Transport users’ priorities for the 2016-20 mayoral term
policies to keep
Londoners moving
The voice of London transport users
Transport users’ priorities for the 2016-20 mayoral term
policies to keep
Londoners moving
Transport is one of the Mayor’s key responsibilities.
London is changing rapidly and it will be a major
challenge to ensure that London’s travelling public
benefits from high quality, good value services that
meet everyone’s needs.
London TravelWatch has identified 10 key policies
to help keep Londoners, commuters and visitors
moving. Some require only modest expenditure,
and could be implemented quickly. Others will take
longer. But they all require a strong commitment to
using the Mayor’s influence and strategic powers to
achieve a planned, co-ordinated approach.
We will be discussing with the Mayoral candidates
how they will support these 10 key policies.
www.londontravelwatch.org.uk
Transport users’ priorities for the 2016-20 mayoral term
1. Sustained investment to meet London’s evergrowing transport needs
2. A road network that makes the best use of scarce
capacity
3. As many of London’s rail services as possible coordinated by the Mayor
4. Reliable bus services that keep up with the pace
of change
5. Simpler fares, better value for money and a fairer
deal when things go wrong
6. A co-ordinated approach to transport
interchanges
7. Transport networks accessible to all
8. Reliable, accessible and timely information
9. Everyone able to travel without fear of crime or
anti-social behaviour
10.Disruption effectively managed
policies to keep
Londoners moving
1. Sustained investment to meet
London’s ever-growing transport needs
The main challenge for the next 20 to 30 years
will continue to be meeting the needs of a rapidly
expanding and changing city. Sustained investment
is needed to ensure that public transport capacity
keeps pace with growth:
policies to keep
Londoners moving
•
Work to upgrade the Underground, railways, DLR
and trams should continue
•
More rail lines, tram and bus services are needed
to serve growing communities, especially in east
London
•
Plans for Crossrail 2 should be finalised now to
relieve overcrowding on other routes
•
New and improved rail links to London’s airports
are needed.
www.londontravelwatch.org.uk
2. A road network that makes the
best use of scarce capacity
Without action, congestion will worsen as traffic
grows and capacity is reduced to facilitate town
centre, cycle and road safety schemes. To make best
possible use of the available space:
•
A planned and co-ordinated approach to
reducing road traffic demand is needed, which
considers all measures including road pricing
•
Pedestrian needs should not be forgotten. They
need clear, level, continuous pavements
•
To reduce casualties, speed limits should be
lowered, dangerous junctions remodelled and
HGVs made more suitable for London’s roads
•
A comprehensive assessment of the positive and
negative impacts of the new cycle superhighways
should be carried out.
policies to keep
Londoners moving
3. As many of London’s rail services as
possible co-ordinated by the Mayor
TfL’s London Overground network has been one of the
great success stories of recent years. Passengers across
London should be able to enjoy the same level of
service. To achieve this:
policies to keep
Londoners moving
•
When opportunity allows, responsibility for
procuring the capital’s rail services should be
devolved to TfL
•
All stations should be managed to the standards of
the Overground and staffed from first to last train
•
Rail services should be turn-up-and-go for all
passengers, including those with disabilities. This
means at least four trains an hour
•
The Mayor should work to better integrate bus
and Underground services with rail services.
www.londontravelwatch.org.uk
4. Reliable bus services that keep up
with the pace of change
Buses are another major success, fully accessible and
with an extensive network of services running 24
hours a day across London. However they cannot be
taken for granted:
•
Continuous investment is needed to improve
performance and support operations
•
Buses must be given more priority on London’s
roads and, wherever possible, should be able to
retain their routes through roadworks
•
Bus passengers should be given a louder
voice through better consultation and having
representation on the TfL Board
•
Bus services must adapt to keep up with housing
development, employment growth and other
changes.
policies to keep
Londoners moving
5. Simpler fares, better value for money
and a fairer deal when things go wrong
Public transport must be affordable for all Londoners
and provide demonstrably good value for money:
policies to keep
Londoners moving
•
The fares structure should be further simplified
so that passengers understand what they pay
•
Affordability for low paid workers in outer
London who commute into central London is an
increasing worry that needs to be addressed
•
Compensation when things go wrong should
reflect the inconvenience caused. 15 minute
delay on National Rail services should trigger
automatic compensation
•
Oyster and contactless payment acceptance
should be extended to stations around London.
www.londontravelwatch.org.uk
6. A co-ordinated approach
to transport interchanges
Passengers across London routinely interchange from
one mode to another and the experience should be
easier. Improving interchanges also helps make the
whole system operate more efficiently:
• Relatively minor works to improve access, layout
and wayfinding at interchanges would benefit
everyone using them
• Improving strategic interchanges such as Brixton
and West Hampstead would deliver passenger
benefits over a much wider area
• Route maps and journey planners should clearly
identify interchanges where passengers have to
leave one station and walk to another
• The management of train, London Underground
and bus stations, their environs and other nearby
transport facilities should be well co-ordinated.
policies to keep
Londoners moving
7. Transport networks accessible to all
Credit: Transport for All
policies to keep
Londoners moving
There has been much progress in making public
transport more accessible, but much more still needs to
be done:
• More bus stops have been made accessible but
action is now needed to make hail and ride services
properly accessible
• Step-free access programmes at Underground
stations must continue with Finsbury Park and
Camden Town being prioritised
• The Mayor should adopt a zero tolerance approach
to pavement obstructions on TfL roads and
encourage the boroughs to do the same
• Users of door-to-door transport need a simple, single
service, whatever their journey purpose. Existing
services should be better co-ordinated to reduce
duplication and make them more user friendly.
www.londontravelwatch.org.uk
8. Reliable, accessible and timely information
Passengers need high quality information both
before and during their journeys. This should be
available both on smartphones and in traditional
formats:
•
Bus Countdown information screens should be
installed at far more bus stops
•
Passengers should be told about delays not just
inside the station but before they enter - while
they still can change their route
•
The Mayor should encourage the industry
to work together to provide one source of
information about all public transport services
•
The map-based Legible London wayfinding
‘infoliths’ are becoming widely recognised and
valued and should be further extended.
policies to keep
Londoners moving
9. Everyone able to travel without fear of
crime or anti-social behaviour
Success in reducing crime on London’s transport
system should be matched by continuing efforts to
reduce anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime:
policies to keep
Londoners moving
•
A visible staff presence is essential to reassure
passengers waiting at all stations
•
Well managed, maintained and cared for stops,
stations, and vehicles will, in turn, encourage
passengers to keep them clean
•
Where rules are necessary, they should be well
publicised and enforced so that everybody’s
journey is pleasant
•
Staff should be empowered to ensure that
wheelchairs get priority. Other passengers should
be ready to fold their buggies when necessary.
www.londontravelwatch.org.uk
10.
Disruption effectively managed
Londoners generally understand that transport
upgrades and other construction works will disrupt
their journeys but expect the industry to work
together to get them to their destination when
things go wrong:
•
Passengers’ needs must be considered at an early
stage when major works are being planned
•
Where walking routes are disrupted (particularly
at interchanges), good temporary signage must
be provided and kept up to date
•
TfL should lead the development of a ‘One Team
Travel’ approach to co-ordinating passenger
communications when services are disrupted
•
Road works should be managed to minimise
disruption for bus passengers and general traffic.
policies to keep
Londoners moving
The voice of London transport users
169 Union Street, London, SE1 0LL
Phone: 020 3176 2999
[email protected]
www.londontravelwatch.org.uk
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