Forum Topic

Future improved tube/rail links for south London?

A Northern Line extension to Clapham Junction, plus the building of Crossrail 2 south-north through Clapham Junction would seem excellent for improving south London public transport and getting more commuters out of cars. Perhaps fund it by extending the congestion charge to te ULEZ boundaries? (Possibly exclude essential local delivery bans and service vehicles from the CC in cases where alternatives like cargo bikes can't be used?)https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/northern-line-extension-no-restriction-to-linking-up-line-with-clapham-junction-terminus-b1195067.htmlLight the blue touch paper and run ... 🙂

Michael Ixer ● 211d12 Comments

1. It's new green infrastructure that needs to be halted until existing infrastructure is at a minimal level,2. Mayor already has police protection - too dangerous for him  to travel on public transport but ok for a disabled person despite the lack of facilities and high crime rate?If public transport is not safe for the Mayor with police escort it is not safe for the public.Not a difficult concept.

Ed Robinson ● 205d

Ed, I don't personally have an issue with most of those although I'd note a couple of points:Some investment in infrastructure may help facilitate implementing some of your points.Unless the police arrest everyone making deaths threats against the Mayor and they're jailed for as long as he's Mayor there may be a lot of police in his carriage ...

Michael Ixer ● 205d

"Ed; what's your realistic solution to them?"As a starter:A freeze on new infrastructure  projects until the level of service on existing infrastructure meets a minimum level.End to TFL perks be it private cars for the Mayor or TFL executives or employee/family/friends perks.Mayor/TFL need to live the service that they provide.Congestion charge to include all private vehicles with viable rates according to consumption/emissions.Lowest rate same as return bus fare. Only ultra low energy consumption vehicles being zero cost.Congestion expanded to include N/S Circular for all private vehicles with viable rates according to consumption/emissions as above for peak hours.All new buses to have mult-doors with tap in/out.Efficiency team to look at low cost solutions to keep traffic moving.  Yellow boxes opposite bus stops enabling traffic to pass for example.  Pedestrian crossing to change almost immediately unless there has been a prior change within a relevant time.  Solid white lines on lanes to stop last minute lane changes.Customer chooses the mode of public transport with equal cost: Train, tube, bus, river, cycle all same cost.Yes River & cycle  use needs expanding.Expansion of public cycle hire throughout whole of London. Either Santander or in partnership with commercial companies.New Transport police force with power to fine/arrest cyclist, motorists, public transport users for violations.In short make public transport safe and enforce the rules from fare dodges to light jumpers.

Ed Robinson ● 205d

Ok, you list all the problems, Ed; what's your realistic solution to them?

Michael Ixer ● 205d

After years of opposing any improvements I believe the Mayor is going to provide some toilets at a couple of stations.TFL do not have any plans for Barnes step free access when I submitted a FOI request earlier this year.Then there is shocking levels of crime on public transport.No wonder the Mayor travels by car with a police excort.

Ed Robinson ● 205d

Yes, I used to use Zipcars to take a relative and a friend who both had blue badges on trips, and the blue badge was useful for parking near restaurants, the Isabella plantation, etc. However, it would be difficult to exclude charges similar to ULEZ (although that isn't relevant to compliant Zipcars) dependent on ANPR or road charging which might be done within a car's telemetry using GPS, 5G, etc.

Michael Ixer ● 205d

Yes, Michael, the blue badge is assigned to the person and not a vehicle.  However, the person holding a blue badge can travel in any vehicle. The need to use a vehicle does not diminish though.

Ivonne Holliday ● 205d

My personal opinion would be that blue badge holders should be exempt from road charging. I know that's not necessarily easy as the blue badge is - if I remember correctly - associated with a person not a vehicle.  But, yes, you've raised a good point, and it would surely be better for disabled car users if they were not clogged up in traffic by people using cars who could travel using public transport. 

Michael Ixer ● 205d

Thank you for this post, Michael.One thing I would like to point out is that some people are blue badge holders and do not have much option as to the mode of transport.Hence, are these proposals a way of penalizing blue badge holders for being, well, disabled?

Ivonne Holliday ● 205d

I'm just promoting discussion. There's a congestion problem in London. A solution - or at least part solution - is to get more people on public transport and out of their cars, and it's probably necessary to make tubes, buses and trains better and cheaper to do that. Yeah, CC and ULEZ aren't ideal; perhaps road charging by the mile is better or increasing the tax on carbon fuels. Yes, money for investment is a problem, so it's got to come from somewhere - or would it be better for London to grind to a halt?You consider my idea unrealistic; what's yours?

Michael Ixer ● 205d

Michael, I take it from your last sentence that you recognised what you are proposing is impractical. There is general acknowledgement now that flat charges like the C-Charge and ULEZ are regressive and not the way forward. The aim of road pricing shouldn't be to raise money for other projects but to limit congestion. The technology is developing that will enable sophisticated road pricing which is both effective and fair. However, the problem is probably that as a nation we are up against borrowing ceilings and all these projects would be nice to have but unaffordable.

Peter Higgins ● 205d

I think they should fix Hammersmith Bridge and repair/fix existing infrastructure before spending huge sums on new projects.The UK is like a developing country where something new works but existing infrastructure is falling apart.Resources also need to be spent on the "last mile" to/from transport hubs that has been neglected for years.

Ed Robinson ● 211d