New map for Underground stations called ‘Avoiding Stairs Tube guide’ and also a’toilet map’!

A new Tube guide has been added to the TfL website at www.tfl.gov.uk/accessguides which shows customers how to avoid stations with stairs.

London Underground, which started in 1863, is the oldest metro system in the world and many of its stations were built in Victorian and Edwardian times when passengers who had mobility problems were not a priority.

Putting lifts into existing Tube stations is often extremely difficult and expensive but Transport for London (TfL) has invested hundreds of millions of pounds in doing this, as well as building new Tube, London Overground and DLR stations which all have step-free access. TfL has increased the number of Tube stations which have step-free access to 62 and this will rise to 65 when lifts are installed at Green Park, Blackfriars and Farringdon before the 2012 Games.  The Tube Upgrade Plan will continue redeveloping key stations and installing lifts.

In the meantime London Underground has issued a new ‘Avoiding Stairs Tube guide’, which will be useful for anyone who may have difficulty using stairs but can manage escalators. This will include older people, customers with heavy luggage, parents with pushchairs and people with physical disabilities who do not use a wheelchair.

The map highlights stations where customers can reach the platforms or change trains via escalators, lifts or ramps, or where the platforms are already at street level. Stations where this access is not possible are greyed out on the map.

The map differs to the ‘Step-Free Tube map’ which shows step-free stations suitable for wheelchair users, which have lifts from street to platform level or ramps; and includes more detailed information including the size of steps and gaps between train and platform.

Wayne Trevor, London Underground’s Accessibility & Inclusion Manager said: “With the funding we have we are installing lifts to make as many Tube stations free of steps as we can, currently 62 increasing to 65 by next year.

 “However, we know that many people have difficulties in walking up and down long flights of stairs, but can manage escalators and have produced the ‘Avoiding Stairs Tube Guide’ to reflect these needs. These are very different to the difficulties faced by wheelchair users and so we wanted to provide a map that more accurately reflected these needs.”

At www.tfl.gov.uk/accessguides  there is also an Audio Tube map, Tube toilet map, a large print Tube map and the Step-Free Tube map.

 

Have you caught a bus recently? Biggest 12 months for London Buses for 50 years.

Bus travel in London highest in 50 years

London Buses have carried more passengers and travelled more kilometres in the last year than at any time in the last 50 years, according to new figures released by Transport for London today.

The capital’s bus network is one of the largest and most comprehensive urban transport systems in the world. During the last financial year London buses carried almost 2.3 billion passengers. That was 24 million more than the previous year and more than the entire number of journeys across the UK rail network. Bus ridership has increased by 60 per cent in London since 2000 due to a sustained investment in the bus network and improvements to services.

Last year buses in the capital travelled 486 million kilometres in passenger service, which was 2.6 million kilometres more than the previous year. Every weekday in London 7,500 buses carry more than 6 million passengers on 700 different routes across the Capital.

[Note to London Transport – we use miles not kilometres in the United Kingdom – Ed]

More information on cooling TfL tube and train carriages, buses and stations.

Work continues to keep passengers cool this summer and beyond, [I have tried to remove as much “puff” as possible! Ed]

• First air conditioned Tube trains now running in central London
• London Overground served by full fleet of air conditioned trains
• Work to double ventilation fans on the Victoria line nears completion
• Work underway looking at future of Tube trains

With warm summer weather now hitting the capital and millions of Tube passengers experiencing hot journeys on the Underground, Transport for London (TfL) has set out the work it continues to carry out to try and cool the Tube network.

On the sub surface lines the roll out of new air-conditioned S stock Tube trains continues and this summer Metropolitan line passengers are able to use them on routes into central London for the first time. By 2016 forty per cent of the Tube network will use the new air conditioned trains as, once roll out is complete on the Metropolitan line, they will be introduced on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines from 2012 and the District line from 2013.

However the challenge of cooling the deep level Tube lines is one that TfL continues to work on. The Tube is the oldest metro system in the world and its basic tunnel infrastructure has changed little since it was constructed over 145 years ago. On the deep-level lines, which are unique to London, the heat generated by trains has been passing into the tunnels and the clay surrounding them for many years, meaning the tunnels retain heat. They were also built with only enough room for trains and with very little space for air-conditioning on the trains, inside or outside.

TfL’s acquisition of Tube Lines has created the opportunity for a joint approach to upgrades of the Piccadilly and Bakerloo lines including a common design for trains. London Underground, working with the train industry, is looking to develop a train that would be lighter and more energy-efficient, which would mean the possibility of it being able to carry air conditioning equipment.  Using regenerative braking, which returns power back to the rails, could in turn power the air conditioning while not adding to the heat that would be generated powering it. The current plan is that a prototype will be delivered to London Underground by 2015.  

Work to double the capacity of the fans at all the main ventilations shafts serving the Victoria line is also due to be completed later this year. A total of nine fans have already been completed and the work on the final four is currently underway. Later this week the entire Victoria line train fleet will have been replaced and this will enable LU to operate the environmentally friendly regenerative braking system, which returns power to the rails while the train is braking. That will reduce the amount of heat that is generated and should therefore reduce the temperature in the tunnel.

Coupled with the new trains ventilation system, which will circulate cool air from ground level in the tunnel and distribute it into the carriage at head height, this will mean more comfortable journeys for customers during the hot summer months.

Peter Hendy, London’s Transport Commissioner, said: “With the hot weather we’ve seen this week we know that it can get uncomfortable on the network, and I want to reassure our passengers that we are working hard to overcome the unique and considerable engineering challenge of cooling the Tube. We’ve made progress – air-conditioned Tube trains are now operating in central London, the entire London Overground network is served by a fleet of 57 air conditioned trains. Air cooling systems are now fitted on all new double deck buses joining the fleet and additional opening windows have also now been fitted on all double deck buses.

“Last summer saw the introduction of the first ever air-conditioned Tube train on the Metropolitan line and they are now running in central London in summer for the first time. By 2016, 191 air conditioned trains will be operating on the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines.  On the Victoria line, significant work has been done to improve ventilation and make journeys for customers more comfortable. Customers should notice a significant difference when we’re able to use the regenerative braking feature on the new trains which we’ll be able to do once the old trains have been taken out of service.”

Cooling the other deeper lines of the Tube remains a considerable challenge. The deep level tube lines are unique to London’s Tube network it is not replicated on any other metro system in the world, where the tunnels only enough room for trains. This means that on the deep-level Tubes there is very little space for air-conditioning on the trains, inside or outside. But  TfL is looking to the future and what that holds for the next generation of Tube trains, with the aim of making them lighter, so that that they generate less heat and to create space so that a cooling solution could possibly be implemented.

On buses, all new double deck buses are now fitted with air cooling systems and all double deck buses in the Capital’s fleet have been fitted with extra opening windows. Since 2007, TfL has required all new double deck buses to be fitted with air cooling systems, and there are now 4,654 double deck buses with air cooling or forced air ventilation systems, an increase of 33 percent on last year.  TfL has also been working with the bus operators and joint funding a scheme to retrofit automatic heating systems on 1,361 of the older double deck buses in the fleet to ensure heating is not left on during the hot summer period. Of the 8,500 buses in the fleet 6,747 have white roof panels which help to reflect the heat. New buses must have insulated roof and side panels which reflect heat along with tinted side glass.

As with the last four years, Industrial sized blue fans are also being deployed to help cool around 30 stations across the Tube network and TfL will be providing hot weather advice to passengers. Posters and announcements at stations will provide tips to passengers on how to try and stay cool.

Here are a few tips for keeping comfortable in hot weather:

–       Carry water with you;
–       Don’t board a train or bus if you feel unwell;
–       If you feel unwell please get off at the next stop and seek help from our staff  and;
–       Avoid pulling the passenger alarm between stations, as help can be more easily obtained with the train in platform.

Two month ongoing rail strike now off. Transport for London statement following Arwyn Thomas tribunal decision

In response to the Employment Tribunal in respect of Arwyn Thomas, the Tube driver dismissed for unacceptable behaviour towards his colleagues, Transport for London has today offered to reinstate him with significant conditions attached.

The Tribunal found that London Underground (LU) were entitled to discipline Mr. Thomas because of his actions, that he was not dismissed for his union activities – contrary to the claims of the RMT leadership – and that he was 50 per cent blameworthy for his dismissal.

However, the Tribunal also found that the sanction of dismissal was too severe. Mr. Thomas has therefore been offered re-employment, but with a number of conditions that recognise the seriousness of his offence, including:

Mr. Thomas will not return to his previous work location, and will be re-employed in a non-operational role, which does not involve customer facing duties. 

The RMT leadership agree to end all industrial action in relation to this current dispute.

The RMT leadership agree that any future individual cases will follow the normal processes for resolving individual disputes, all of which will be exhausted up to ACAS level in advance of any ballot for industrial action being called.

Any future case will be formally referred to the General Secretary of the RMT and the MD of LU for ultimate review before any such ballot.

Mike Brown, London Underground’s Managing Director, said: “Arwyn Thomas’ employment tribunal found that, contrary to the claims of the RMT leadership, he was dismissed because of his abusive behaviour and not because of his union activities. The settlement that we have reached ensures that Mr Thomas’ re-instatement is on a basis that recognises the seriousness of his offensive behaviour. It also allows us to move forward towards a more constructive relationship with the RMT, whereby Londoners should not be threatened with strike action relating to such individual tribunal cases in the future.”  

Transport for London response to the Employment Tribunal decision in respect of Arwyn Thomas

Technically, this should be in the Arrow as it concerns our use of the Northern Line. Although, of course, the trains will probably be running throughout the strikes. Puff removes and some of the bold text is our doing.

 

Transport for London (TfL) today responded to the findings of the Employment Tribunal in respect of Arwyn Thomas, the Tube driver who was dismissed for unacceptable behaviour towards his colleagues.

The Tribunal found that LU were entitled to discipline Mr. Thomas because of his actions, and also that:

• ·         Arwyn Thomas was not dismissed for his union activities, contrary to the claims of the RMT leadership
• ·         Mr. Thomas’ claims were not supported that he had become a “thorn in the side” of his employers
• ·         The explanation given by Mr. Thomas for what was seen on CCTV was not credible
• ·         Mr.Thomas was 50 per cent blameworthy for his dismissal
• ·         The hearing will continue to discuss dates for a remedies hearing.

Despite this, the tribunal found that – although LU were right to discipline Mr.Thomas – other options than dismissal should have been explored, thus he was unfairly dismissed. Given these findings, and the fact that the tribunal has not recommended that Mr.Thomas be re-instated, Transport for London will now be considering the findings in detail.

In the meantime, it is urging the RMT leadership to acknowledge that Mr. Thomas was not subject to action due to his union activity, which was the whole basis of their call for strike action. TfL is therefore calling on the RMT leadership to suspend their threatened strike action to allow the employment tribunal process to consider the potential remedies.

Mike Brown, London Underground’s Managing Director, said: “The employment tribunal has today ruled that Mr Thomas should have been disciplined for his actions and that his dismissal was in no way due to his activities as a union member. This is entirely contrary to the claims made by the RMT leadership in order to justify their strike action. The tribunal has also found that he was 50 per cent blameworthy for his dismissal, and it has not called for his re-employment.

“However, we recognise that despite these factors, the tribunal has found that the sanction used in Mr Thomas’ case was too high. We will therefore now be considering the findings in detail. We would urge the RMT leadership to acknowledge that their claims of union victimisation were false and to suspend their threatened strike action.”

The RMT leadership is currently threatening a series of strikes, aimed at disrupting services throughout next week. If the strikes go ahead TfL will operate as many services as possible, and passengers are advised to check before they travel by visiting www.tfl.gov.uk

Good news, TfL staff have received 10,000 NVQs to date…

…although by the way they treat us, we’d be excused if we found this a little difficult to be believed. Puff, of course removed.

Transport for London’s training tops 10,000

On National Vocational Qualification Day (VQ Day), Transport for London (TfL) has announced that over 10,000 NVQs have now been awarded to staff throughout the organisation, improving skills and boosting morale.

NVQs build on the already substantial training TfL staff receive allowing them to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to improve in their role and achieve a recognised qualification.

Since 2001, NVQs have been awarded to a wide range of employees at London Underground including station staff, train drivers, signallers and the engineering workforce.  Following the launch of TfL’s Skills and Employment Strategy in December 2008 the opportunity to complete an NVQ expanded further to cover other roles across TfL including administration, customer service and management employees, and are also now being offered as part of adult apprentice programmes.

Staff can gain NVQs in Rail Operations, Rail Engineering, Customer Services, Administration and Management, and programmes last between one to two years. The courses are integrated as much as possible with the staff member’s day job to avoid unnecessary repetition and also capture real evidence of performance.

Iain Smith, Head of Skills, Transport for London, said: “This is such a significant milestone for us to reach, 10,000 NVQs awarded in ten years. These values ensure staff can contribute towards the running of a safe, efficient and customer focussed transport service.”

Last month Boris Johnson announced that 2000 job opportunities had been created in the GLA group in the past two years.

Golders Green Bus Station re-opens ahead of time

The Golders Green Bus Station re-opened to passengers at the weekend (18 June), three weeks ahead of schedule, following essential resurfacing work.

The bus station, which is used by 2.5 million passengers a year, was closed while the work was carried out.  It was scheduled to take up to eight weeks but has been completed early and bus passengers are once again able to use the bus station.

Chris Kershaw, TfL Head of Infrastructure, said: “This is a very busy station with thousands of passengers passing through it each day so we are pleased to be able to return services to normal quicker than expected.”

The resurfacing work involved replacing the block paving on the road with tarmac.  Passengers were required to alight a stop early because of the works.

Normal service operating across Tube

A good service is operating on all 11 London Underground (LU) lines this morning, with LU’s full fleet expected in service for the morning peak.

The strike action began at 21:00hrs on Sunday night and ran until 03:00hrs today, but only minor service alterations occurred last night with all last trains running to time, and this morning customers are able to make their journeys as usual.

 

Normal Tube services expected on Sunday and Monday despite RMT strike action – and details of other dates.

Action will have “very little impact” on customers

A good service is expected to operate on all London Underground (LU) lines on Sunday night and Monday morning, when the RMT leadership has called strike action.

The full list of June dates are here.

UK first as Transport for London installs eco-lighting in a London road tunnel

On the basis that the idea is interesting but my readers won’t want to see a lot of what we, in the newspaper business, call “puff” I have cut out most of the press release. I do have my doubts about many of the eco claims, and the real cause of global warming, but at the same time feel it is good to consider  seriously reducing our carbon foot print. 

In a UK-first, innovative, eco-friendly lights have been installed in a central London tunnel by Transport for London  helping to improve safety, reduce maintenance closures as well as cut energy consumption and costs.

The Upper Thames Street westbound tunnel is now entirely lit with low energy, long-life LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights providing a host of benefits for Londoners. The design and colour of the lights is designed to improve visibility for cyclists and motorists to boost safety.

The lights will also cut CO₂ emissions by more than 60 per cent compared with conventional systems, helping to reduce TfL’s energy bills. Projections show the cost of lighting the tunnel could fall from around £50,000 each year to less than £10,000, delivering a potential annual saving of at least £40,000. The innovative lights are also expected to last for 20 years as opposed to the existing system’s two year life span, significantly reducing the need for maintenance closures.

The LED system is contributing towards the Mayor of London Boris Johnson’s target of a 60 per cent reduction in the Capital’s CO₂ emissions by 2025, and will deliver an estimated saving around 163 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year – enough gas to fill almost 800 double deck buses. Upper Thames Street tunnel, which opened in 1970, carries around 35,000 vehicles each day.

The new Northern Line update program is about to start, there is good news, and there is bad news!

 

 

 

 

The following press release from Transport for London, whilst not being altered, has had reams of information (and self-congratulating puff) about the Jubilee line removed.

It looks very much like a journey to Tottenham Court Road from West Finchley will knock around five minutes from the present 26 minute journey. Not a lot, but if you make ten journeys a week for 46 weeks a year, that’s a saving of around 38 hours a year.

You may ask, ‘so what’, but as Tesco keeps reminding us – “Every little helps!”

 

New Northern line upgrade set to start

Transport for London (TfL) today announced that the main programme of works to upgrade London’s busiest Tube line – the Northern line – will commence later this year. When complete, the upgrade will deliver faster, more frequent and more reliable train services for customers, increasing capacity by 20 per cent and cutting journey times by around 18 per cent. The upgrade works are due to be completed in 2014.

Lessons have been learned from the upgrade of the Jubilee line and a new approach is being taken on the Northern line that will mean significantly fewer weekend closures than originally planned under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) contracts, with no early evening closures.

Under the PPP, Tube Lines had proposed 65 weekend closures on the Northern line, many of which would have closed the whole line, or large parts of it. Instead there will now be:

• just eight weekends of full line closures for the installation and testing of the new signalling system, spread out so as to cause minimum disruption, with five closures in 2013 and three in 2014,
• eight additional weekends where shorter sections of the line will be closed, many of which will affect only the High Barnet branch, the most lightly-used section of the line; and,
• six closures of parts of the line during the quieter Easter and Christmas holiday periods which will be closed for 4 or 5 days respectively

Tube Lines had also, under the PPP, planned 18 months of weekday early evening closures affecting the whole line, with last trains due to have left the centre of London by 2200; instead of this, from October, the northern branches of the line will in turn start up slightly late on Sundays to allow for extensive work during Saturday night’s engineering hours to be completed.

This will give greater flexibility to install and test the signalling and will impact on considerably fewer people than either early evening closures of a series of weekend closures. Services on the High Barnet branch will start from 8.30am on Sundays through to November 2012, followed by the Edgware branch through to November 2013.

Overall, this represents a reduction of over 60 per cent in the number of passenger journeys that will be disrupted by the work compared with the number that would have been disrupted under the original PPP plan.

Isabel Dedring, the Mayor of London’s Deputy Mayor for Transport, said: “Delivering more reliable journeys for Londoners wherever they are on the transport network is a top priority for the Mayor. The team at the Underground have completely overhauled the Northern Line upgrade programme to ensure that passengers do not have to go through a repeat of the disruption they suffered with the Jubilee Line upgrade.”

In order to achieve this reduced closure programme London Underground will be intensifying the amount of work done during night-time engineering hours, using the hours where the network is closed each night in full to carry out upgrade works, as well as the usual maintenance work.

In addition, much more system testing will be done ‘off site’ using improved simulators, and on an extended and enhanced test track at Highgate, to reduce the time needed for closures and to drive out any problems in the system before it goes live for passengers. Improvements made for the Jubilee line system (which uses the same hardware and software) will automatically be carried across to the Northern line. 

Staff who will operate the system on a day to day basis, including train operators, will also have a greater involvement in putting the new system through its paces in simulators to iron out issues off site. These new approaches will together help to ensure that the new system is reliable once it is used in passenger service.

The upgrade will proceed in phases to minimise risk, starting with off-site software development and testing, followed by the new system being applied in the High Barnet area before being rolled out across the rest of the line.

London Underground Managing Director, Mike Brown, said: “We know how disruptive weekend engineering works can be and we’re determined to learn lessons from the Jubilee line upgrade, the last of the PPP upgrades. Working with our signalling contractor Thales, we’re adopting a new and innovative approach which means we will be able to greatly reduce the disruption to our customers and businesses along the Northern line.

“The Northern line is the busiest line on the Tube network and some of the signalling dates back to the 1950s. Its essential upgrade will deliver huge benefits for passengers – with more frequent services, quicker and more comfortable journeys, and the capacity to carry an additional 11,000 passengers an hour. While we do this vital work we will do our utmost to keep disruption to an absolute minimum.”

The revised and less disruptive closure programme has been welcomed by groups representing businesses along the line. Simon Pitkeathley, Chief Executive, Camden Town Unlimited said:

“Whilst there is still pain for business in this closure programme it is a substantial and meaningful improvement upon the original suggestions, which would have sounded the death knell for Camden Town. We are delighted with the progress that has been made as a result of the partnership approach now taken by LU under the leadership of Mike Brown and will continue to work closely with him as this programme is executed. We very much hope that the lessons learned on the Jubilee Line will bear fruit for the Northern Line.”

• The Northern line is the busiest line on the Tube network with more than 900,000 passengers each day.
• Much preparatory work for the Northern line upgrade has already been done – putting in new trackside wiring and other equipment, and converting the line’s trains so they’re ready for the new system. Much of the work has been done at night.
• In addition to the upgrade work, the Northern Line needs essential track renewal in the next two years, not linked to the signalling upgrade. This pre-planned work is essential and the nature of it – including heavy engineering to replace tracks and sleepers – means it cannot all be carried out in the limited New Northern line upgrade set to start
• New post-PPP approach to upgrade will mean far fewer closures and a reduction of over 60 per cent in the number of disrupted passenger journeys
• More and better “offline” testing to ensure the reliability of the system when it goes live for passengers
• Capacity to be increased by 20 per cent and journey times to be cut by around 18 percent by 2014
• Jubilee line upgrade on-track for completion at the end of July
• Increased capacity by 20 per cent, cutting journey times by around 18 per cent.

Under the PPP, Tube Lines had proposed 65 weekend closures on the Northern line, many of which would have closed the whole line, or large parts of it. Instead there will now be:

• just eight weekends of full line closures for the installation and testing of the new signalling system, spread out so as to cause minimum disruption, with five closures in 2013 and three in 2014
• eight additional weekends where shorter sections of the line will be closed, many of which will affect only the High Barnet branch, the most lightly-used section of the line; and,
• six closures of parts of the line during the quieter Easter and Christmas holiday periods which will be closed for 4 or 5 days respectively

Tube Lines had also, under the PPP, planned 18 months of weekday early evening closures affecting the whole line, with last trains due to have left the centre of London by 2200; instead of this, from October, the northern branches of the line will in turn start up slightly late on Sundays to allow for extensive work during Saturday night’s engineering hours to be completed.

This will give greater flexibility to install and test the signalling and will impact on considerably fewer people than either early evening closures of a series of weekend closures. Services on the High Barnet branch will start from 8.30am on Sundays through to November 2012, followed by the Edgware branch through to November 2013.

Overall, this represents a reduction of over 60 per cent in the number of passenger journeys that will be disrupted by the work compared with the number that would have been disrupted under the original PPP plan.

Isabel Dedring, the Mayor of London’s Deputy Mayor for Transport, said: “Delivering more reliable journeys for Londoners wherever they are on the transport network is a top priority for the Mayor. The team at the Underground have completely overhauled the Northern Line upgrade programme to ensure that passengers do not have to go through a repeat of the disruption they suffered with the Jubilee Line upgrade.”

In order to achieve this reduced closure programme London Underground will be intensifying the amount of work done during night-time engineering hours, using the hours where the network is closed each night in full to carry out upgrade works, as well as the usual maintenance work.

In addition, much more system testing will be done ‘off site’ using improved simulators, and on an extended and enhanced test track at Highgate, to reduce the time needed for closures and to drive out any problems in the system before it goes live for passengers. Improvements made for the Jubilee line system (which uses the same hardware and software) will automatically be carried across to the Northern line.

Staff who will operate the system on a day to day basis, including train operators, will also have a greater involvement in putting the new system through its paces in simulators to iron out issues off site. These new approaches will together help to ensure that the new system is reliable once it is used in passenger service.

The upgrade will proceed in phases to minimise risk, starting with off-site software development and testing, followed by the new system being applied in the High Barnet area before being rolled out across the rest of the line.

Following Transport for London’s acquisition of Tube Lines last summer the Jubilee line upgrade is now on-track for completion at the end of next month. The upgrade will mean faster and more reliable journeys and an increase in capacity of 33 per cent – space for around 12,500 extra passengers per hour. Services will initially increase from 24 to 27 trains per hour, with further increases at the start of next year.

London Underground Managing Director, Mike Brown, said: “We know how disruptive weekend engineering works can be and we’re determined to learn lessons from the Jubilee line upgrade, the last of the PPP upgrades. Working with our signalling contractor Thales, we’re adopting a new and innovative approach which means we will be able to greatly reduce the disruption to our customers and businesses along the Northern line.

“The Northern line is the busiest line on the Tube network and some of the signalling dates back to the 1950s. Its essential upgrade will deliver huge benefits for passengers – with more frequent services, quicker and more comfortable journeys, and the capacity to carry an additional 11,000 passengers an hour. While we do this vital work we will do our utmost to keep disruption to an absolute minimum.”

The revised and less disruptive closure programme has been welcomed by groups representing businesses along the line. Simon Pitkeathley, Chief Executive, Camden Town Unlimited said:

“Whilst there is still pain for business in this closure programme it is a substantial and meaningful improvement upon the original suggestions, which would have sounded the death knell for Camden Town. We are delighted with the progress that has been made as a result of the partnership approach now taken by LU under the leadership of Mike Brown and will continue to work closely with him as this programme is executed. We very much hope that the lessons learned on the Jubilee Line will bear fruit for the Northern Line.” 

Poll on publishing weekend underground holdups – results are in.

It seems that, on the whole, this is what you want.

71.43% have voted for yes, all the time.

There really isn’t a lot to say now.

New Underground strike dates for June and July 2011.

The dates for the new Tube Strikes are:

Between 21.01 hours on Sunday 19th June 2011 and 03.00 hours on Monday 20th June 2011.

Around half of all Tube drivers are members of the RMT, and all of these members have been ‘instructed not to book on for any duty’ between the said dates.

Between 21.01 hours on Monday 27th June and 11.59 hours on Tuesday 28th June.
Between 12.00 hours on Wednesday 29th June and 11.59 hours on Thursday 30th June.
Between 12.00 hours on Friday 1st July and 21.00 hours on Friday 1st July.

There’s no point in going into the reasons as the RMT Union strike at the drop of a hat. Let’s hope, like last time, they are called off. But each time they are called off, it means a loss of revenue to TFL and they will find another way to claim back their losses.

From us.

TFL: About time, this invention was so simple and needed years ago.

It has taken TFL so many years to come up with such a simple solution to keep the underground safe, but still avoid hidden bombs!

About time London Underground!

More bins on London Underground for a tidier Tube

·         London Underground increases the number of bins on the Tube by 25 percent

·         Two thirds of all litter left on Tube is recycled   

·         Campaign in conjunction with Mayor of London, Metro and Keep Britain Tidy

London Underground (LU) has launched a campaign, in partnership with the Mayor of London, Metro newspapers and Keep Britain Tidy, to encourage Tube customers to dispose of their litter. More bins have been installed so you can now access a bin on any journey on the tube. The aim is for a tidier and more pleasant Tube to travel in and to help LU to recycle more waste.

The campaign, part of the Mayor Boris Johnson’s commitment to make travelling in London more civilised, will run across the Tube network as well as in the Metro newspaper and will encourage passengers to use the 1,600 plus bins that are in, or within walking distance of, the 270 Tube stations. 

To help, LU has recently installed an additional 166 bins on the network, taking the total to 800 and making it easier for customers to get rid of their rubbish. LU regularly monitors stations to ensure that high levels of cleanliness are maintained and recent figures  have shown an improvement at over 70 percent of the stations where the new bins have been installed.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London said: “Time and again passengers have said they want more bins so they can dispose of their rubbish and that’s exactly what we’ve done. We can all do our bit to ensure we use these sparkling new bins, which will mean a more pleasant journey to work and a great first impression of London for tourists to the capital.”

Richard Parry, Strategy and Commercial Director, London Underground, said:  “We know that our customers appreciate a litter free Tube and we have an army of cleaners who regularly patrol the network collecting rubbish. However we also believe that providing more bins will make it easier for our customers to get rid of their rubbish and over the last few months have increased the number of bins on the network by 25 percent.

“All rubbish placed in any of our stations bins is sorted and we recycle everything that we can. Over the years LU has made every effort to recycle waste and we now recycle over two thirds of rubbish left on the Tube network.”

John Leitch, Executive Director at Metro, said: “We want to support green behaviour among our readers and increase the amount of recycling by Tube travellers. It’s fantastic to be working with London Underground to achieve this and we’re delighted that they are using Metro’s innovative design in this campaign.”

Underground problems over the coming weekend – do you want these every week?

London Underground

Blackfriars Tube station on the District and Circle lines will be closed until late this year for Thameslink redevelopment works.

Cannon Street Tube station on the District and Circle lines will be closed every weekend until mid-2012 for redevelopment works.

Farringdon Tube station on the Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines will be closed all weekend for Thameslink works.

The Circle line will be suspended all weekend due to line upgrade work at Edgware Road.

Bond Street station on the Central and Jubilee lines will be closed before 6am and after 11pm on Saturday and before 7am and after 11pm on Sunday due to major escalator refurbishment work

The District line will be suspended all weekend between Earl’s Court and Kensington (Olympia) and between Edgware Road and Wimbledon due to line upgrade work and track replacement work.

The Hammersmith & City line will be suspended all weekend between Baker Street and Hammersmith due to line upgrade work.

The Jubilee line will be completely suspended on Sunday morning until 8.15am. Between 8.15am and 9.30pm the line will be suspended between West Hampstead and Stanmore, and after 9.30pm it will be suspended between Waterloo and Stanmore due to line upgrade work.

The Metropolitan line will be suspended on Sunday between Aldgate and Uxbridge due to track replacement work.

Northern line trains will not stop at Tottenham Court Road until late November due to station improvement work.

The Piccadilly line will be suspended on Sunday between South Harrow and Uxbridge due to track replacement work.

The Victoria line will be suspended all weekend between Highbury & Islington and Brixton due to track improvement work.

Walk with a ‘Spring into Summer’ in 2011 by taking part in free guided walks around London

I noted the word Free in the title and thought our readers might be interested in these guided walks, here is the TFL press release.

• Nearly 10,000 people attended TfL funded guided walks last year
• 58 free guided walks to sample this year, ranging from one and half to 11 miles in length
• No matter what your ability, there is a free walk for everyone on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 May

Spring into Summer guided walks are back for the fourth year running, giving Londoners a chance to enjoy some of London’s best attractions, parks, rivers, canals and open spaces. 

The Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) are encouraging everyone to come out in numbers on the  weekend of Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 May and enjoy one of 58 free walks led by expert guides. These walks explore London’s Strategic Walk Network, which is a series of seven leisure walks in and around London. 

There is a walk for everyone regardless of their age or ability. The walks range from 1.5 to 11 miles. They range from hidden gems in the City to walks totally off the beaten track along lovely leafy lanes.

All walks start and finish either at or within easy reach of public transport. To find out more about the walks and to register interest, people can visit www.walklondon.org.uk or email info@walklondon.org.uk

The weekend follows Walk to School week which schools across London have been taking part in and is part of a wider programme of walking activities and initiatives TfL are supporting this year to encourage Londoners to explore the city by foot.

TfL is investing over £250,000 this year to support walking in schools, including the promotion of Walk once a Week, the Big Walk once a week, School Travel Plans, and the recruitment of pupils as Junior Road Safety Officers to promote road safety.         

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “Walking is a fantastic way to enjoy and discover all the lovely places and hidden historical gems London has to offer. You will be in the hands of experienced guides on these walks who will take you through spectacular sights and sounds as well as the changing landscape of our great city.”

A huge amount is happening to make London a more walkable city with improvements to London’s streets through the Great Outdoors Programme; creating more shared public spaces and improving signposting to make London an easier place to explore. This weekend’s walks are one of three annual guided walking weekends organised by Walk London and supported by TfL. The 58 guided walks cover seven different routes across London, connecting some of the Capital’s best attractions, parks, rivers, canals and open spaces.

The walks will cover sections of the seven ‘Strategic Walk Network’ routes which are:

• Capital Ring Walk – threading together parks and open spaces with pleasant residential roads. Fifteen easily walked sections divide this 78 mile of open spaces – some of the attractions on this route include Eltham Palace, 
• Richmond Park, Wimbledon Common, the Olympic Park and the Thames Barrier;
• Green Chain Walk – 50 miles of parks and open spaces that include the Severndroog Castle, Crystal Palace Park and Oxleas Woods;
• Jubilee Walkway – designed to connect London’s key attractions and connects all the city’s most famous sights including Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Tower of London, Tower Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral
• Lea Valley Walk – 18 miles of the London section, taking in Canary Wharf, Tottenham Marshes, Enfield Lock and Waltham Abbey;
• LOOP Walk (London Outer Orbital Path) – 152 miles of parks and paddocks including Hall Place, Wilberforce Memorial and Kenley Aerodrome;
• Thames Path Walk – 40 miles of level walks from Hampton Court Palace, through the heart of London to Erith Marshes. Sights include the Houses of Parliament, Albert Bridge, Syon Park and Kew Gardens;
• The Jubilee Greenway Walk- This walk marks the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. Thirty-five miles will take you past the 02 Arena, Greenwich Park, Horse Guards Parade, Hyde Park and Regent’s Park, among many other spectacular places.

Ben Plowden, Director of Better Routes and Places at TfL, said: “London is full of exciting places to see and what better way to discover the city than on foot. Spring into Summer weekend gives people the chance to unearth gems in the Capital.

“Around a quarter of all trips in the Capital are now made by foot and we are making extensive improvements to the walking environment.”

Jim Walker, Walk England CEO, said: “Nearly 10,000 people enjoyed these free walks last year. It seems the secret is out – London is a great city to get around on foot. Join us on the free walks this May and get an introduction to what everyone else is already walking about!”

To Hell xxxx Golders Green and back – a journey to miss!

One of our journalists, Don Pepper sent this in as two elderly friends of his had a nightmare journey with National Coaches the other day.

Golders Green bus station closed on the 16th May for refurbishment and is going to be closed for about eight weeks.

There are alternative bus stops around the area but National Coaches are being diverted outside of the area.

There is a shuttle service between Golders Green Station and the temporary coach stops, but this is quite complicated, time consuming and may mean you having to walk some distance with heavy luggage.  I strongly advise that if you were planning to travel by National Coaches either to or from Golders Green, that you change your plans and use Victoria Coach Station instead. The 82 bus runs from North Finchley, down Ballards Lane all the way to Victoria.

Boris hails huge improvements to road safety in London during last ten years

As part of our intention to be “partisan politics” impartial, we published an article yesterday which showed the Conservative led Barnet Council in a bad light, so to balance this, we now show what the Conservative led  City Hall has managed with road safety in London.

• 57 per cent reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured since mid to late nineties
• 49 per recent drop in number of fatalities on London’s roads

New figures published by the Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) show how road safety in London has improved dramatically over the last ten years exceeding both Government and City Hall targets.

In the same week that the United Nations declared 2011 to 2020 a Decade of Action for Road Safety, the new TfL figures reveal how deaths and serious injuries on London’s roads have dropped by a staggering 57 per cent over the last decade.

This trend is continuing. Last year, the first time since records began in the 1970s, the number of fatalities fell below 150 to 126, which represents a 32 per cent reduction compared with 2009, and a 49 per cent reduction since the mid to late nineties.

What’s more, figures recently published by the Department for Transport (DfT) show that London is considerably below the national average in terms of fatalities at 24 per million people, compared to a UK average of 38 per million.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “London’s roads are now much safer than they were a decade ago and the Metropolitan Police, London Boroughs and Transport for London all deserve praise as other countries look to our lead. But there is still much more to be done, especially around the safety of cyclists on our streets, and that is exactly why we continue to fund road safety schemes across the Capital. A great deal has been achieved in the Capital but if we are to continue to reduce casualty levels we must not lose our focus in this important work and I welcome the UN’s Decade of Action.”

Leon Daniels, Managing Director of Surface Transport at TfL, said: “Road safety is something that TfL takes exceptionally seriously. The £14.8 million we will be directly spending on road safety schemes across London during 2011/12 will look to build on the tremendous achievements we have achieved in the last ten years, as well as further reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on the Capital’s roads every year.”

So far so good – Tube Strike now off – what a rollercoaster!

BBC News just reported the Union have said the strike has been suspended.

May I suggest those who are religious pray this evening.

So far – not so good – Bob Crow says strike still on.

Accouding to the electronic version of the Daily Telegraph a little while ago, ”

Bob Crow: ‘Tube strikes still on’

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow denies that a series of walkouts by London Underground workers have been called off.”

This is sheer madness. I refer to the different information coming out from both sides, not the strike which we won’t take sides on. Somebody is lying. It can only be the London Transport negotiating team or Bob Crow. I don’t know which. Do you?

So far so good – Tube strikes called off

According to a Telegraph Electronic News article just this moment:

A series of planned strikes by Tube workers in a row over the sacking of two drivers has been called off, London Underground has announced today.

The article went on to say

Mike Brown, LU’s managing director, said: ”As we’ve always said, there are established mechanisms in place to deal with individual disputes, and that is the process that has been followed here.

”Following a meeting with the RMT leadership this morning, the RMT have withdrawn their threat of industrial action, and we have avoided significant disruption for London.

We will keep this under review in case it changes.

Proposed Northern line extension – public consultation begins

Transport for London and developer Treasury Holdings are starting a public consultation to hear local residents’ views on the proposed private-sector funded 3km extension of the Northern line from Kennington to Battersea Power Station. The public consultation starts today (Monday 9 May) and finishes on Friday 17 June.

The Mayor’s Transport Strategy supports an externally funded extension of the Northern line to support development in the surrounding area. The Tube extension is part of a package of transport measures that would enable the regeneration of the GLA’s wider Opportunity Area which covers Vauxhall, Nine Elms and Battersea.

When I first saw this I thought, “Great! They’re connecting Mill Hill East with Edgware” but alas this is not to be. In 1935, there were plans for the Northern line (then known as the Morden-Edgware Line) to connect Finchley Central with Edgware, and to extend further to Bushey Heath and a new depot at Aldenham. Thus creating three extra stations at Brockley Hill, Elstree South and Bushey Heath.

The work was started but shelved during the second world war, but a lot of the land is still available, but an equal amount has been built over so I fear these plans will never come to fruition. After the war, the introduction of the Metropolitan Green Belt meant that residential houses couldn’t be built on the land so the need for stations was removed. Whatever happened to the green belt – Elstree is a thriving communities.

Henleys Corner – no right turn from the 9th May – huge diversions via Hendon for Southbound traffic.

I have been informed by Tarmac of their following diversions at Henleys Corner from Monday coming (9th May) until further notice. The following is an extract of their letter to residents, together with a map showing the diversions.

Henlys Corner Improvement Scheme Carriageway Construction

As you may already be aware Tarmac National Contracting working on behalf of Transport for London (TfL) and London Borough of Barnet are carrying out carriageway construction work at Henlys Corner as part of an Improvement Scheme. The project is due for completion in December 2011 and the scheme will provide new signalised crossing facilities for pedestrians, high friction road surfacing and improved junction design to ease traffic congestion.

From 9 May 2011 carriageway construction work will be carried out 7 days a week from 07.00hrs – 19.00hrs and will require some additional night time works. We will send you additional notification in advance of any night time works. During carriageway construction, traffic management will be operational and carriageway closures will vary. Vehicles will not be able to turn right from any approach to the junction and vehicle diversions will be used to redirect right turning traffic, all diversion routes are shown on the enclosed diversion map. Please note that diversions will be operational from 9 May until further notice.

Bus numbers 82, 460 and 232 will not be affected by the diversions. Bus number 102 will use the green diversion route and bus number 611 will use an alternative diversion. For more information about bus route 611 please visit tfl.gov.uk.

Please also be aware that during construction of the scheme footpaths around Henlys Corner are closed and pedestrians should use the pedestrian diversion route which is displayed on maps along the footpaths around the junction. If you would like a copy of the pedestrian diversion map or If you have any concerns or questions about the scheme please contact me on free phone 0800 756 1406, mobile 07999 489357 or by email at nicola.corrigan@tarmac.co.uk.

We will do our best to keep any disruption to a minimum wherever possible and will continue to keep you up-to-date with the progress of the scheme. For more information about the scheme you can also visit tfl.gov.uk/henlyscorner.

And here is the map showing the diversions for right turning traffic.

Map of diverted traffic

Six Underground strikes over a month period from 16th May to 17th June inclusive.

The forthcoming tube strikes, over a two week period are as follows

9.01pm on Monday 16 May to 11.59am on Tuesday 17 May

12 noon on Wednesday 18 May to 11.59am on Thursday 19 May

12 noon to 9pm on Friday 20 May

9.01pm on Monday 13 June to 11.59am on Tuesday 14 June

12 noon on Wednesday 15 June to 11.59am on Thursday 16 June

12 noon to 9pm on Friday 17 June

This has been taken from the article in City-AM, and has further information for those interested.

Road closures and transport information for the Royal Wedding.

The following travel information is being given to those coming to the area or intending to travel through central London on the day:

Roads

The route of the wedding procession between Buckingham Palace and Westminster includes the Mall, Horse Guard’s Road, Horse Guard’s Arch, Whitehall and Parliament Square.

These roads and surrounding areas will be subject to road closures and parking restrictions.  Full details can be found on the Metropolitan Police website at: http://www.met.police.uk/royal_wedding/index.html

Planned road closures include:

• Birdcage Walk
• Broad Sanctuary
• Buckingham Gate
• Buckingham Palace Road (north of Lower Grosvenor Place)
• Charing Cross Road (south of Shaftesbury Avenue)
• Cockspur Square
• Constitution Hill
• Horse Guards Road
• The Mall
• Millbank
• Pall Mall (east of Haymarket)
• Parliament Square
• The Strand
• Victoria Embankment
• Victoria Street
• Westminster Bridge
• Whitehall

In addition, the Metropolitan Police have advised that a number of other roads may also be closed for parts of the day.  These include, but are not limited to:

• Grovsenor Place
• Haymarket
• Hyde Park Corner
• Knightsbridge (east of Sloane Street)
• Park Lane
• Piccadilly

Road closures will be implemented from 06:00 on Friday 29 April 2011.  They will be lifted as soon as possible following the events, but road users are strongly advised to avoid this part of central London throughout the day.

Congestion Charge

As the Royal Wedding day has been designated a bank holiday this means that it will be non-charging day.

Buses

A Saturday service will be operating and a number of buses in Westminster, Hyde Park, Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square areas will be subject to diversions or will finish before their usual destination if they are unable to travel their usual routes through the affected part of central London.

Bus diversions and curtailments commence at 05:30 and should be removed at 20:00.

Further diversions may be necessary should road closures be expanded throughout the day.  Extra staff will be on-hand to provide public information and to assist with the diversions.

Bus users are advised to check the TfL website before they travel.

Tube

All Tube lines will be running, with no planned engineering work affecting services during the day.

All of the stations close to the route of the procession will be open on the day, including Embankment, Charing Cross, Waterloo, Westminster, Hyde Park Corner and Green Park.  As normal, station closures and mechanisms to limit stations to entry or exit only may be used if necessary to prevent over-crowding.

The lifts at Green Park are currently being refurbished and will not be available on the day.  The nearest station with a lift is Westminster.

Watford and Croxley stations will not have a train service after 22:00 on the evening, although replacement buses will operate.

A queuing system will be in place for access to London Underground station at Victoria.  A similar system may be in place for access to the Network Rail station at Charing Cross.

Northern line woes this weekend

The Northern line will be suspended between Charing Cross and Camden Town, all this coming weekend due to track replacement work.

More information on the CPZ action Group

Barnet Council are to increase Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) charges from 18th April this year. A residents’ car permit would increase from £40 per year to £100 (for the first car). Visitors’ vouchers would increase from £1 each to £4 each. The impact of the proposed visitor voucher charges will be particularly harsh on CPZ residents in East Finchley with all day restrictions. For example, a daily child-minder or carer alone will amount to over £1000 in visitors voucher charges per annum.

The aim of the new charges is to increase revenue from CPZ residents to help pay for road maintenance across the borough of Barnet. As most people in Barnet do not live in CPZs, this means East Finchley CPZ residents are being targeted to fund road repairs across the borough.

Despite strong local opposition to the charges at the Barnet Council Cabinet Meeting on 14^th February, the charges were approved by the committee. Subsequently the story received media attention, including BBC London Regional news and various newspapers and radio shows. As a result, residents havey formed a new committee, the Barnet CPZ Action Group.

The first public meeting was held on 9^th March and got off to a flying start with approximately 60 residents attending. Over £2000 was raised to start the legal proceedings and everyone offered either their expertise and support take the legal action forward. David Attfield, a solicitorm is acting as Chairman and said; “we have tried all other avenues and have been left with no alternative other than to legally challenge the new charges in the High Court. We have sought independent advice from a barrister and believe we have a good case to apply for Judicial Review”.

Treasurer Nigel Linton also explained; “the increases in charges are driven by the need to raise revenue and not by the need to regulate parking. This is not what CPZs have been established for and we have the evidence and the law to prove this”.

Local resident Philippa Worke adds; “if these new charges are approved it will set a very bad precedent for CPZ residents all over the country. We have a race against time now”.

The Barnet CPZ Action Group are fundraising with some urgency given that the court rules mean that, by the time you read this, the claim will have had to be issued. In total £15,000 needs to be raised if there is to be a good chance of successfully taking this case through to trial. The action group are calling on all residents who are affected, and those who see that this should be fought on principle, to give generously or to act as fundraiser along their road.

If the case is a success the action group expect to return the bulk of money donated. Cheques made payable to ‘Barnet CPZ Action’ can be sent to 88 Summerlee Avenue, East Finchley, London N2 9QH.

The group also has a website www.barnetcpz.blogspot.com and they can be contacted via email barnetcpz@gmail.com

Let’s get digital – Bus passengers checking times on their smartphones

Transport for London (TfL) announced some time ago that Londoners will be able to find out exactly when their next bus is due by using their mobile phone or the internet.  Brand new Countdown signs will also provide bus arrival time predictions at 2,500 key stops across the Capital.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “This terrific technology means anyone with a mobile or internet connection will be able to get up to the minute information about London’s buses as they work their way around the Capital.  Londoners will be able to find out exactly when their bus is due to arrive at their stop before they have even stepped outside their front door.”

Three contracts to develop and deliver these improvements have been awarded to telent, ACIS and Trueform.  Mobile and web information should be available in 2011, with the roll out of new Countdown signs following.

Clare Kavanagh, London Buses’ Director of Performance, said: “These improvements will mean you’ll never have to run for a bus again – with accurate, reliable information on bus services at your fingertips, you’ll be able to find out exactly when the next bus is due to arrive at your stop.

“This builds on the success of iBus, which already provides on board journey information on every bus in the fleet, and it demonstrates our commitment to using the latest technology to make the bus service even easier to use.”

[Editors note: It seems that the first part of the plan should be with us well before Christmas – this is the times being available on your smartphone and on the Internet.]

TUC March – where to avoid

On Saturday 26 March 2011 a large number of people are expected in central London to take part in a march and rally organised by the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

The route that the march will take to Hyde Park includes Victoria Embankment, Bridge Street, Parliament Square, Parliament Street, Whitehall, Trafalgar Square, Cockspur Street, Pall Mall, Waterloo Place, Piccadilly, Hyde Park Corner, and Park Lane.

At 06.00 Bridge Street will be closed in both directions, Westminster Bridge will be closed Westbound, Whitehall will be closed Northbound.

At approximately 08.00 Victoria Embankment will be closed in both directions from Southwark Bridge.

At approximately 10.00 the whole route will be closed to all traffic.

Further contingency road closures are part of the traffic plan and may be implemented to assist with traffic congestion and/or public order issues.

Closures will be lifted as soon as possible following the event, but road users are strongly advised to avoid this part of central London throughout the day and evening.

Where possible road works will be removed from the affected areas before the start of the march.

Buses A number of bus services will be subject to diversions and early curtailments if they are unable to travel their usual routes through the affected part of central London. Diversions and curtailments will start to be put in place from 06.00 on the day and it is anticipated that they will be lifted around 19.00/20.00

The routes affected include: 2, 3, 6, 9, 9H, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 15H, 16, 19, 22, 23, 24, 29, 36, 38, 52, 53, 73, 74, 82, 87, 88, 91, 94, 137, 139, 148, 159, 176, 211, 388, 414, 436, 453, C2. N2, N3, N11, N44, N52, N87, N109, N136, N155, N381

Extra staff will be on-hand to provide public information and to assist with the diversions.

Tube and London Overground

The main Tube stations near to the route of the march will be open on the day, including Embankment, Charing Cross, Waterloo, Westminster, Hyde Park Corner and Green Park. As normal, station closures will be used if necessary to manage any crowd issues within or outside stations.  There are a number of planned engineering works taking place on the day, which affect several lines in central London, including:

There is no way you will see the Taylors within the North and South Circulars on this day. Like every violent march in the past, we are assured that this march will be peaceful

Northern Line seems OK for 26/27th March

But other problems for the coming weekend as follows.

London Underground

The Central Line will be suspended between Marble Arch and West Ruislip/Ealing Broadway, all weekend due to track replacement work.

The Circle line will be suspended on Saturday between Edgware Road and Hammersmith and the entire line will be suspended on Sunday, due to track replacement work and Thameslink work at Blackfriars.

Latimer Road station on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines will be closed until late April 2011 due to station improvement work.

Blackfriars Tube station on the District and Circle lines will be closed until late this year for redevelopment works.

Cannon Street Tube station on the District and Circle lines will be closed for redevelopment works every weekend until mid-2012.  Customers are advised to use Bank, Mansion House or Monument stations.

The District line will be suspended on Saturday between Tower Hill and Upminster, and on Sunday between Embankment and Upminster, due to track replacement work and Thameslink work at Blackfriars.

The Hammersmith & City line will be suspended all weekend between Liverpool Street and Barking due to track replacement work.

The Metropolitan line will be suspended all weekend between Aldgate and Moorgate due to track replacement work.

Legal action taken against Barnet Council

By Ifé Fatunase

Many of us have so much going on in our lives these days, it is no wonder that we often choose the easier, quieter option of doing nothing.

Prices at the fuel pumps rocket, we shrug our shoulders and fill up our cars. Someone lights a cigarette on the upper deck of a bus, we simply move downstairs. We pay out more for lunch at the work canteen, but say nothing about the smaller potions we receive.

If that’s what Barnet Council hoped its residents would do when it announced plans to increase Control Parking Zone (CPZ) fees, then it was very much mistaken.

A group of residents, called Barnet CPZ Action, plan to take legal action against the council to stop the increases which come into force on March 21.

Barnet Council want to raise resident parking permits in CPZs from £40 to £100 a year. However, what’s incensed the Barnet residents even more, is the increase of the one day visitors permit from £1 to £4.

Jeanne Wray, a 79-year-old, who lives in one of the areas affected, is furious. She said: “I quite often have friends round during the day, but they are not going to be able to afford to come if the visitor vouchers increase from £1 to £4.”

When she raised the issue at a council meeting last month, she was told that she would simply have to have her friends over in the evening. She says that’s impractical as her friends are also pensioners and cannot travel in the dark.

Last week, on March 11, Barnet CPZ Action started the legal proceedings, serving the council with formal notice of the court challenge. David Attfield, a lawyer leading the group said: “We have tried all other avenues and have been left with no alternative other than to legally challenge the new charges in the High Court. We have sought independent advice from a barrister and believe we have a good case to apply for Judicial Review.”

Barnet council now has over a week to consider its position.

The basis for Barnet CPZ Action’s legal challenge is the issue of whether any council can put up parking charges solely for the purpose of increasing its revenue.

The group points to a report by the RAC which states: “It is illegal (however) for local authorities to set charges in order to provide a source of revenue for other activities, even if the money raised is used to fund transport provision. The level of charges must be based solely on the need to manage parking.

“Any local authority that sets its parking charges or penalties in order to raise funds is acting ultra vires (i.e. illegally) and may be challenged in the Courts.”

The action group believes it can win because Barnet Council’s financial plans for next year, shows it wants to reduce its Highways Maintenance budget by £1.5 million but expects to raise £1.42 million from the CPZ charges increase to spend on roads.

The members of Barnet CPZ Action say they are fired up and confident of winning this ‘David versus Goliath’ battle, but they do face an obstacle. They believe they need to raise £15,000 to stand a good chance of taking the case all the way to trial.

A meeting last week of over 70 residents raised £3,000 in donations in a single evening. Barnet CPZ Action is now appealing to all residents in the borough to help them reach their target, and say most of the donations will be returned to donors if the case is successful.

This Saturday, March 19, Barnet CPZ Action will have a stall in East Finchley outside Budgens on the High Street from 10am to 2pm to talk to Barnet residents and answer questions.

If you want support the legal action by making a donation, get involved or just to find out more information about Barnet CPZ Action, you can visit their website on www.barnetcpz.blogspot.com , email barnetcpz@gmail.com or follow them on Twitter @barnetcpzaction

RAC report can be viewed at http://www.racfoundation.org/research/mobility/on-street-parking

Travel easier in Greater London

The Mayor, working with all the transport operators has signalled the end of the Oyster extension permit.

The following points were also maide at the recent meeting:

The Mayor and the train companies also agreed a range of other improvements, to benefit all rail users, at the summit including:

• A new, clear and combined Rail and TfL Oyster map for London that will soon be appearing at rail and tube stations. Designed by TfL and the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) following passenger research, the map replaces the train companies’ London Connections and TfL’s Oyster maps, making it easier for Londoners and visitors alike to navigate the city,
• TfL and train companies will work jointly to finalise plans to extend Oyster pay as you go outside London,
• Train companies and TfL will work jointly to evaluate the extension of payment using contactless bank cards to National Rail services for its introduction in 2012,
• Even more frequent trains will run on London Overground from May.
• Train companies and TfL will further explore how to improve passenger information, particularly during times of disruption,
• Train companies and TfL will work together to finalise travel arrangements for the London 2012 Games,
• The Mayor and train companies will work together to seek sustained and continued investment to improve transport in the capital, and meet the expected rise in demand in coming years.

Although I intend to be out of the country during the 2012 Olympics – as far away as possible from the chaos I envisage in London, I have to admit, bringing the Olympics to London is getting a lot of the infrastructure sorted out. Come to think of it, I had better sort my holiday out as travel out of the country shortly before the start will be very busy.

Henleys Corner exhibition

Transport for London are carrying out major improvements to the busy Henlys Corner junction, at the intersection of the A406 North Circular Road and A598 Finchley Road/Regents Park Road.

View a map of the Henlys Corner scheme (PDF 203KB)

The scheme will improve crossing facilities for pedestrians and cyclists and ease traffic congestion. There will be new signal-controlled pedestrian- and cyclist-crossing facilities as well as a new junction design to improve traffic flow.

Exhibition

We’re holding an exhibition to inform local people about the construction impacts and benefits of the scheme. Engineers, designers and contractors will be on hand to explain the project in more detail.

The exhibition will take place from 16 to 20 March at Chalgrove Primary School, Chalgrove Gardens, Finchley N3 3PL.

Opening times are:

• Wednesday 16 March  17:30 – 20:00
• Thursday  17 March  17:30 – 20:00
• Saturday  19 March  12:00 – 15:00
• Sunday  20 March  11:00 – 15:00

If you can’t manage to get there, we’ll go down there and report back after the 20th.

Tree Felling in Finchley

We have just received a letter, through our front door, from London Transport concerning tree felling.

As we are mostly aware, the signalling system is being upgraded on the Northern Line and that the new signalling will allow the trains to run at much higher speeds.

The letter states that owning to safety, leaves on the line for instance, London Transport will be felling certain trees along the line.

Does this mean the signalling upgrading is almost finished and that journey times into central London will be speeded up soon?

Watch this space.

The History of Finchley (17)

By Stewart Wild

The diagrammatic map that features the London Underground system – the famous “tube” – is not just familiar to every Londoner, but famous throughout the world. It has iconic status and is featured on all manner of merchandise, including, a couple of years ago, a British first-class postage stamp. What few Londoners know, however, is that its designer, Henry Charles Beck (1902-1974), better known as Harry Beck, lived in Finchley N3 for much of his life.

Beck worked at London Transport’s headquarters as an engineering draughtsman and amused himself in his spare time by drawing better versions of the tube map, which until then had been laid out geographically, more like a road map. This meant that central London stations were too crowded together and suburban ones were too spaced out.

In 1931 Beck submitted a startling new full-colour map design to Managing Director Frank Pick with lines drawn at angles of 45 and 90 degrees only. Some people claim that he got his idea from electrical wiring diagrams, but this has been denied. Although not accurate geographically, the new format was clearly easier to understand and use. Passengers were delighted and after a successful trial run in 1932, London Underground distributed a million copies of the new map in 1933.

Harry Beck lived at 60 Courthouse Gardens from 1936 until 1960, and used to walk to Finchley (Church End) station to go to work, initially by LNER steam train. A blue commemorative plaque was placed on this house by the Finchley Society on 19 June 2003. The station’s name was changed to Finchley Central in April 1940 with the arrival of electrification and Northern Line tube trains, and a memorial plaque to his achievements can be seen on the southbound platform, alongside a copy of his original 1933 design. Beck went on to design many more transport system maps, including two unsuccessful versions for the Paris Métro. (to be continued)

There is an exhibition on Harry Beck at the Church Farmhouse Museum in Hendon, probably the last exhibition at the museum before the Council forces it to close.

Letter to the editor

Letter to the editor, from the Dollis Park & District Resident’s Association,

Dear Editor,

Please find some useful information about Parking Charges in Barnet and the forthcoming Resident’s Association AGM

Residents Association AGM on Thursday 3rd February 2011 at 7:30 pm to be held at the Blue Beetle Hall on Hendon Lane, N3 (Next to St Mary’s Church)

Guest speaker on Fabulous Finchley and opportunity to hear about and discuss local issues including the fortcoming Winston House development.

Now to the Parking Charges

Barnet are proposing to sharply increase the charges as follows:

Resident permits:
First car:  Currently £42 increasing to £100 (138% increase)
Second car: Currently £75 increasing to £125 (67% increase)
Visitor permits:    Book of ten vouchers: Currently £12 increasing to £48 (400% increase)

The full details of the proposed changes are set out in a document located on Barnet’s web site. See pages 9 and 10 for the CPZ charges, and pages 12 and 13 for the Pay and Display charges.

The Cabinet Resources Committee are meeting on 13 January to approve the proposed increases which are proposed to take effect “from 1 February or as soon as practicable”.

Online Petition There is an online petition started by a Barnet Resident which already has 1600 + signatures if you object.

Regards

Stuart Warner
on behalf of Dollis Park & District Resident’s Association

Festive Public Transport Guide for Londoners

 

Transport for London (TfL) has today published its Festive Travel Guide to help Londoners and visitors travelling around the Capital between Christmas and New Year.

Those travelling in and around the city over the festive period are urged to check the guide before they travel as there will be some changes to normal services.

The guide contains details of Tube, bus, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), tram, London Overground and Riverboat services as well as the Congestion Charge throughout the entire festive period from Friday 24 December 2010, to Bank Holiday Monday 3 January 2011.

The guide is available at all Tube stations, online and at most information points at bus, DLR, tram and London Overground stations.

Travel will be free on all journeys between 23:45 on New Year’s Eve and 04:30 on New Year’s Day on Tube, bus, tram and DLR services.

London Overground services will also be free from 23:45 until the last train.

Barclays Cycle Hire members and casual users will be able to hire bikes as normal through the festive period, although some docking stations will be temporarily unavailable for use on New Year’s Eve for safety reasons.

Essential Tube and Overground engineering works will be taking place over the festive period, TfL is advising all passengers to check before they travel.

Details of line closures can be found online.

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, a Saturday service will operate on the Underground until 19:00, then a reduced service for the rest of the evening.

Last trains will run at Sunday times.

A Saturday service will operate on the bus network with some exceptions.

There will be no night buses and on 24-hour routes, buses will operate until just after midnight.

On the DLR, a normal Monday to Friday service will operate until 19:00 after which a reduced service will operate with last trains at Sunday times.

On the Overground, buses will replace trains between Gospel Oak and Stratford due to major engineering upgrade works.

A Monday to Friday service will operate on other Overground routes with last trains departing from 20:00.

On Tramlink, a Saturday service will operate.

Riverboat services will be running a reduced timetable.

Many coach operators will reduce services from early evening, with last departures from Victoria Coach station at around 21:00.

Christmas Day

On Christmas Day there will be no Tube, bus, DLR, London Overground, tram or river services.

Boxing Day

On Boxing Day from 08:30, a Sunday service will operate on the Tube, buses and trams.

A reduced service will run on the DLR from 08:30 with trains every 15 to 30 minutes.

There will be no service on the Overground.

There will be no Riverboat services except for the Westminster – London Eye – Tower – Greenwich service which will run as normal.

London Underground (LU) hopes to run a Sunday service on Boxing Day.

The leadership of the ASLEF union have announced that they are directing their members to strike on that day, and LU is calling on them to drop their threat.

Passengers are advised to check before they travel.

New Year’s Eve

Revellers planning to see in the New Year in central London are advised to plan ahead to take full advantage of free travel on public transport and in particular be prepared for large crowds, and long waits for the designated viewing areas for the fireworks display.

Peter Hendy, London’s Transport Commissioner, said: ‘The New Year’s Eve fireworks display that takes place at the London Eye provides spectacular entertainment and is enormously popular, attracting large crowds that should be prepared for a long wait at the designated viewing areas along the Thames.

‘As a result people with young children may wish to consider celebrating nearer to home.’

‘For those wishing to brave the crowds and long waiting times, public transport will be the best way to get around the Capital on New Year’s Eve, and I’m pleased we can offer this for free, but I urge revellers to plan their journeys well in advance.’

There will be free travel on all journeys between 23:45 until 04:30 on the Tube, DLR, buses and trams.

Tube, DLR and tram services will run all night on New Year’s Eve.

Some selected Tube stations will be closed completely or for periods at a time, the Festive Travel Guide lists these closures.

A Saturday night service will operate on night buses and 24-hour routes, subject to road closures in central London.

More than 50 extra routes will be operating through the night to enhance the service.

Free travel will apply on London Overground trains running after 23:45 until normal last train times on the Watford Junction and the Dalston Junction to West Croydon/Crystal Palace/New Cross route, but services will not run all night.

London River Services will run a normal service however after 14:30, London Eye Millenium pier will not be served due to preparation for the fireworks display.

Some routes will operate on New Year’s Day, but a normal service will not resume until Sunday 2 January.

Some Barclays Cycle Hire docking stations will be temporarily suspended for safety reasons at various times on New Year’s Eve.

For the latest information on docking station availability, users should check online.

There will be a reduced number of UK coaches departing from Victoria Coach Station with the last coaches leaving at around 20:00.

National Rail will operate modified timetables with additional departures between midnight and 02:45.

Normal rail fares will apply.

 

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London Overground

London Overground passengers should be aware that the Gospel Oak to Stratford route will be suspended from 20:00 on 18 December until 27 December 2010 to allow upgrade work to be undertaken.

The network’s Richmond to Stratford route and Shepherd’s Bush to Willesden Junction route will also be suspended from 27 December until 3 January 2011, to allow further upgrade work to be undertaken.

Congestion Charge

From Saturday 25 December until Monday 3 January inclusive, the central London Congestion Charge will be suspended and motorists will not have to pay.

From Tuesday 4 January 2011 the western extension of the charging zone will no longer be in operation, more information can be found online.

From 4 January 2011 the daily charge for driving within the Congestion Charging zone will increase from £8 to £10, however motorists who have a Congestion Charge Auto Pay account will be eligible for a reduced daily charge of £9.

Motorists can pre-register now for a CC Auto Pay account with a credit or debit card and will have to pay a £10 registration charge for each vehicle on the account.

Once an account has been set up drivers will only be charged for the days they travel within the zone and charges will be automatically deducted from their debit or credit card.

Dial-a-Ride

Dial-a-Ride will be operating every day over Christmas and New Year and all members have been sent details of how to book journeys over this period.

For further information please contact Dial-a-Ride on 0845 999 1 999.