Demand for Action on Failures on District Line Richmond Branch
MP says repeated issues now a serious problem
A Richmond Branch train pulls into Gunnersbury Station
July 26, 2024
Repeated closures on the Richmond branch of the District line in recent weeks have heaped misery on people commuting to work at stations such as Gunnersbury and tourists trying to reach Kew Gardens, a local MP has complained.
In a letter to mayor Sadiq Khan, Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney said that continual faults on the line had led to overcrowded bus services and longer journeys times for her constituents.
The Mayor admitted in comments to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that residents “need a better service”, though he said the problems were Network Rail’s responsibility.
Richmond Park MP Ms Olney said the closures “have resulted in workers failing to get to their jobs on time, extended journeys to and from school for children, missed appointments, and wasted money on tickets to events in other areas of London”.
Her letter, which was also signed by Richmond Council leader and assembly member Gareth Roberts, added that the closures had been a major issue for tourists visiting Kew Gardens.
“Local buses do not have capacity for this additional demand, resulting in many tourists being forced to choose between extended waits for less overcrowded buses or an expensive cab fare to a functioning station.
“If the line leading to Richmond goes down, residents who need to access the Tube have very few other options and must either travel via train to Putney Bridge then walk to East Putney or take a bus to Turnham Green. The former is not a feasible option for those with limited mobility or baggage, and the latter can add an additional 45 minutes to journey times during rush hour."
The MP said she understood the need for engineering works – particularly due to the Tube network’s ageing infrastructure – but said the repeated line failures had become “a serious problem for residents”.
Ms Olney and Mr Roberts urged Mr Khan to reassure residents that ‘reasonable action is being taken to prevent further issues over the summer’.
Approached for a response, the Mayor pointed out that the Richmond branch track is owned and maintained by Network Rail.
“Transport for London (TfL) will talk to Network Rail in relation to these issues,” he said. “There were similar issues on the western part of the Elizabeth line – also the responsibility of Network Rail.
“We’re going to carry on working closely, collegiately, with Network Rail, because those people in south west London rely upon that part of the District Line. They need a better service.”
Laurence Bowman, route director for Network Rail Anglia said, “We’re sorry that services have been disrupted on the Richmond branch line in recent weeks, affecting Overground and District line passengers. This has been caused by a spike in track and signal failures in this complex and busy area of the network as well as train fleet issues.
“We are working with TfL and train operators to improve the service our passengers deserve by fixing faults more quickly and removing track defects, with a long-term plan to improve how we control services and replace track and signalling.”
Noah Vickers - Local Democracy Reporter
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