Agenda item

TfL Responses to questions raised

Hybrid Questions

TfL, Network Rail + Southeastern

1.      Recently we re-launched the Lewisham Station User’s Group (LSUG). Can you commit to attending all future LSUG meetings (quarterly) to ensure that residents views at taken into consideration whenever considering changes to scheduling or services at Lewisham? (Councillor Huynh)

·         We were happy to attend the first LSUG. We are committed to attending stakeholder meetings to support strategic engagement with the community in Lewisham, where we are able to and where our Terms of Attendance are met. We would be very happy to meet with Cllr Huynh and discuss our attendance at future meetings and how we can best take into account residents views on our projects and services.

All networks

2.      How are you working to improve the quality and amenities of stations across the borough and ensure they are adequate for an inner London Borough? Can you share with us future station improvement roadmaps? (Councillor Walsh)

·         Rail Development and Policy colleagues are currently investigating proposed enhancement ideas have put forward for Lewisham station improvements.

·         Please note that we currently do not have funding committed to any such proposals and that we would need to develop a Business Case for any proposals which would then be subject to funding.

·         These proposed ideas will be communicated by Josh Freestone once updates are available.

TfL + Thameslink (Southern)

At a previous meeting, the written response of South Rail to our question on the re-establishment of a service to East Croydon was that did not have any plans to restore the service and sought to justify that by providing journeys into Crystal Palace, Clapham Junction and Victoria. There is no demand for trains to Crystal as this is served by the TfL service. For the northern section (including New Cross Gate and Brockley) there are faster services to Clapham Junction and Victoria either via central London or via TfL. There is no direct route any longer to East Croydon as neither Southern nor TfL services call there. Can we have statistics showing (a) how many passengers now have to change at Norwood Junction compared with those who would, if the previous service was re-introduced, need to change at Crystal Palace for Clapham Junction and Victoria? (Telegraph Hill)

·         If the Southern services via Crystal Palace are rerouted to Croydon then the capacity they provide will likely need to be replaced on the route to Victoria from Crystal Palace. This will be difficult given the reduced number of trains now available to Southern.

·         Our National Rail datasets show that the total number of journeys made between the stations from New Cross Gate to Anerley inclusive and East Croydon /West Croydon during the year 2022/23 is c0.7million.

·         Over the same period the total number of journeys made on Southern services that traverse the link between Sydenham and Crystal Palace that would need to interchange if these services were withdrawn is c0.9 million.

·         The passenger volumes therefore support the retention of the current service pattern based on the data colleagues have reviewed, particularly so as many of the customers included in the 0.7 million total quoted above would use direct London Overground services to West Croydon. The case for retention of the current service pattern is further strengthened by the need to provide capacity on the route west of Crystal Palace to Victoria via Clapham Junction as discussed previously; this capacity would need to be replaced from another source if these services were withdrawn.  

Individual Questions

There is a 7.5 tonne weight restriction on Kidbrooke Park Road. It no longer needs to be in place as the bridge has now been repaired. When will Kidbrooke Park Road be reopened? (Councillor Royston)

·         We have not yet made a decision on whether to remove the weight restriction on Kidbrooke Park Road, despite Network Rail having undertaken bridge strengthen works.

·         Network Performance colleagues have serious safety concerns with doing so, particularly in regard to the movement of HGVs going southbound from the Blackwall and making the right-turn into Kidbrooke Park Road. The speed with which vehicles approach the turn and the fact that HGVs would be stacking on to the A2 cause concern.

·         We are aware of Lewisham’s strong position on the issue. We are considering our position and the options available to us and will keep you and LB Lewisham officers updated as these discussions continue.

Does TfL have any update on the schedule to build a station at Surrey Canal Road? What is the funding available for this? (Councillor Hall)

·         Surrey Canal station was planned to be funded through the East London line Housing Infrastructure Fund programme.

·         Due to inflation pressures on the programme, we have agreed with DLUHC to prioritise a first phase of investment which includes an improved station at Surrey Quays but leaves Surrey Canal station unfunded.

TfL is working closely with Lewisham, GLA and government colleagues on a funding approach to the second phase which includes the station.

Are there any plans to consult on bus frequencies and timetabling across Lewisham? (Councillor Hall)

·         We do not formally consult on bus service and timetable changes. We continually keep the bus network under review. If there are any comments on specific bus routes and capacity within the bus network in Lewisham, please let us know. We are happy to look into any issues with frequency and timetabling.

·         Josh Freestone has emailed Councillor Hall directly with this information and has asked for further details to be provided about specific routes and services.

Residents regularly raise concerns regarding the use of Sangley Road by buses. Many on the doorstep raise speeding and a suspicion of wing mirror clipping. There are often I’m told stand offs between road users along this stretch. What more can you do to monitor and ameliorate these issues and give confidence to residents that TfL is doing it's fair part? (Councillor Walsh)

·         So far in 2023 there have been two incidents in IRIS, the incident reporting system used by our bus operators, where buses have reportedly come in to contact with stationary or moving vehicle while navigating the road.

·         We are actively monitoring speeding incidents by buses and have noted incidents in the area, we have also noted a downward trend in these figures.

·         TfL will look to raise with the bus operator(s) that Sangley road is an area to mitigate speed, reminding them about the importance of regularly monitoring speeds in the area.

·         TfL are leading on installing intelligent speed assistance (ISA) to prevent vehicles going above the posted speed limit in the first place 

·         We would encourage residents who witnesses an incident involving buses on the road to report them to our 24hr customer services line 0343 222 1234 so they can be logged and action can be taken.

Speeding buses are causing severe vibration of houses along Sandhurst Road; many complaints have recently ben submitted to Councillor Burgess. An FOI has shown that Lewisham Council and TfL have never communicated about this problem; but TfL's head of operations Rosie Trew recently promised to open an investigation. Can Lewisham Council be raise the matter with TfL in an attempt to solve the issue? (Public question)

·         We’ve been contacted by two residents over recent weeks and had FOI requests around speeding buses in the area. We have investigated and agree that buses are regularly travelling above the 20mph speed limit and have raised this with the operator to monitor and remind drivers to adhere to the limit. We are sorry that drivers have been speeding in the area.

·         Note that we do not agree that speeding buses are causing severe vibrations.

Are all buses in the area now ULEZ compliant? (Forest Hill)

·         Since January 2021 the entire bus network now exclusively uses Euro VI or cleaner buses, the same emissions standard as the Mayor of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone

3.      Are there any plans for the 63-bus route to be extended as far as Honor Oak Park station in order to support public travel to the station from the Peckham Rye Park area to reduce car usage and local parking (in support of the Sustainable Streets Initiative)? (Forest Hill Society)

·         We are continually monitoring our bus network to manage changes to passenger travel patterns.

·         However there are no plans to increase the frequency on routes 66 currently.

This morning (11th May 2023) I had to cycle across that junction and was very nearly knocked down by a white van which had gone straight through the red light travelling west-east on New Cross road. My light (travelling south from Avonley Road) had turned green and if I'd been quicker off the mark he would have hit me.

I know you said that the enforcement team have been made aware that drivers jump reds at this junction but it needs more action. I've thought of some immediate and longer term goals for this junction:

Immediate asks:

1)Visible enforcement at the traffic lights, either through patrols or through cameras and more signage about cameras

2)Add 3 seconds to the "green man" crossing phase to support pedestrians

3)Adjust the lights to include the "green man" pedestrian phase in every cycle, rather than only if the button is pressed (this would save a lot of people on foot a lot of waiting time on a polluted roadside)

Medium term asks

1)      additional pedestrian light and painted crossing from outside Hong Kong City restaurant to Kender Street - ie a crossing on the 4th side of the junction. Hundreds of people already cross here daily so we should make it safer for them.

Long term asks

1) new pedestrian friendly junction redesign that enables diagonal crossing and cycle priority

2) protected 2-way cycle lane on New Cross Road (A2) like the one on Jamaica Road and Blackfriars Bridge Road (Councillor Shrivastava on behalf of resident)

·         We are currently looking at the design and enforcement of this junction, in light of the issues raised to us. We are investigating the information given and together with TfL enforcement teams, the recommendations put to us will be reviewed. Once this review has taken place we will be in touch directly with the resident on our next steps, whom Councillor Shrivastava has put us in touch with.

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At the last meeting we sought to explain our concerns over the inadequate passenger information at Whitechapel and certain other stations. The TfL represent said he would put in a request for TfL to contact the Society directly in order to discuss the issue.

As we said, we would be happy to meet at Whitechapel with a member of TfL staff to explain those concerns (contact via our website at www.telegraphhillsociety.co.uk or direct at ths@baccma.co.uk) but, as yet, have heard nothing. Can this be followed up please?

·         In order to get the most accurate, up-to-date information, we encourage all our customers to use the TfL website or TfL Go app. These channels feed real-time information to customers in order to support journey planning and give people information on alternative routes and service status during times of disruption. In addition, using our open-data feed, there are various other apps such as CityMapper through which journey information, including the best route to take and upcoming train departures, is shared. To support customers in planning their journey, Wi-Fi is available at all Tube and Elizabeth line stations. Furthermore, by the end of 2024, Tube customers will be able to get a mobile phone signal within every London Underground station and tunnel. This will further enable people to check real-time journey information on-the-go, helping to inform decisions about which route to take.

·         In terms of in-station experience, our Electronic Status Update Boards show disruptions across the network to enable customers to choose the correct route for their journey during times of disruption. This is fed through a live feed from the London Underground Control Centre which is updated in real-time. Additionally, our passenger announcement systems are constantly used to broadcast information about the service status of all lines. Further, station staff are informed of disruption as and when it happens, which they can then pass on to customers.

·         There are many decision points on our network where more than one route is available, such as the example Mr Bacchus references at Whitechapel and Moorgate; unfortunately, it would not be feasible to provide additional departure screens at every single one to tell customers which train will be arriving next.