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Ten 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.

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:

• 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.

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.

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:

• 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.

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.

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:

• 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.

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.

7. Transport networks accessible to all

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.

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.

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:

• 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.

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.

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www.londontravelwatch.org.uk