Andrew Dismore

HS2

Question No: 2017/0214

Andrew Dismore

Do you think it was appropriate for HS2 to engage in large scale noisy demolition work in Euston on Christmas Day?

Written response from the Mayor

I understand that when major projects such as HS2 need to undertake works that affect existing transport infrastructure, these works are generally planned to take place in periods when fewer or no people are travelling such as on Christmas Day. However, HS2 need to take very seriously their responsibility to minimise the impact of their works on local residents and businesses and in circumstances where large-scale and noisy works are unavoidable, HS2 must offer suitable and appropriate mitigation measures to all those affected.

 

Impact of HS2 on Euston

Question No: 2017/0215

Andrew Dismore

Further to Question No: 2016/4854:

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:

The Secretary of State responded to my letter on 10 October, stating that he shares my desire to maximise the opportunity HS2 presents locally and wants to see a comprehensive redevelopment of Euston.

His response also recognises that it is critical to mitigate the impacts of construction on people living and working around the Euston area. Whilst the SoS’s response provides some reassurance, I will continue to push for a better outcome at Euston to reduce the impacts of HS2 and protect peoples quality of life and livelihoods.

Will you now publish the Secretary of State’s letter of 10th October?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

House of Lords Select Committee on the HS2 Bill [1]

Question No: 2017/0216

Andrew Dismore

The House of Lords Select Committee on the HS2 Bill has recommended improved compensation arrangements, in recognition that Camden is a special case:

“We make a strong recommendation, therefore, that those households in Camden, and any in Hillingdon and Birmingham, that are so threatened by construction noise as to be entitled to noise insulation, should be treated in the same way as if they were within 120m of the line of route in an area where the Rural Support Zone (RSZ) applies.” ([215]).

In particular that

(i) Owner-occupiers should be entitled to participate in the Voluntary Purchase Scheme. This is the right to require the government to acquire the property at the unblighted price.

(ii) Owner-occupiers should also benefit from the Cash Option. This is 10% of the unblighted value with a minimum of £30k and a maximum of £100k. The SC considers that this would be the preferred option. The SC does not recommend that the cash limits should be raised because of high unblighted market values in parts of Camden. Thus the same option would apply to Park Village East as to right-to-buy owners on the Regent’s Park Estate and the Ampthill Square Estate.

(iii) Residential tenants who do not qualify as owner-occupiers should be entitled to a “lump sum of £10k”.

Will you lobby the Government on behalf of Camden and Hillingdon residents to ensure that these recommendations are accepted?

Written response from the Mayor

I have asked my officials at the GLA to follow this up with the Department for Transport with a view to making sure that the recommendations from the House of Lords Select Committee are adopted in the HS2 Bill.

 

House of Lords Select Committee on the HS2 Bill [2]

Question No: 2017/0217

Andrew Dismore

The House of Lords Select Committee on the HS2 Bill has said:

“We agree with these petitioners as to their main aspiration” (i.e. the comprehensive development of the station). “The new station, which will eventually emerge after so much expenditure of public funds and so much misery endured by Camden residents, ought to be a world-classrailway station, and the splitting of its design into two different operations seems unlikely to assist in the achievement of that objective. We earnestly urge the Secretary of State to ensure that funding is provided for the second planning stage to proceed as soon as possible. But although HS2 Ltd and Network Rail are both in the public sector, they have different managements, different business plans, and different budgetary restraints. We do not feel able to direct, rather than to exhort…”

Will you lobby the Government to ensure that these proposals are accepted?

Written response from the Mayor

My position regarding the need for an integrated and comprehensive world-class railway station at Euston, which includes provision for Crossrail 2, is unchanged. I will continue to make this point to Government at every available opportunity.

 

House of Lords Select Committee on the HS2 Bill [3]

Question No: 2017/0218

Andrew Dismore

The House of Lords Select Committee on the HS2 Bill recommended removing clause 48(1)-(3) from the HS2 Bill, which would give HS2 Ltd unnecessary powers to compulsory purchase land for regeneration purposes. Camden Council petitioned on this route-wide issue on behalf of 10 other local authorities, and this will also benefit local authorities in Phase 2 of the scheme, announced last month.

Will you lobby the Government to ensure that this recommendation is accepted?

Written response from the Mayor

I recognise that the HS2 project has the potential to have a transformational impact on the areas in and around Euston. However, this transformation must take place in the context of both the London and Euston Area Plans. I have asked my officials at the GLA to follow up this particular point with the Department for Transport.

 

House of Lords Select Committee on the HS2 Bill and CS11

Question No: 2017/0219

Andrew Dismore

As the House of Lords Select Committee on the HS2 Bill has raised no objection to HS2’s plan to base their lorry park in the Regents Park outer circle it can now be assumed that this will go ahead. In the circumstances, will you ask TfL to review their proposals for CS11 and the implications of the fact that hundreds of HS2 lorries daily are likely to be using Finchley Road and the routes into and through the park roads?

Written response from the Mayor

As announced before Christmas, subject to formal processes and approvals, TfL aims to start construction of CS11 at Swiss Cottage this autumn.

 

However, TfL will do further work on the proposals for Regent’s Park before deciding a way forward for this section of the route. The information shared by HS2 with TfL so far is neither finalised, nor sufficiently detailed to be used by TfL in traffic modelling or design work for CS11.

 

I am aware of the amount of concern among residents about the impacts of the construction of HS2. HS2 will be expected to adhere with the roadworks permitting and approval procedures TfL has in place to manage complex works affecting London’s roads. TfL’s role is to make sure these works are managed as effectively as possible to minimise disruption. TfL will work closely with HS2 and to ensure that the schemes are managed to reduce disruption.

 

Step free programme for tube stations

Question No: 2017/0220

Andrew Dismore

You recently announced an expansion of the step free programme for tube stations. Are Mill Hill East and West Hampstead Jubilee line under consideration for this programme?

Written response from the Mayor

Please see my response to 2017/0004. Mill Hill East and West Hampstead Tube stations will be considered as part of this review.

 

Mill Hill Circus

Question No: 2017/0221

Andrew Dismore

What progress is being made with the scheme to improve Mill Hill Circus?

Written response from the Mayor

TfL is progressing with acquiring the land required for planned improvements at Mill Hill Circus. The London Borough of Barnet has formally registered the land under its ownership with the Land Registry and will transfer the land to TfL before public consultation on the planned changes takes place, due during the first half of this year.

 

USA Embassy and the congestion charge

Question No: 2017/0222

Andrew Dismore

The USA embassy has consistently refused to pay its congestion charge bill. What is the total now due; and as there is a new President in the USA will you take the opportunity to raise this matter with him, and send him the bill?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

Archway buses

Question No: 2017/0223

Andrew Dismore

Archway is an important transport hub for residents of Barnet and Camden and other neighbouring boroughs who will have to put up with worse traffic and poorer bus connectivity if TfL’s scheme goes ahead. Of the large total of 818 responses, a massive 75% were against TfL’s scheme. Yet TfL are ignoring residents’ and commuters’ objections. What was the point in consulting when TfL are not prepared to listen to an answer they didn’t want to hear; and will you now review the scheme in light of the overwhelming opposition to it?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

Archway Gyratory [1]

Question No: 2017/0224

Andrew Dismore

Further to Question No: 2016/4889

Do you agree that a good definition of Consultation might be:

“let people know what they are proposing and why, give them a chance to comment, and conscientiously take into account their responses with an open mind before deciding whether or not to do what was proposed.”

That being the case, what was the point of the public consultation on the proposals for the Archway Gyratory scheme, if TfL have decided to ignore what the public say? Of the 818 respondents, 75% disagreed with the proposal. How is this “conscientiously taking into account responses with an open mind before deciding whether or not to do what was proposed”?

Your response being:

‘Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly’

Will you now provide a substantive reply?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

Archway Gyratory [2]

Question No: 2017/0225

Andrew Dismore

Further to Question No: 2016/4890

TfL’s proposals for the Archway Gyratory include the removal of bus stops D and E. These stops together are an important interchange for passengers travelling in from Central London to outer London. To separate them will lead to more buses being missed and more pedestrian movement. Given that this scheme is opposed by 75% of consultation respondents, will you do the sensible thing and abandon this plan?

Your response being:

‘Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly’

Will you now provide a substantive reply?

Written response from the Mayor

Please see my answer to MQ 2016/4570 and 4890.

The Archway gyratory removal scheme aims to make Archway town centre a more pleasant and accessible environment. In order to deliver these improvements, it is not possible to keep the common bus stop at the station on Lower Highgate Hill, as the requirement to ban the right turn from St Johns Way towards Highgate means route 210 cannot serve the same stop as routes 143 and 271.

 

For passengers interchanging between the Underground and buses, TfL plans to install a digital information screen inside Archway station to help passengers determine which bus stop to use before reaching the stop.

 

TfL has engaged with Better Archway Forum and the Campaign for Better Transport throughout the design and consultation stages for the gyratory scheme, and will continue to do so as the improvements to the Archway area develop.

 

I understand the concerns you raise about bus services to similar destinations now departing from different stops, and the potential this has to cause confusion and delay for bus passengers. I want to make the new system work as well as it can, and I have asked TfL to keep this specific issue under review as the changes settle in.

 

High salaries at TfL

Question No: 2017/0226

Andrew Dismore

How many people are employed by TfL at a salary of over £100,000?

Written response from the Mayor

As part of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) commitment to transparency, it publishes information on staff remuneration in its annual report:

http://content.tfl.gov.uk/tfl-annual-report-2015-16.pdf

TfL competes with the private and public sector for highly-skilled and experienced people across a range of disciplines including engineering, technology and property development, and the pay of its senior team is significantly lower than in comparable organisations.

However, at my request, TfL is carrying out a comprehensive review of its organisation, which is considering reducing management layers, merging functions, such as engineering, to eliminate duplication, and reducing reliance on agency staff. A number of senior managers have already left TfL, saving £40m over the next five years.

 

As of 11 January, there are 170 employees who have a full time equivalent salary of £100,000 or above. This represents a 14 per cent reduction from April last year, when there were 198 employees who had a full time equivalent salary of £100,000 or above.

 

I now personally sign off any new appointments over £100,000 per annum, to ensure that salaries of this magnitude represent good value for public money.

 

track maintenance north of East Finchley station

Question No: 2017/0227

Andrew Dismore

Since March of 2016 residents have suffered from a noise problem arising from overnight track maintenance just north of East Finchley station. They have suffered an unprecedented 13 nights broken sleep due to hammering and drilling on this track generally starting at 2 a.m. and lasting till 4 a.m. The work seems to concentrate on the central track – this is neither the northbound nor the southbound track, but a rarely-used track used to turn the trains around. TFL has made no attempt to give residents notice of this work or tell them when it is scheduled to be completed. One resident emailed TFL’s Freedom of Information office (foi@tfl.gov.uk) on 15th November to try to find out when the work is due to finish, but they have not bothered to reply. Will you look into the issue and give a proper reply as to what has been going on, when this will stop and ensure fair warning is given to residents?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

Buses on Oxford Street

Question No: 2017/0228

Andrew Dismore

Further to Question No: 2016/4844

If the Elizabeth Line, when open, is being used as an excuse to cut bus routes that use Oxford St, will bus passengers be able to travel on the Elizabeth Line for free for the length of Oxford St, to pick up another bus at the other end of Oxford Street?

Your response being:

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly

Will you now provide a substantive reply?

Written response from the Mayor

Please see my response to MQ 2016/4844.

If the Elizabeth Line, when open, is being used as an excuse to cut bus routes that use Oxford St, will bus passengers be able to travel on the Elizabeth Line for free for the length of Oxford St, to pick up another bus at the other end of Oxford Street?

 

Answer The Mayor

The opening of the Elizabeth line will be the most significant transformation to transport in central London for a generation and we predict there will be a reduction in bus use along Oxford Street when it comes into operation in two years’ time. It is entirely appropriate for wider transport networks to be re-examined as part of this huge project.

 

We plan to consult on a scheme to transform Oxford Street next year.

 

CS11 [1]

Question No: 2017/0229

Andrew Dismore

Further to Question No: 2016/4855

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 provide a substantive reply as this has now been outstanding for some time?

Written response from the Mayor

Please see my response to MQs 2016/ 4391 and 4855.

Answer The Mayor

TfL’s public consultation on the CS11 proposals included sending out leaflets, emails and notices to stakeholders, visiting businesses and organisations and five public drop-in sessions to give people the opportunity to ask questions about the scheme. Six thousand responses were received, which compares favourably with similar schemes.

 

TfL has also held a number of meetings with local stakeholders to discuss the consultation proposals, including campaign groups from Westminster and Camden, as well as transport and road user groups, representatives from the freight industry, London TravelWatch, cycling campaign groups, pedestrian campaign groups, residents’ associations, MPs, local councillors and Assembly Members.

 

I have asked TfL officers to liaise with you and Camden Town councillors to provide a briefing on progress with this important scheme

 

CS11 [2]

Question No: 2017/0230

Andrew Dismore

Further to Question No: 2016/4856

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?

Your response being:

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly

Will you now provide a substantive reply?

Written response from the Mayor

Please see my response to MQ 2016/4856.

Answer The Mayor

TfL considers the views set out in petitions but it does not count the number of petition signatories in the way you suggest because they have responded to the information set out by the petitioner, rather than directly to the consultation.

 

TfL is accredited as a ‘centre of excellence’ for consultations by the Consultation Institute, the UK’s professional body overseeing consultation activities). It treats all petitions fairly in accordance with the institute’s guidelines and best practice.

 

children being issued with penalty fares

Question No: 2017/0231

Andrew Dismore

Further to Question No: 2016/4858

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 do not have the same financial resources 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?

Your response being:

‘Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly’

Will you now provide a substantive reply?

Written response from the Mayor

Please see my response to MQ 2016/4858.

Answer The Mayor

TfL expects to finish its review into the way its enforcement staff deal with young people travelling without a valid ticket or Zip Oyster photocard on the bus network early next year, and will be looking to introduce a more consistent approach across all services.

 

Only young people with a valid Zip Oyster photocard may travel for free on the bus network and they must comply with the Young Person’s Behaviour Code. The vast majority do, but a small number of young people breach it and, therefore, have their free travel suspended. For this reason, wearing a school uniform is not sufficient evidence of being entitled to travel for free.

 

TfL does show discretion when younger passengers are found to be travelling without a valid ticket or pass, as they may not be familiar with the requirement to carry a Zip Oyster photocard.

 

In addition, all bus drivers carry a pack of Unpaid Fare Reports, which ensure that young and other vulnerable people can travel home

 

North Finchley bus station

Question No: 2017/0252

Andrew Dismore

Residents have written to me regarding the poor state of North Finchley bus station, with hazard tape across doors, poor levels of cleanliness and a lack of countdown timers at this important local terminus, serving a number of routes. Is it acceptable to you or will you ensure that the doors are repaired properly, that the bus station is kept tidy and work on installing countdown timers as a matter of urgency?

Written response from the Mayor

Thank you for raising this issue. North Finchley Bus Station does not currently meet the high standards set by TfL and me. Arrangements have already been made to rectify faults with the doors and to explore upgrading them to a more reliable design. TfL has also arranged a deep clean of the area and will work with the landlords in an attempt to secure their agreement to other measures which would improve the passenger experience, including the installation of a countdown timer.

 

Camden Street

Question No: 2017/0253

Andrew Dismore

The lack of pedestrian crossing on the east side of the Camden St/Camden Rd junction is proving very difficult for the school commute for children and their families from Hawley and St Martin’s Primary Schools. Will you ensure that officers from TfL actively propose improvements to pedestrian crossings as part of their ongoing review of traffic flow in the area?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.