Andrew Dismore

AD/ TFL Buses meeting  Wednesday 19^th July 2017

 

Attendees:

Andrew Dismore AM (AD)

John Barry, TfL

Ebbah Kwambai ,TfL

Arjun Mittra, assistant to AD

 

Mr Dismore had asked for the meeting to review complaints about the 13 bus route (as now designated), and also to raise other constituency bus service issues.

 

Route 13

 

AD told TfL that he had received a number of complaints about totally unacceptable service levels on the route, and that he expected a drastic improvement in the service. TfL agreed that the service was unacceptable, and said they were now working to address the complaints raised by AD.

 

The contract for the replaced 13 bus route was won by Tower Transit. They did not run the previous 13 or 82 lines, which were run by Metroline. Cost was a factor in the assessment of the tender. TfL have given Tower a “dressing down” and told them they must improve the service. Some aspects can be improved straight away, such as not having 10 minute changeover in drivers, reinforcing that it is not acceptable for drivers to take 10 minute cigarette breaks etc. Structural and scheduling changes will take longer, approximately 6 weeks. TfL aim to get the service working as expected for September, and will be reviewing the service in the second half of October. They will report back to AD by then.

 

Route 24 buses

 

TfL will investigate complaints to AD about the excessive heat on new Routemasters on the route and report back to us to see if there are any adaptations that can be made. Both drivers and passengers have complained about 35 degree temperatures in the buses.

 

A5 routes

 

Although the 189 is now terminating at Marble Arch rather than Oxford Street, the 113 has been extended to Oxford Street to maintain links to North West London. The 113 will continue to Oxford Circus for the near future.

 

Route 384

 

TfL seek to keep the capacity for the route appropriate to the level of demand. They reduce less popular services in order to provide extra services for more popular routes, due to funding pressures. AD asked for more buses on the service at school peak times. TfL agrees to review the service frequency in September, to look at impact of school numbers and usage.

 

Cross-borough services in Barnet

 

TfL have produced a forward planning document, TfL development plans. They recognise the need to improve cross borough services in Barnet, especially to Colindale when the Council civic offices move there. They are working with Barnet Council to look at extending route 125 from Finchley Central to Colindale. They do not have firm dates and are looking at the costs and viability of the potential service, as well as which roads could be used to get there.

 

North Finchley Bus station

 

TfL will review cleaning cycles, especially at weekends, and see when the station is scheduled for a deep clean. They will also be looking at whether a countdown timer can be installed.

 

Golders Green Bus station

 

AD raised residents’ concerns over development plans, specifically the concept of “carless development” which is unlikely to be true in reality, the need to protect the war memorial, and the historic nature of the Town Centre; whilst also looking at improvements to the public realm and reducing congestion from the layout. TfL are looking at how to maintain the accommodation with National Express and other coaches.

 

Finchley Memorial Hospital

 

It is down to the NHS to break the unvirtuous circle, as TfL cannot provide services for a demand that is not there. A hopper bus from North Finchley is not viable, but a survey will be done when the hospital has more services operating, as the NHS have requested that timescale for the review. Without more patients likely to use buses, TfL cannot justify extra services.

 

Bus service from Finchley to Royal Free

 

TfL hope that the hopper bus fare will help, as there are good transport links from Finchley to either Archway or Golders Green, from which there are interchange bus routes. TfL do not plan any additional routes.

 

Burnt Oak

 

The two busy bus stops outside Burnt Oak station were merged into one very busy one, but the countdown timer have been removed. AD has requested that this is reinstalled.

 

Countdown Timers

 

TfL do not have funding to install more than the 2500 countdown timers they have done. Instead they offer free data on smartphones, or via a text service. They recognise the location of existing bus stop countdown timers is inconsistent. However, they do not propose removing them from existing locations, as they feel it would be unfair to remove a service that is already there.

 

Electric buses

 

TfL are facing challenges to enlarge their electric bus fleet. Electricity supply capacity and the time taken to recharge batteries are problems, as is the less reliable nature of electric buses. TfL have made significant investment in electric buses so far, and this has helped the market drive improvements to batteries, more efficient and cheaper engines, but technology and funding is still a long way off from having a fully electric fleet, though the aspiration remains to have one by 2030.