the majority of taxi customers believe these devices should be fixed in one position.

 

TfL has been working closely with Dial a Cab (DAC) and has approved their card payment system, so that their card payment devices can be installed within the passenger compartment of taxis. DAC is currently in the process of installing their payment devices across the DAC fleet in time for 1 January 2017.

 

TfL will monitor the use of card payment devices in taxis in the light of any safety concerns felt by either passengers or drivers.

 

TfL or I would not expect a driver to leave their cab should a problem with the payment machine arise, if they did not feel safe to do so. In these cases, an alternative means of payment should be agreed with the passenger, and the driver should contact the provider of the card payment system in order to rectify any issue. If a passenger refuses to pay and an alternative agreement cannot be reached, this should be treated like any other instance where a passenger refuses to pay a fare.

 

 

 

Bus waiting times

Question No: 2016/4860

Andrew Dismore

Do you agree that an important way of reducing traffic, congestion and air pollution in outer London is to encourage bus use? That being the case, do you agree that having long waits for a bus act as a deterrence to consistent use, and that increasing the frequency of services would encourage more people to use them regularly?

Written response from the Mayor

I absolutely agree that increasing bus use is an important way to reduce road traffic congestion and air pollution in London.

 

TfL sets the frequency of bus services based on passenger demand and location, with consideration of its resources.  Around 80 per cent of bus passengers travel on high frequency routes, operating up to every 12 minutes. The remaining 20 per cent of bus passengers travel on low frequency routes of fewer than five buses per hour.   Of course, I do not want Londoners waiting at bus stops for long periods of time unnecessarily and TfL has worked to ensure that its customers can access real-time travel information before arriving at the bus stop. TfL’s Journey Planner and the many travel apps that are powered by TfL data mean that customers can plan journeys in advance.

 

However, I am concerned about journey times and have asked TfL to put together a comprehensive plan to improve this as part of its plans to tackle congestion. TfL is already making timetabling changes, introducing new bus priority initiatives and adjusting traffic signal phasing to improve bus passenger journeys times. TfL also has a comprehensive plan to improve air quality, in advance of the Ultra Low Emission Zone, including Low Emission Bus Zones which will be supported by bus priority initiatives.

 

The Healthy Streets Approach that TfL and I have adopted puts public transport use alongside walking and cycling at the heart of our planning for London. Further details will be announced in the new year, and the approach will be a core feature of my Transport Strategy, which will be published in draft for consultation in the spring.

 

 

 

 

 

Outer London bus connectivity

Question No: 2016/4861

Andrew Dismore

How will you ensure that areas between tube stations have adequate and frequent bus services to keep residents connected?

Written response from the Mayor

TfL regularly monitors and reviews the bus network to maintain reliability and ensure that capacity and connectivity reflect changing patterns of usage. This includes providing services to and between Tube and rail stations.

 

My new Transport Strategy, to be published in draft for consultation in the spring, will provide details of my strategic approach to bus route planning. A key feature of this will be providing better bus connections in outer London, including between Tube stations and other transport hubs.

 

 

 

 

Bus countdown timers

Question No: 2016/4862

Andrew Dismore

How many countdown timers have been installed at bus stops due to section 106 payments? What are you doing to encourage more planning consents deliver more countdown timers?

Written response from the Mayor

Countdown signs have been installed at 69 bus shelters through section 106 payments to date.

 

TfL regularly meets with borough officers to discuss how best to encourage more digital streaming technology through third-party funding.

 

 

 

 

Bus stops for Finchley Memorial Hospital

Question No: 2016/4863

Andrew Dismore

The state of bus stops M and N for the 263 bus near Finchley Memorial Hospital are not in a good state, being muddy, uneven, poorly lit and with seating in a poor condition. Will you undertake to improve these bus stops, so they are in a fit state for those visiting a hospital?

Written response from the Mayor

Yes. TfL will work with the London Borough of Barnet to ensure the environment is improved.

 

A recent planning condition on a housing development within the grounds of Finchley Memorial Hospital will provide funds for the borough to improve the approach to the bus stops, which is currently via informal and unsurfaced tracks to the road from the hospital.

 

 

 

Extending the C11 bus to North Finchley

Question No: 2016/4864

Andrew Dismore

Will you consider extending the C11 bus to North Finchley from Archway, via Highgate and East Finchley? This would enable many more residents to access the Royal Free Hospital.

Written response from the Mayor

Extending route C11 would require over £1.5m a year of additional subsidy. Given the high levels of existing connectivity, TfL does not have plans to extend route C11 at this time.

 

Passengers wishing to travel to the Royal Free Hospital from North Finchley can take route 82 and route 268 interchanging at Golders Green, or route 263 and route C11 interchanging at Archway. These routes are all high frequency, providing good levels of connectivity to the hospital.

 

The steering group set up to review catchment areas surrounding London’s major hospitals expects to report back to me in early 2017 with its findings.

 

 

 

Long Lane, East Finchley

Question No: 2016/4865

Andrew Dismore

On a recent site visit with ward Councillors and officers from both Barnet Council and TfL, a plan of action was agreed to install a fence on Long Lane in East Finchley, adjacent to the North Circular. This is to enclose land owned by TfL which has been a source of dumping, burglaries of neighbouring properties and ASB. TfL has pulled the plug on the fence, citing budgetary reasons. What is the estimated cost of the wooden pale fence of 20 meters in length that would be required? (The materials at B&Q would cost no more than £600) Do you consider TfL’s estimate to be excessive? Will you now instruct TfL to do the right thing by the local residents, given the unacceptable impact this is having on their lives? If not, would you ask TfL to fund the materials and give permission to enable local DIY enthusiasts to do the job for you?

Written response from the Mayor

TfL will undertake these works by the end of January 2017. The total cost of installing the fence is just under £2,000 – this is for standard materials, labour and an element of design. This work will be carried out by approved contractors, meeting the safety standards required

 

TfL had initially planned to delay these works until the new financial year but it was agreed that any further delay to this scheme is unacceptable, given the discussions that have taken place with the London Borough of Barnet.

 

 

 

 

Night tube and Swiss Cottage

Question No: 2016/4866

Andrew Dismore

Belsize Road is a residential street in Camden that leads to an entrance to Swiss Cottage underground station. Residents there have written to me to complain that since the start of the night tube there have been regular problems in the early morning hours with anti-social behaviour and severe littering problems. They also complain that the walled vent above the station is not maintained, gathering waste. Will you take action on these complaints?

Written response from the Mayor

I have asked TfL to inspect the vent above the station and take any action that is necessary.

 

TfL is working closely with the London Borough of Camden and the police, and where required will address anti-social behaviour and noise levels around Night Tube stations in the Borough.