Transport News November 2008
10-year plan unveiled
Major improvements to Hackney’s transport infrastructure are safe, following a funding announcement from Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.
Some projects such as the proposed Thames Gateway Bridge were axed, but the extension of the East London Line (ELL) through Hackney will not be affected by the cuts.
However, train frequency upgrades to the North London Line could be hit.
Hackney’s Mayor, Jules Pipe, led a four year campaign for these improvements. They will form a key part of the borough’s Olympic legacy and are seen as vital to the economic regeneration of Hackney. Mayor Pipe said:
“The loss of planned transport projects will be a blow to some parts of East London, particularly in the Thames Gateway and places like Dagenham.
“I am pleased that, in Hackney, the East London Line extension is secure but the Council will have to continue campaigning on train frequency on the North London Line because of the plan to scrap line upgrades at Camden.
“This will result in only six trains an hour instead of the promised eight. I will continue to lobby the Mayor of London to make sure Hackney gets the transport services it needs.”
The plans were outlined by the Mayor Johnson, as he unveiled Transport for London’s (TfL) multi-billion pound, ten year business plan on 6 November.
TfL's 10 year plan:
Expand public transport capacity: Upgrading the Tube network, including new air conditioned trains & building Crossrail, which promises an extra 10 per cent capacity on rail network
Deliver London’s 2012 transport projects & secure a lasting legacy: Complete the ELL extension to the London Overground network & increase capacity on an extended DLR
Lead revolution in cycling and walking: Boost the numbers of people using these methods by one million by 2018 & introducing cycle highways and a hire scheme
Smooth traffic flows: Make best use of limited road space by re-phasing traffic lights & tackling disruption caused by unplanned roadworks
Improve the safety and security of the travelling public: Build on increased numbers of officers patrolling the buses and Tube & trial live CCTV on buses
Improve experience of travelling: Enable passengers to use Oyster cards on national rail, introduce schemes to cool deep Tube lines, and increase use of the Thames.
Grim results of spurning seatbelts
A hard-hitting campaign urging drivers and passengers to wear seat belts has been launched by Road Safety Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick.
The £2.6million campaign comes after research found that while few people never wear a seat belt, many gamble with their lives by not belting up every time they get in a car.
They risk death or serious injury, even at speeds of 30mph. The latest statistics show that one life could be saved every day in Britain if everyone always wore a seatbelt, and that you are twice as likely to die in a crash if you are not wearing one.
Graphic images of the internal injuries caused in a road accident if people don’t wear a seat belt are to be shown as part of the latest THINK! TV advertising campaign.
Speaking at the launch, the minister said: “Every day someone dies simply because they are not wearing a seat belt. That’s a tragic waste that could be avoided if everyone took the simple step of belting up whenever they got in a car.”
Pearly proliferation
Residents can now top-up their Oyster cards at an extra 51 shops in the borough, Transport for London (TfL) has announced.
The increase is part of a 75 per cent rise in the number of Oyster outlets across the Capital.
Shashi Verma, from TfL, said: “Increasing the number of ticket agents across the Capital will make using Oyster even more convenient for the millions of passengers that use TfL services every day.”
Ozgur Tepe, of Four Seasons Supermarket in Stoke Newington, added: “Many customers ask us if they can top-up their Oyster card in our store and it will be great to now offer them this service.”
You can find your nearest Ticket Stop by typing in your postcode on the TfL website.
Dalston diversion postponed
A major diversion through Dalston for works to extend the East London Line to Highbury and Islington has been postponed.
The diversion on Dalston Lane has been put back to the New Year. This will allow engineers to complete the second of four phases of essential bridgeworks between Ashwin Street and Kingsland High Street.
Westbound traffic will be diverted along Queensbridge Road, then on to Richmond and Kingsland roads. Cyclists travelling west would use the same diversion.
Bus numbers 30, 38, 56, 242, 277, and N38 will be diverted along this route, using the existing Forest Road stop on Queensbridge Road and an additional temporary Buxted Road stop on Richmond Road.
For more information go to TfL’s Journey planner.
Drive for a greener capital
Bus travel has taken its first step towards a greener future, with hybrid vehicles from several manufacturers joining Transport for London’s (TfL) testing program.
There are currently 12 single deck buses and one double decker in London that run on a combination of diesel and electricity. By January, there should be 56 hybrid buses on London’s routes, rising to 300 by March 2011. They can be identified by a green leaf livery on the traditional red background.
The aim is that by 2012, every new bus brought into service will be a hybrid.
They are cleaner, quieter and use less fuel than their diesel counterparts, cutting emissions of carbon dioxide by up to 40 per cent.
Minister on the buses
A community transport operator that also offers bus driver training hosted a VIP visit from the Minister for the Third Sector.
Kevin Brennan, whose post covers community and voluntary groups, dropped into Hackney Community Transport (HCT), an award winning social enterprise that runs transport services across London.
During his visit last month, Mr Brennan met some of HCT’s current trainees, as well as bus driver Sadiye Sonmez, a graduate of the group’s programme for unemployed women.
HCT offers a wide range of courses, supported by the Learning and Skills Council and the London Development Agency.
One of HCT’s main aims is to provide opportunities for local people to study and find work in Hackney. These target people who find it difficult to get a job or to use public transport.
Dai Powell, Chief Executive of HCT Group, said: “It’s fantastic the minister was able to see some of what we do here in Hackney. In the current economic climate, it is vital to show how social enterprise is a real alternative to the mainstream business model and how we make a difference in the communities in which we operate.”
More information
For more details of training on offer visit: www.hctgroup.org.
Safe cabs at your fingertips
As the party season approaches, revellers are being warned to avoid illegal minicabs – and instead use a dedicated text service to find a registered company.
Cabwise was launched two years ago by the Mayor of London, the Met Police and TfL in order to reduce the number of assaults carried out by unlicensed drivers.
Users simply text the word ‘HOME’ to the Cabwise number, 60835, and the service uses mobile phone technology to locate them. It then texts back with phone numbers for a black cab company and two local licensed minicab firms.
The messages cost 35p per enquiry, plus the standard cost of a text message on the user’s mobile network – a small price for a safe journey home.
For more details visit the Taxis and Minicabs page, or www.cabwise.com.
Overground back on timetable
Normal service is set to resume on the North London Line (NLL) – and new trains are on the way.
The line between Gospel Oak and Willesden Junction had been closed since September while a tunnel was enlarged, with a knock-on effect for passengers travelling from Dalston Kingsland, Hackney Central, Homerton and Hackney Wick.
Meanwhile, new trains, which will replace ageing ex-Silverlink stock next year on the Richmond-Stratford line, are currently being tested.
By mid-2010 they will also run on the extended East London Line from Whitechapel to Hackney’s four new Overground stations Dalston Junction, Haggerston, Hoxton, Shoreditch High Street.
Learn about the link
A drop-in session will offer Dalston residents a chance to learn more about ongoing work to extend the East London Line (ELL).
TfL will host the event on 11 November, from 2pm to 9pm, at the Centreprise Trust, 136-8 Kingsland High Street, E8.
The link between the planned Dalston Junction station and the North London Line (NLL) at Highbury & Islington is due to open in early 2011.
For more information call: 0800 587 2441, or email: overground@tfl.gov.uk.
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
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