Andrew Dismore

Tube noise [2]

Question No: 2018/0675

Andrew Dismore

Why, when changing the profile of the rails and installing concrete sleepers to replace wooden ones with no noise dampening mechanism between the two, was no thought given to the consequences of an increase in noise to unacceptable levels for those living near tube lines especially the Northern Line?

Written response from the Mayor

Between the years 2000 and 2015, London Underground carried out a substantial programme of renewals to replace unreliable and maintenance-intensive wooden sleepers, with modern and efficient concrete sleepers. In the majority of cases this has not led to an increase in noise complaints. However, at some specific sites, like those in the Camden area that you are aware of, corrugation/rail roughness has developed due to specific local track features.

Transport for London (TfL) is aware of where these noise ‘hot spots’ are developing and is taking prompt action to reduce noise, especially where the Night Tube operates. TfL is achieving this by installing resilient track fastenings.

TfL is now better informed about the causes of ground borne vibration on its network, and all current and future Tube renewals incorporate a vibration-isolating material which should ensure no increases in noise and vibration over the previous design.

 

Tube noise [3]

Question No: 2018/0676

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

How many teams are there to deal with tube noise on the Northern Line when the installation of damping mechanisms are required?

Written response from the Mayor

There are two Northern line track teams to carry out this work alongside other activities. Transport for London is recruiting additional resource, to start immediately, who will solely focus on the delivery of the programme of noise reduction work across the line.

 

Colindale tube station

Question No: 2018/0677

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

What progress is being made with the upgrade of Colindale tube station?

Written response from the Mayor

Transport for London (TfL) recognises that more people are using Colindale station, and is working with the London Borough of Barnet to identify improvements that can be made. TfL is seeking to increase capacity at the station and making improvements to the area around the station. Works will include introducing step-free access via a lift, and are expected to be delivered by 2022. Further details regarding timescales for these improvements will be available later this year.

Brent Cross tube

Question No: 2018/0678

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

Step free access was promised for Brent Cross tube several years ago; what progress is being made?

Written response from the Mayor

The funding for step free access for Brent Cross is being provided through a Section 106 agreement with developers for Brent Cross Cricklewood. This will be released when the developer starts their construction works for the extension to the shopping centre and new bus station.

The developer plans to commence construction of Brent Cross Cricklewood in early 2019. Once Transport for London has received the funding, it will be used to develop a design and implementation programme, with the aim of having the lift operational by 2022.

 

Mill Hill East tube

Question No: 2018/0679

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

When is it expected that step free access will be completed at Mill Hill East tube?

Written response from the Mayor

Mill Hill East underground station is one of at least 30 additional Tube stations that will be made step-free over the next five years, as part of my £200m investment to improve step-free access across the London Underground network. The work to make Mill Hill East step free will be completed in Autumn 2019, subject to planning permission.

The project involves the construction and installation of a new single entry lift, located to the left of the current station structure, which will be connected via a link bridge to the single platform at Mill Hill East. The project has completed feasibility and is due to enter the design phase shortly.

 

Mill Hill Circus

Question No: 2018/0680

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

What progress is being made with the remodelling of Mill Hill Circus?

Written response from the Mayor

As described in the recent Mayor’s Question (MQT 2018/0249), Transport for London is continuing land negotiations with London Borough of Barnet which are expected to conclude in spring this year.

 

Stirling Corner

Question No: 2018/0681

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

What progress is being made with improved pedestrian and cyclist safety at Stirling Corner?

Written response from the Mayor

Transport for London (TfL) is progressing well with the design of the new signalised crossing and will shortly be engaging with the community on these plans.

Subject to confirmation of available funding, TfL anticipate that the new crossing could be introduced by the end of 2019.

 

13 bus

Question No: 2018/0682

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

What progress is being made to resolve the continuing complaints over the No 13 bus service?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

PHV English tests [1]

Question No: 2018/0683

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

Why is it taking a year or more to process checks of English language qualifications for PHV drivers?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

PHV English tests [2]

Question No: 2018/0684

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

How many PHV drivers have waited over 3 months for checks of English language qualifications to be completed?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

PHV English tests [3]

Question No: 2018/0685

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

Why is it taking more than 2 months to respond with a standard holding reply to frustrated PHV drivers asking about progress over checks of their English language qualifications?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

PHV English tests [4]

Question No: 2018/0686

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

Why has it taken over a year so far and no sign of progress, other than a standard holding reply to my constituent Abdul Salam, to decide on whether the English language qualifications he has submitted for his PHV licence are acceptable?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

Camden High Line

Question No: 2018/0687

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

Do you support the proposed Camden High Line? If so, what will you be doing to make sure the project is realised?

Written response from the Mayor

Officers are drafting a response which will be sent shortly.

 

Alleyways

Question No: 2018/0688

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

Will your Walking and Cycling Commissioner be considering how to improve the experience of using alleyways? These are often well used walk routes, but often suffer from poor lighting, poor surface quality (local authorities rarely ever resurface them) and littering. Some also attract anti-social behaviour. What do you and he plan on doing to help improve their quality, where needed?

Written response from the Mayor

My Walking and Cycling Commissioner and I are fully committed to improving the experience of walking in London. As set out in my Transport Strategy, this includes ensuring all streets and public spaces, including alleyways and other spaces that have sometimes been overlooked, are high quality and well maintained.

We want everyone to feel safe and confident walking in London, and will be publishing a plan this year detailing how we will achieve this.

 

Pedestrian Safety on Camden Road

Question No: 2018/0689

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

A cyclist was recently seriously injured in a collision on Camden Road, at the junction with Royal College Street, and is now in a coma. Camden Road, and this junction in particular, are known to be dangerous to cyclists, will you ask TfL what improvements they can make to the area to improve it?

Written response from the Mayor

I was very sorry to hear of the serious injuries sustained by Mr Abdul Hadi from the collision at the junction of Camden Road and Royal College Street on the evening of 10 January 2018. Transport for London (TfL) continues to support the police investigation into the collision.

TfL and I take all collisions seriously and are committed to delivering ‘Vision Zero’ for road danger, which will target and eliminate sources of road danger on London’s streets. TfL is currently working on an improvement scheme that will address issues of danger along Camden Road and will incorporate any specific issues identified by the police. TfL hopes to carry out a consultation later this year.

 

West Hampstead Station Step-Free Access

Question No: 2018/0690

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

Can we have an update on efforts to install step-free access at West Hampstead Jubilee Line station?

Written response from the Mayor

As I confirmed in my response to MQ2017/5170 in December 2017, Transport for London is revisiting the provision of step-free access at West Hampstead and commissioning a feasibility study which will consider what interventions can be made at this complex location. The study will commence this summer and will be completed by the end of 2018.

The final decision as to whether step-free access can be installed will be dependent on the outcome of the study and continuing discussions with Camden Council.

 

 

Northern Line timetable [1]

Question No: 2018/0691

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

You recently took the decision to add more trains on the Northern Line in the evening peak time. Do you have estimates for how much this decision is likely to reduce overcrowding?

Written response from the Mayor

Around 225,000 customers will benefit from quicker and more frequent journeys on the Northern line across the new evening peak service, which has doubled in length to two hours.

During the improved hour of peak service, 20 per cent additional capacity has been added in central London, allowing an additional 11,000 customers to use the service during this hour and reduce crowding at stations.

 

Northern Line timetable [2]

Question No: 2018/0692

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

You recently took the decision to add more trains on the Northern Line in the evening peak time. How many Barnet residents do you estimate will benefit from the new timetable; and how many will lose out through additional or fewer trains?

Written response from the Mayor

The new Northern line timetable is benefiting 225,000 customers during the two hour evening peak. In the extra hour of peak service, 12,000 customers travelling to stations in Barnet will benefit from the more frequent service to Golders Green, East Finchley and Finchley Central.

7,500 customers travelling to West Finchley, Woodside Park, Totteridge & Whetstone and High Barnet stations will see one fewer train service on the High Barnet branch during the two hour evening peak period.

Transport for London continues to advise customers on the Northern line to take the first train and change where necessary for the fastest possible journey.

 

Dudding Hill Line

Question No: 2018/0693

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

What further progress is being made to establish the Dudding Hill Line service?

Written response from the Mayor

The opportunity to improve ‘orbital’ connections to Old Oak and across west London using the Dudding Hill line is identified in my Transport Strategy. Transport for London (TfL) is working closely with the West London Alliance, the relevant London boroughs and Network Rail to investigate the possibility of developing a new West London Orbital Rail service between Hounslow and Brent Cross and/or West Hampstead.

Such a service would utilise existing infrastructure on the Hounslow Loop, North London line, Dudding Hill line and Midland Mainline. TfL is currently reviewing work done to date by the West London Alliance and is updating the business case for the scheme. It is anticipated that this work will be complete later this year.

 

Station platform vendors [1]

Question No: 2018/0694

To: Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

Which stations currently have vendors at platform level? Are there any plans to amend tube maps to display which stations have them?

Written response from the Mayor

The locations of retail units on the London Underground estate are currently categorised by station as opposed to position within the station. I have asked Transport for London (TfL) to establish the number of retail units located at platform level and to contact you once this information has been clarified.

There are no plans to include information regarding retail units on the Tube map. This is because the map’s primary function is to help people navigate the network and it must remain easy to read without overloading passengers with other information. In addition, the retail units available at different stations are liable to change, meaning printed maps would very quickly become out of date. TfL is constantly looking at ways to improve the information available to Londoners and I have asked them to consider the publication of this information online.

Station platform vendors [2]

Question No: 2018/0695

To: Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

How much revenue is generated by platform-level vendors? Do you have plans to roll more out?

Written response from the Mayor

TfL has 585 vendors across the London Underground estate whose current lease agreements generate at least £10.7m in revenue per annum. This is reinvested into the capital’s transport network to provide a safe, modern and reliable service to Londoners.

TfL is continuously looking for opportunities to generate further revenue to reinvest in London’s transport network. The possibility of additional commercial opportunities for vendors at stations, including at platform level, is one of the areas under consideration. At Westminster, for example, two new commercial units have been launched on the Circle and District line platforms. In addition, TfL has launched trial opportunities for further kiosk opportunities outside stations where land is available.

 

Firefighters on TfL services

Question No: 2018/0696

To: Mayor and Commissioner

Andrew Dismore

London firefighters have a range of skills which would be of assistance at any potential event on the transport network should it arise during the course of travel to and from work. These skills include immediate emergency care such as dealing with wounds following slips, trips and falls to more serious injuries such as fractures, dislocations, head trauma, the prevention of catastrophic blood loss and respiratory or cardiac arrest. Firefighters are also trained to deal with fainting and the impact of shock following any of the previously mentioned conditions. Firefighters could also assist in the evacuation of stations following an incident such as a fire alert, carriage derailment, person under train, smoke in tunnel or suspect package. Firefighters have an understanding of the operational response and risks associated with incidents on the transport system and could therefore provide a thorough and constructive handover to attending emergency responders, often reducing the time taken to resolve the incident and restore the service to normality. By the very nature of their role, LFB staff have a heightened awareness of persons acting suspiciously, unattended bags/packages and what could be a device/person with the aim of causing harm to others, namely a possible terror attack. Firefighters are proficient in raising the alarm and could often take control of a situation, assist in evacuation, help create a cordon and deal with any immediate post event matters. By way of example, at the Parsons Green Station terror attack in September 2017, a member of LFB staff on their way to work were on the underground train involved and assisted in the immediate evacuation and provided first aid to casualties.

Given these skills and capabilities, will you consider extending free travel on TfL to firefighters, in the same way that police officers get free travel?

Written response from the Mayor

I am committed to continuing to freeze all Transport for London (TfL) fares until 2020 in order to keep London’s transport network more affordable for all. I am also maintaining all TfL’s travel concessions, including the 60 plus free travel scheme and the travel concessions for young people.

I, and all Londoners, appreciate the tremendous job London’s firefighters do. However, I have no current plans to introduce new or extended fare concessions for particular groups of workers.