Tfl Urged To Consider Trial Period Of Piccadilly Line Stop
The issue was subject of lively discussion at Chiswick Area Forum
Transport for London (TfL) has been called upon to set up a trial period of Piccadilly Line trains stopping during the day at Turnham Green. A public consultation on the issue is in operation until October 9th.
At a meeting of the Chiswick Area Forum (CAF) on Tuesday (Sept 24), local MP Mary Macleod joined campaigners who asked TfL officials to consider either a six or a twelve month trial period.
Mary said: "Now is the time to give Chiswick residents what they have wanted for decades. I absolutely believe that we can find a way to stop Piccadilly line trains at Turnham Green and the way to test it is to run a trial. Agreeing to a pilot is the least TfL can do in response to the thousands of local residents who have replied to this consultation and signed my petition.
"Stopping the Piccadilly line at Turnham Green station throughout the day will improve so many lives and I want TfL to come up with positive ways in which it is possible to achieve this at peak and non peak times."
Mary Macleod, Mayor Boris Johnston and Angie Bray
The CAF meeting was told that the response was the third highest ever to any TfL public consultation. TfL officials who attended the CAF meeting said that the benefits- a shorter journey time of some 3.6 minutes for some 19,000 passengers had to be balanced against the disbenefits to other users of the Underground- including a longer journey time of 1-2 minutes for 248,000 through passengers. A report on the findings will be published later this year.
Mary Macleod said that the response to the consultation numbered 12,000 and 2,500 to the e-petition and the proposal was supported by Ealing councillors as well as those in Chiswick. She felt a pilot test wold be a great start. Chiswick would also experience economic benefits, she believed.
The former head of Transport for LBH, Chris Calvi-Freeman said he felt the consultation was "a bit poor” and there were questions that the community didn’t think were fair. He disputed the TfL claim that the move would only give a 3.6 or 3.7 minute advantage to local commuters and said he felt there was space and scope for a trial for a year.
“TfL continue to look for reasons why it shouldn’t happen rather than why it should,” he remarked.
Mr. Calvi- Freeman said that the business case (delays versus time savings) was closely balanced and only weakly negative (against introduction of the stop). He pointed out that Crossrail would change this balance by reducing the proportion of Heathrow passengers.
Lib Dem Southfield Ward cllr Gary Malcolm and Caroline Pidgeon (LA) at previous meeting on the matter
A member of the public at the meeting said that TfL should look at the interchange at Baron’s Court, or even Gloucester Road, which appeared to be of little benefit.
The meeting heard from TfL Piccadilly Line General Manager Tony London and Keith Foley, London Underground's head of Transport Planning, that the Piccadilly Line carried 700,000 passengers a day and that there were ten stations on London Underground where passenger numbers were predicted to increase by 20% by 2020. The District Line was scheduled to have modern new trains in the next few years.
Mr. Foley said a Piccadilly Line stop at Turnham Green would reduce reliability, increase end-to- end journey times and would need two extra trains to be operated. He said (to laughter from those attending the meeting ) that the current service at Turnham Green on the District Line was every 2-6 minutes.
Mark Frost, team leader of LBH Transport Planning said that the Council would like to see at least a trial period.
A long-time campaigner for Piccadilly Line trains to stop at Turnham Green, Mr. Richard Jennings, said from the floor that the timetabled frequency had dropped from 27 to 24 trains/hour and that by running more trains the capacity issue would be addressed. He also pointed out that running times had been increased.
A discussion on the matter can also be read on chiswickw4.com forum
TfL’s online survey can be filled out here: https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/tube/piccadillyline/consultation/intro/view
The Piccadilly line consultation can also be seen here: www.tfl.gov.uk/piccadillyline
You can sign the online petition here: http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-mayor-of-london-boris-johnson-stop-piccadilly-line-trains-at-turnham-green-station-throughout-the-d
September 26, 2013