The Passenger Transport Liaison Group met on Thursday 26 September 2024 to discuss crime figures on public transport, updates on bus and train services, and the performance of various bus routes. Key decisions included the agreement to re-establish a Public Transport Passenger Safety Discussion and Q&A meeting twice a year.

Crime Figures on Public Transport

The Group reviewed crime figures for public transport, noting that the statistics indicated a negative trend. David Tidley, Transport Strategy Team Manager, highlighted the noticeable number of red tables and suggested a follow-up with the British Transport Police to examine crime on an individual station and offence basis. Councillor Fraser, the Chair, proposed reinstating the Public Transport Passenger Safety Discussion and Q&A meeting, which had been a positive session previously. This was unanimously supported, with the aim of holding it twice in the municipal year.

Underground Services

Updates were provided on Underground matters. Regarding the closure of Clapham South Station, James Pickard, representing Transport for London (TfL), confirmed that staff sickness had been the primary cause. He explained that as staff were shared across multiple stations in the Clapham area, sickness had a greater impact, increasing the likelihood of a station needing to be closed during the day. Mr Pickard assured the Group he would continue to liaise with the Area Manager on this issue and provide further updates.

Concerns were also raised about reports of mould at Balham Station. Mr Pickard stated that TfL's Area Manager indicated that mould was being cleared as part of regular station maintenance where resources allowed. The Group noted that the issue appeared to be worse near a known leak by the barriers, and Mr Pickard confirmed he would investigate this further.

Additionally, David Tidley informed the Group that TfL had provided details on stations being considered for step-free access, with Tooting Broadway Station being one of them. It was suggested that an update on this would be beneficial at the next meeting.

Bus Services

New Bus Driver Facility in Bessborough Road James Pickard confirmed that the new bus driver facility in Bessborough Road was now completed and in use.

Extension of Bus Route 315 into the Springfield Hospital Development Work on Glenburnie Road was expected to be completed within the next month, allowing for the installation of bus stands and route testing for the extension of bus route 315 into the Springfield Hospital Development. Mr Pickard noted the positive support received from the Council, and Sidonie Forrest-Brown, Senior Transport Planner, echoed this sentiment. An update on the extension of the G1 bus route would be provided at the next meeting.

Monitoring of Bus Routes 14, 430, and 436 The performance of bus routes 14, 430, and 436 was discussed, with James Pickard acknowledging that recent performance had not been satisfactory. He identified delays in Putney High Street due to high vehicular traffic as a significant contributing factor. Data on recent performance was unavailable due to a cyber-attack on TfL. David Tidley highlighted a recent meeting between TfL and the Council, which resulted in an action log with steps to improve bus services, to be circulated to the Group. Councillor Jenny Yates, Cabinet Member for Transport, emphasised the need for data on crowding levels, passengers left behind, and early bus terminations once the cyber-attack issues were resolved. Malcolm Claridge of RATP Dev noted that the 85-bus route was experiencing reliability issues due to delays in the Putney area, leading to early terminations. Mr Pickard confirmed that an increase in the bus fleet by one vehicle was being implemented to improve the route's reliability.

Bus Services in Roehampton This topic was covered within the previous agenda item, and no further questions were raised. The item was noted for information.

Longley Road Bus Stand Discussions were ongoing with Go-Ahead regarding issues at the Longley Road Bus Stand concerning engines being left running, overcrowding, and buses parked outside designated bays. A Service Controller had been deployed, leading to some improvements. Sidonie Forrest-Brown clarified that the item was added to the agenda due to ongoing complaints, indicating the situation remained unresolved. She would contact Go-Ahead representatives directly, with Mr Pickard offering assistance if needed. The Group requested an update at the next meeting on progress and Go-Ahead's plans to prevent recurrence.

Bus Quality of Service Indicators – Quarter 4 [23/24] and Quarter 1 [24/25] David Tidley noted that the 270-bus route appeared to experience delays despite a similar route to the 200-bus service and would investigate with the operator. The RATP Dev representative explained that the 220-bus had a customised schedule with increased running times and a larger fleet, allowing for more efficient operation. Sidonie Forrest-Brown agreed to contact Go-Ahead to request a regular company representative attend Group meetings.

The Group considered the 201-bus route due to lower performance statistics, and David Tidley would follow up with the operator on improvement plans. Malcolm Claridge clarified that bus operating companies are paid by TfL based on performance and are fined for inadequate service, providing an incentive for higher service levels. The removal of a Low Traffic Neighbourhood restriction and ongoing maintenance work by Thames Water along the A3 were noted as potential factors that might lead to improved performance data in the next report.

Councillors expressed appreciation for TfL's communication campaign regarding Ritherdon Road and the 'No Left-Hand Turn' change, which had experienced delays. TfL had conducted a letter-drop update to local residents, a result of dialogue with Councillor Yates. David Tidley commented on a potential right-turn for Putney High Street at the south circular, expressing doubt about its feasibility as TfL had previously stated it could not be done permanently.

Trains and Overground

Wandsworth Town Station: 'Access for All' and Second Entrance Updates On behalf of Network Rail (NR), Sidonie Forrest-Brown reported that detailed design work for the 'Access for All' programme and the new second entrance at Wandsworth Town Station had been completed. NR was working with industry partners to agree on a construction methodology to ensure efficient project completion while minimising customer impact.

Queenstown Road Station: Second Entrance Sidonie Forrest-Brown advised that work on the second entrance at Queenstown Road Station was anticipated to commence in November 2024, with completion expected in April or May 2025. However, some outstanding legal matters between NR and the contractor needed to be resolved before work could begin.

Improvement Scheme: Battersea Park Station Developer funding had been secured for improvements to Battersea Park Station to enhance accessibility and passenger experience. Following delays, meetings between NR and Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) representatives were ongoing, with agreements pending the formal signing of contractual documents. The next stage was expected to take six months, and regular updates would be provided. Councillors requested that these projects remain standing agenda items until completion. David Tidley noted that while further delays at Wandsworth Town Station would be disappointing, the Battersea Park Station project presented a larger challenge.

Govia Thameslink Train Cancellations: Tooting Station Yvonne Leslie, representing GTR, explained that disruptions could occur for various reasons, including issues after leaving a depot, railway obstructions, signalling faults, and staffing levels. She assured the Group that GTR and NR collaborated to prevent issues and resolve them quickly. In addressing staffing problems, GTR was hiring additional drivers, with training over the next eighteen months to improve service resilience and reliability.

Future Meeting Dates

The meeting scheduled for 13 March 2025 would need to be rescheduled due to the unavailability of some members. Further details would be provided. For the next meeting, a presentation on the proposed long-term plan for the enhanced development of Waterloo Station and the surrounding area was planned.