|
Transport
News
From
time to time London Transport and the rail authorities issue notice of
amendments to their service. We publish them here so that you can
comment.
Email
your views to Malden And Coombe website and Kingston Council
Alternatively write
to either:
Mr Steve Guess
Public Transport & Cycling Officer
Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Guildhall
Kingston upon Thames
Surrey
KT1 1EU
Your local
Councillor or:
The Liberal Democrat Group Rooms
Guildhall
Kingston upon Thames
Surrey
KT1 1EU
Route
218, 415 &416 - Company ceases trading - 28 February 2002
New
111 Route - comments invited
For
information from the European Commission on bus engines click here
Tellings-Golden
Miller and routes 415,
470, 471, 511, 512, 514 and 515
New
Route 489. Tolworth - West Ewell - Epsom - Leatherhead - Bookham -
Guildford (Evenings and Sundays only) replacing old route 479 and
providing additional facilities to current route 418.
For
news on: N285.
The changes would affect routes 33, 285, 290,
490, K1, K2, K4 and K5.
Route
X25 - New coach service between Crawley and Chessington World of
Adventures.
Statement
from Stagecoach welcoming their appointment as preferred bidder for the
SWT franchise.
Its
now official that Stagecoach Holdings PLC are now the preferred bidder
for the South West Trains franchise.
Strategic
Rail Authority Agenda
Accessible Travel
Surrey
Buses Change
to K5 Bus Route Route
218, 415 & 416 - Company ceases trading - 28 February 2002 Councillors
were warned by Kingston Council today that White Rose Travel Ltd, who operate bus
routes in the Walton / Staines / Woking area ceased trading at midnight.
Telling-Golden Miller will be operating route 218 (Kingston - Esher - Walton
- Staines) from today.
Surrey County Council and London Buses are trying to find an operator to run
routes 451 & 461 (Kingston - Hampton Court - Hurst Park - Walton -
Addlestone - Staines/Woking).
Current situation regarding White Rose:
218 - The Monday to Saturday daytime service is to be taken on by TGM under
contract to Surrey County Council (with London Buses financial support) from 2 March
2002 with a new timetable (although they may be able to start operating
today). The experimental evening service introduced by White Rose in
October will be withdrawn due to poor usage. The Sunday service goes to
London United, who will adopt the White Rose timings for this day.
451/461 - These services will be taken on by London United under contract to
Surrey County Council from 2 March until 28 June 2002. Within London they will run
under a London Service Permit, although it is understood travel cards etc and
Freedom Passes will still be accepted within London as now.
The timetable for the 218 is currently being printed and should be up at the
stops by Monday. To date Kingston council is not aware of any
news on the
451 / 461 timetable.
New
111 Route (Kingston - Hampton -Hanworth - Hounslow - Heston - Heathrow) London Buses have announced their bus route tendering programme for
2003/2004. The only route entering the Royal Borough of Kingston upon
Thames and included in the programme is route 111 (Kingston - Hampton -Hanworth - Hounslow - Heston - Heathrow)
which is programmed for April 2003.
London Buses are keen to hear views about changes which could be made to
services before new tenders are invited. They are particularly interested
in comments about how the structure or frequencies of services might me changed in the context of the
Mayor of London Transport Strategy, which seeks to expand the bus network and improve journey times, reliability, vehicles and
quality of service. Suggestions might include:-
* new, restructured or extended routes to improve reliability or create new links
* new night services
* increased frequencies or larger vehicles to satisfy demand
* use of more appropriate types of vehicles (Route 111 currently uses low floor fully accessible double deckers).
* closer integration with other modes of transport
* moves to enhance social inclusion.
Comments received by London Buses will contribute to the overall planning
process. All proposals for change are evaluated by London Buses to ensure
value for money, and whilst it won't be possible to incorporate all suggestions, they assure that they receive serious consideration. Responses
to ideas put forward will be made when the formal consultation is undertaken
by London Buses on the final proposals.
London Buses has asked for our views by Friday 14th January, so I would appreciate any comments or ideas that you may have for this route as soon as
possible so that I may co-ordinate this Council's formal response to London
Buses.
Tellings-Golden
Miller Tellings-Golden Miller services 514
& 515 were introduced last January to replace most of routes 415,
511 & 512.
Following representations from West Molesey residents to Surrey County
Council the 514 route will be extended to Kingston Hospital.
However, in order to keep this service within budget, it will stop
operating between Esher and Hersham during the off peak period.
This route is however covered by routes 470 & 471.
Timings on route 515 will also be changed to insure co-ordination over
common sections of route 514 .
These changes will take place on Saturday 26th May 2001. The
Sunday service on route 515 to Guildford will be reintroduced on the
following day by Nostalgiabus (trading as "Northdowns").
New
Surrey Bus Routes London
Buses have just stated that Nostalgiabus Ltd has applied to Transport
for London to operate a number of services commercially or on behalf of
Surrey County Council from Saturday 26th May 2001. They replace
services withdrawn earlier in the year. Those entering the Royal
London Borough of Kingston upon Thames are:-
New Route 489. Tolworth - West Ewell - Epsom - Leatherhead - Bookham -
Guildford (Evenings and Sundays only) replacing old route 479 and
providing additional facilities to current route 418. Weekday
evening buses will leave Tolworth Tower (Ewell Road) at 19:09, 20:39
& 22:09 for Bookham returning at 18:53 (Mon-Fri), 19:53, 21:23 &
22:53. On Sundays buses will leave Tolworth at 8:55, 10:55, 12:55,
14:55 & 16:55 for Guildford returning at 09:35, 11:35, 13:35, 15:35
& 17:35
Route 515, Kingston - Esher - Cobham - Ripley - Guildford. A
Sunday service would be re-introduced, departing Kingston at 10:10,
12:10, 14:10, 16:10 (and at 18:10 to Cobham only). Buses would
return from Guildford at 08:50, 10:50, 12:50, 14:50 & 16:50.
Ticket availability will be the same as the weekday service operated by
Tellings-Golden Miller.
The closing date for comments on this is Friday 18th May.
Top
S.P.
No. LB01/007 2 April 2001
CHANGES PROPOSED TO KINGSTON
AND RICHMOND AREA BUS ROUTES: NEW LINKS AND FURTHER ACCESSIBLE BUSES
PROPOSED. It is proposed to make these changes
from Saturday 30 June 2001. Comments about this proposal should be sent to
the Consultation Manager at the address shown below, to be received by no
later than Friday 18 May 2001.
London Buses proposes to
revise a number of bus routes running in the Kingston and Richmond areas when
new operating contracts start this summer. Most services would be enhanced,
and measures would be taken to improve reliability. Many more new accessible
low floor buses would be introduced. A further 24-hour bus service would be
created for Heathrow Airport with the introduction of new route N285.
The changes would affect routes 33,
285, 290,
490, K1, K2,
K4 and K5.
ROUTE
33 (HAMMERSMITH BUS STATION – FULWELL BUS GARAGE)
ROUTES
285 AND N285 (HEATHROW CENTRAL BUS STATION –
KINGSTON)
Measures would be
incorporated into the new schedules for this service to allow for traffic
congestion and to improve reliability generally. New accessible low floor
single-deck buses would be introduced on route 285, but there would be no
changes to the frequency of the service. The service would no longer serve the
Compass Centre at Heathrow, but would follow the direct routeing to and from
Heathrow Central, via route 111, instead. The Compass Centre would continue to
be served by route 105, which would receive double-deck buses from the same
date. Initially, because the new vehicles are slightly larger than their
predecessors and cannot safely use Windmill Road in Hampton Hill because of
the current traffic and car parking encountered there, the route would need to
be temporarily diverted to run via Hampton High Street and Uxbridge Road.
London Buses is committed to return buses to Windmill Road as quickly as
possible and representations are being made to the London Borough of Richmond
upon Thames about their reviewing and enforcing waiting restrictions to allow
the safe return of the buses to this thoroughfare.
A half-hourly Night Bus
service – the N285 – would be introduced between Heathrow and Kingston
each night over the daytime routeing, providing a further round-the-clock
service for the area. This would have significant benefits for shift workers
in and around Heathrow Airport.
ROUTE
290 (STAINES – RICHMOND, LOWER MORTLAKE ROAD)
ROUTE
490 (HATTON CROSS – RICHMOND, LOWER MORTLAKE ROAD)
ROUTE
K1 (KINGSTON – NEW MALDEN STATION)
There would be no change to
the structure or frequency of this service, but new accessible, low-floor,
single-deck buses would operate it. The afternoon school journey from Hook,
Southborough School to New Malden Station would continue to run.
ROUTE
K2 (KINGSTON – HOOK LIBRARY)
Route K2 would be extended
from Kingston town centre to Kingston Hospital over the K4 routeing, which it
would replace over this section, providing a considerably more frequent
service to the Hospital at all times (including a new facility on Sundays).
Route K2 would continue to run at 10-minute intervals (20 minutes in the
evenings and all day Sundays). New larger, accessible, low-floor single-deck
buses would be used on the route.
Note:
K2 & K4 Bus:
The buses on route K2 will be medium length single door, on route K3
longer length dual door, and K4 shortest length single door. All
will be low floor and wheelchair accessible.
Members in Chessington Hook & Malden Rushett have requested that route
K4
operates to Kingston Hospital rather than route K2 as proposed.
London
Buses prefer route K2 (rather than the K4) to go to Kingston Hospital as
this would give a greater proportion of the population a more frequent
direct link to the Hospital. The K2 option would serve Chessington
North, Tolworth, Berrylands etc. every 10 minutes while the K4
alternative would serve Winey Park, Hook and Tolworth West etc. every
half hour.
London Buses have said that they would prefer fixed bus stops along the
hail & ride sections of low floor routes to improve reliability and
access. This could require grass verges to be paved, kerbs raised
and bus stop clearways introduced. This possibly contentious work
is neither funded or resourced. However there is some concern that fixed
stops in some areas could make the
use of the service less attractive to passengers and reduces the use of
the service .
ROUTE K4
(CHESSINGTON, MANSFIELD PARK – KINGSTON HOSPITAL)
This route would be withdrawn
between Kingston, Cromwell Road Bus Station and Kingston Hospital (see route
K2). At its southern end, it would be revised to terminate at Chessington,
Ripon Gardens, where a stand would be provided to improve regulation of the
service, and hence reliability. A revised routeing would be followed through
the Winey Park and Mansfield Estates, which should make it easier for
passengers travelling to and from this area. Buses would run from Leatherhead
Road via Merrit Gardens, Coppard Gardens (northern part), Mansfield Road,
Woodgate Avenue, Stormont Way and Holdsworthy Way to the Ripon Gardens stand,
and would return via Woodgate Avenue, Mansfield Road and the full length of
Coppard Gardens back to Leatherhead Road. Existing frequencies would remain
unchanged, with buses every half-hour on Mondays to Saturdays (hourly
evenings), As now, there would be no service on Sundays. New accessible,
low-floor, single-deckers would be used.
ROUTE
K5 (HAM – RAYNES PARK)
Responding to requests from
the London Borough of Merton for a new bus link to Morden from the Kingston
and Mostpur Park areas, London Buses proposes to extend route K5 from its
current terminus at Raynes Park through to Morden Station. It would run by way
of Kingston Road, Mostyn Road, Kenley Road, Circle Gardens, Kenley Road and
London Road, providing a public transport service to the Merton Park area,
which is currently remote from the bus network. As at present, buses would run
hourly during the daytime on Mondays to Saturdays, with no service in the
evenings or on Sundays. New accessible, low-floor, single-deck buses would be
introduced on the route.
S.P. No.
LB01/007 2 April 2001 ENDS
Top
Route
X25 - New coach service between Crawley and Chessington World of Adventures.
If you have any comments or observations on this application, reply
date Friday 13th April to input into the councils formal response to
London Buses
London Buses has received an
application from Aventa Passenger Logistics Ltd. for a new coach service
between Crawley and Chessington World of Adventures (CWoA). Route X25 would
operate on Saturdays, Sundays, Public Holidays and West Sussex School Holidays
from 28th April 2001.
Coaches arrive at CWoA at 10:05 and 13:05*, departing at 17:30 and 20:00*. The
later journeys (*) only operating during the summer school holidays.
The route in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (RBK) is direct from the M25 (junction 9) to CWoA.
The service would operate within RBK under the authority of a London Local
Service Permit. No London Passes or Tickets would be valid.
Top
.
Statement
from Stagecoach welcoming their appointment as preferred bidder for the SWT
franchise.
STAGECOACH GROUP WELCOMES SOUTH WEST TRAINS
DECISION
Stagecoach welcomes today's decision by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) to
make the Group the preferred bidder for the new South West Trains franchise.
Stagecoach Group will now move to conclude negotiations for London's biggest
train order, providing new rolling stock for South West Trains.
A total of £1.7 billion is committed to investment in trains and
infrastructure, including 800 new vehicles. These new trains will begin to be
delivered from the end of next year, and will enable slam door trains to be
eliminated from South West Trains network by the end of 2004.
Keith Cochrane, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive, welcomed the decision by the
Strategic Rail Authority. " The SRA has clearly understood the problems
of Britain's biggest commuter railway, and its early decision means that we
can begin work to transform the service to our passengers at the earliest
possible opportunity. I am also delighted that the decision removes any
uncertainty about the future for our staff".
"Our promise is to achieve the step-change in customer service that our
passengers have a right to expect. We will work closely with the SRA and
passenger groups to build a new railway for the 21st century."
"Today is the beginning of a new era for South West Trains".
Top
Its
now official that Stagecoach Holdings PLC are now the preferred bidder for the
South West Trains franchise.
Strategic Rail Authority 2 April 2001- Building A Better Railway SRA and
Stagecoach Sign Up To £1.7 Billion Investment Package for South West Trains
The Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) has signed heads of terms with incumbent
Stagecoach Holdings plc as the preferred counterparty for the new South West
Trains replacement franchise. Under the new franchise agreement, a total of £
1.7 billion will be committed over the first 15 years to implement much needed
changes on this intensively used and overcrowded commuter network.
Currently, around 2.5 million passengers use the South West Trains network
every week. The focus of the investment proposal is to allow growth in
passenger demand, increase reliability and punctuality, improve levels of
customer satisfaction and reduce overcrowding.
Highlights of the deal include more and longer trains, infrastructure
improvements including platform extensions, more frequent services, and
station upgrades to facilitate interchange with tube and bus. The SRA has
negotiated a tough deal with Stagecoach to deliver extra capacity, higher
performance standards and a step change in quality of service for passengers.
The original franchise is due to expire in February 2003; the new franchise
will operate for 20 years, with provision for shortening the term to 15 years
if later capacity schemes are not implemented. From the start of the new
franchise, Stagecoach will be subject to substantially increased penalty
payments for poor performance. They have committed to providing better
customer service and improved punctuality and reliability, and within the next
ten years, aim to run 15 out of 16 trains on time each day, the equivalent of
running 93.75% of all trains on time.
Stagecoach has committed, over the remainder of this year, to introduce new
trains, take steps to improve security, accelerate training for staff, and
improve customer information and to implement a range of other initiatives.
Safety
In line with the Health and Safety Executive's requirement Stagecoach will
replace all Mark 1, slam door rolling stock by 31 December 2004. All rolling
stock in use after 2003 will be fitted with Train Protection and Warning
System (TPWS). Stagecoach is committed to ensuring further continuous safety
improvement. Within the heads of terms, Stagecoach has detailed a set of
schemes, which are intended to provide the users of South West Trains with the
following benefits.
Early Benefits (by 2004)
* Investment in 800 new vehicles to
replace the ageing Mark 1 stock by 2004,to increase the fleet and to help
relieve overcrowding
*
Stagecoach will undertake a programme to lengthen platforms at Waterloo and
throughout the suburban system to allow the use of 10-car trains in place of
the current 8-car trains. This will increase the peak capacity on most
suburban routes by 25% by the end of 2004
*
A recast timetable on the Windsor and Reading lines to provide 14 extra trains
in each peak and give 15 minute service frequency on the Suburban lines
through Hounslow and Putney
*
Doubling of the Portsmouth to Southampton service frequency and provide a new
service between Southampton and a re-opened station at Chandlers Ford
*
Integrated transport projects including three new Rail link buses from
Waterlooville to Petersfield, from Yately to Farnborough and from Alton to
Winchester via Alresford. Existing Stagecoach bus services in Hampshire and
Surrey will be re-organised to provide a Rail Connections Network.
Timetables will be changed to improve rail connections, and there will be
through ticketing Longer Term Benefits
* The re-development by 2007 of Clapham
Junction, one of the busiest
interchange stations on the railway network. The upgrade is designed to make
the station more comfortable and convenient for local passengers and for those
who change trains. There will be a new overbridge or upper concourse with lift
or escalator access to platform level, passenger lounges and improved
passenger shelter on platforms
*
Improvements at Waterloo Station to provide for the safe and convenient
circulation of a growing number of passengers
*
Upgrading of Wimbledon and Vauxhall stations to improve interchange with the
Underground
*
A programme of investments in infrastructure designed to overcome major causes
of delays to trains. The programme includes installing stronger rail and more
reliable signalling components on the most critical sections of the network
(between Waterloo and New Malden, and between Havant and Portsmouth)
*
Stagecoach is committed to providing 3,400 new car park spaces by May 2006
*
Bringing facilities at all stations up to an improved standard to increase
passenger comfort and personal security. CCTV will be installed at all
stations and linked to the British Transport Police management information
control centre. Waiting areas will be improved and toilets will be provided at
all staffed stations. Stagecoach is committed to a phased programme to provide
disabled access to all platforms by 2014 Also contained in the document are a
set of aspirations. These are projects that will be brought forward subject to
feasibility studies, and, where appropriate, passenger growth.
Aspirations
*
Introduction of 16 car trains on long distance routes by extending
platforms at Waterloo and other stations (2006)
*
Extension of platforms 1-6 at Waterloo for 12 car suburban trains (2009)
*
Various infrastructure schemes to ease delays, including new platforms at
Havant and Portsmouth and Southsea (End 2009)
*
Introduction of double deck trains between Waterloo , Guildford,
Basingstoke, Chessington, Hampton Court and Kingston
*
Restoring passenger services between Bournemouth and Swanage and between
Southampton and Hythe, as well as doubling the frequency of services between
Weymouth and Poole
Chief Executive of the SRA, Mike Grant said: 'I am delighted to announce the
Heads of Terms for this exciting new franchise deal with Stagecoach. South
West Trains is one of the South East's most congested networks. Everyday
thousands of passengers use it and the number is still increasing. 'I believe
the Stagecoach deal includes significant passenger benefits and addresses the
key issues that affect passengers at an early stage. It represents a
commitment to help resolve capacity problems on the busiest rail network in
Britain, while keeping disruption to services to the minimum. Stagecoach have
learned lessons from their existing tenure, and acknowledge the need for
further progress. Passengers can now look forward to a step change in customer
service. 'Investment is the key to improving the rail network, and as part of
the deal, around £700 million will be
invested in new trains, most of which are planned to be in service by 2004.
A further £1 billion will
be invested in new infrastructure to help ease
congestion problems and to improve reliability. 'The decision to select
Stagecoach was a tough one. It was a highly competitive process, offering
us a choice of strong proposals. However, we are confident we have made
the right decision and I look forward to substantially improved
performance from Stagecoach and the South West Trains franchise going
forward.'
Chairman of the SRA, Sir Alastair Morton, said: ' With this decision for
South West Trains, we have taken a crucial step in the franchise
replacement programme described in our Strategic Agenda. I look forward to
the SRA agreeing a number of others this year. 'New investment is key to
the success of the rail industry and rolling stock replacement plays a
major part, as this deal demonstrates. I am pleased by the benefits
generated from competitive bidding; in particular, Nederlandse Spoorwegen
(Dutch State Railways) joined FirstGroup in submitting a very challenging
bid. I hope we
shall see more from them. 'Change cannot happen overnight, but over the
next few years passengers on the South West Trains franchise will see
marked improvements to their service.'
Top
Strategic Rail Authority
Agenda
The SRA have published their
"Strategic Agenda" which may be found at:-
http://www.sra.gov.uk/Publications/Strategic_Plan/stratAgendaMenu.htm
Specific schemes involving the South Western lines through the Borough of
Kingston upon Thames are detailed in Part 4 on pages 71, 75 and 76.
Accessible
Travel
Information to Kingston
Councillors on Disabled Travel from Transport for London - 26 March 2001:
1. It is expected that all of London's buses will be
fully-accessible long before the deadline of the end date of 1 January
2016 set by the PSV Accessibility Regulations under the Disability
Discrimination Act. There are inevitably some short-term problems
with older buses having to substitute for low-floor vehicles when there
are breakdowns, but as each operating unit moves towards 100% low-floor
buses all of the vehicles held in reserve will also be
fully-accessible. There is a steady introduction of accessible
vehicles (now more than half the fleet is low-floor) but in most cases the
changeover results from renewal of route contracts with the operators.
2. I cannot see route 71 included on our listing of low-floor bus
routes so it would be helpful to know where Ali Kashmiri's information
came from. The contract for this particular route comes up for
renewal in June 2002, after which time accessible low-floor vehicles will
be introduced.
3. It is acknowledged that there are some problems with driver
training and awareness of the accessibility features of new
vehicles. London Buses is working with the operators to improve
training standards and the Mayor's Draft Transport Strategy will make
Disability Awareness training for the bus companies' front-line staff
mandatory.
4. For the reasons indicated above, there may have been occasions
when low-floor vehicles have had to be used on route 411 but it is
certainly not the case that this is no longer a low-floor route. If
there are inconsistencies in vehicle allocation these need to be raised
with the bus operator concerned or with my office for investigation.
The bus companies are obliged to operate the correct vehicle type on each
of their routes and if there is any failure to do so (excluding short term
difficulties of the kind mentioned) London Buses would take action under
the contract terms.
5. There have been some problems with ramp reliability in certain
areas and a detailed study has been undertaken by London Buses so that
additional engineering support is made available by the ramp manufacturers
where necessary. The monitoring of vehicle safety standards includes
ramps in addition to other equipment and any adverse reports submitted to
London Buses are taken up with the operator concerned. If a ramp
fails whilst a bus is in service we would not expect the vehicle to be
withdrawn immediately as this would clearly result in considerable
passenger inconvenience. Deadlines for the repair of defective
equipment are set in the Disability Discrimination Act Regulations.
In addition, London Buses will shortly be introducing "Mystery
Shopper" surveys by disabled people and this additional monitoring
will help to ensure action by operators to mainstream accessibility
features in full working order.
6. A programme of introduction of on-bus information systems, which
will announce both visually and audibly next-stop on the line of route and
the destination of the service is due to commence shortly. London
Buses is implementing a fleet-wide automatic vehicle location system which
will produce these announcements and the first trial area for such
equipment will soon be selected. Again, it is part of the Mayor's
Draft Transport Strategy to roll out better information provision for
people with sensory disabilities.
Top
Surrey
Buses
Surrey Buses were taken off the road on Thursday by the Traffic
Commissioner on Thursday 22 March 2001. White Rose and Tellings-Golden
Miller have stepped in to replace routes 481 (Kingston - Walton - Staines)
and 513 (Kingston - Esher - Oxshott - Cobham) respectively on emergency
timetables. However, both companies are fully stretched following
the financial failure of the much larger Tillingbourne bus company
(operating in the Woking/Guildford/Aldershot areas) on Monday and it has
not been possible to run all journeys, particularly on Sunday.
Route
K5
Following changes
to the K5 bus we submitted our K5
bus petition following this London Transport
announced the diversion of the route. Only
some 100 residents have signed the petition with only a few subsequent
signatures since. LT
believe there to be a low level of support for the
current route through Worcester Park. Liberal Democrats keep
pressing London Transport for a rout that will serve the Station Estate,
The Manor Drive, Old Malden Library, Motspur Park and New Malden
Fountain.
Top
|
