London Mayor Boris Johnson recently set out his vision for travel in the capital over the next 20 years. We put your questions to the Mayor's transport advisor Kulveer Ranger
Q1: Why can't Twickenham have a direct bus service to Kingston on Thames? Kingston is only three miles away but to take a bus you have to go via Teddington and the journey takes 45 minutes.

A: TFL currently runs a high-frequency bus route (route 281 - every 8 minutes on weekdays) between Kingston and Twickenham and a regular train service. I am told by TfL that they did look into diverting some 281 buses to run more directly, but this would result in a less frequent service for approximately 7000 people using the route between Fulwell and Teddington. Any new direct routeing would mean that the buses would run at best every 15 minutes rather than the current 8 minutes, which although making journey times shorter, waiting times would be longer, however, bus routes and frequencies are kept under review.

Q2: In addition, there are only two trains per hour from Twickenham to Kingston.

I don’t want to sound like I am passing the buck, but this line is run by South West Trains and although the Mayor does not have control over the management of all of London’s rail services he is determined that all rail services should be improved. The Mayor has the opportunity to try and influence the Department for Transport when it sets terms for rail franchises and he will exert this influence as far as is possible. This is definitely a good reason to engage with the Mayor’s Draft Transport Policy which is currently under consultation until January 2010, to get involved, go to london.gov.uk/shaping-london

Q3: What are your plans for cycling provision in Richmond and Hounslow?

A: As a Hounslow lad, I am proud to say that the borough is already leading the way for cyclists. The Mayor’s SKYRIDE event in Hounslow in August was a great day out with 11,000 cyclists taking part, and was a first for west London. Cycling isn’t just about getting to work in central London, it’s a healthy and handy way of getting around your borough, and it is also good for the environment, cutting congestion and reducing emissions.

TfL has allocated over £3m for cycling provision in Richmond and Hounslow this year, with funding for cycle parking, cycle training, improvements to the Greenways routes for pedestrians and cyclists, plus upgrading existing cycle routes in the area. Hounslow residents also have a new bridge at Bedfont Road which was completed in July this year and can be used by pedestrians and cyclists. There’s also update work being carried out to cycle paths on Hounslow Heath and Crane Valley.

What’s more, TfL and Richmond Council have launched Smarter Travel Richmond upon Thames, a three year, £4.2m initiative aimed at doubling the number of cycle journeys made by 2012. 320 new cycle parking spaces have already been installed across the borough with further spaces due to be installed in Richmond town centre in 2010. Two new cycle routes are also in place with one running alongside the Thames from Ham to Petersham and the other along Hampton Court Road. Adult cycle training places and cycle starter information packs are also available as part of the project. More information is available at smartertravelrichmond.org.

I am truly pleased to say that Richmond and Hounslow are leading the charge in becoming exemplary biking boroughs in London.

Q4: Why can't the District or Piccadilly Lines be extended to Twickenham? It would be of great benefit to both our local economy and give residents much easier access to London.

A: Ideally we would love have a Tube service that covers all corners of London, but the reality is that extending the Underground is hugely expensive and we have to focus on improving and upgrading the system we have. However, Twickenham is well serviced by rail.

Though it is this kind of suggestion that we want to feed into the current consultation process around the Mayor’s Draft Transport Strategy. Go to http://www.london.gov.uk/shaping-london. Don’t forget that we are already looking ahead to what we can do over a longer period.

Q5: How will you ease overcrowding on the Underground and when will air conditioning be fitted on Tube trains on the lines that run through Richmond and Hounslow?

A: I know that overcrowding is a problem. The current upgrade work on the Piccadilly line is due to be completed by 2014. This may seem a long way off and I realise we are asking Londoners to be patient. The upgrade work is a huge undertaking, but when the work is completed residents will see a more reliable service and a 25% increase in capacity. There will also be a new control centre and improved signalling.

It’s worth remembering as that Crossrail will also take some the strain off this part of the network servicing Heathrow and routes through west London. Crossrail will open to the public in 2017 and will play a key role in relieving congestion and extending services.

Overhauling the District Line is part of the Sub-Surface Railway upgrade, which will improve the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines by introducing new signalling and trains.

As part of this work, new, fully air-conditioned and more accessible trains will operate on the line from 2013. We already made a good start last year when the full District Line fleet was refurbished with new interiors on every train.

Q6: The arrangements when travelling south, over Hammersmith Bridge are most disappointing - by splitting up the bus stop numbers we can no longer wait for several buses at once, to take us into the Barnes area. i.e. 209, 33, 72 etc all take us over the bridge and down Castelnau. We now have to wait in limbo and risk life and limb to dash to the first bus available across the roadways in the station as soon as a bus appears!!

We do not wish to wait for a bus in a rather insecure area, hovering between bus stops and all of this, in possibly inclement weather.

A: Stopping arrangements were altered when the new Hammersmith lower bus station was opened in February 2008. As a result, there was not enough room for all buses travelling in the same direction to serve just one stop. The stops with buses heading in the same direction have been grouped at neighbouring bus stops and there are walkways to change between stops easily; and the new station is well lit.

The reorganisation of the station has provided a better interchange between bus routes and Tube services, which has been a priority, but I am concerned if people aren’t using the designated walkways, or don’t realise that there are a large number of buses available to them. It is really important for people to feel at ease when waiting for buses, and I am glad this has been raised. Again, I am pleased to say these things are kept under review and Hammersmith is certainly an important interchange hub.

Q7: There are often long waits for the 419 especially late evening (a half hour service).

I know that TfL regularly reviews capacity and performance of services, but I am told that there aren’t any current plans to increase the frequency of this particular service, but please do engage with our consultation on the Mayor’s Draft Transport Strategy.

Q8: When are we going to have a decent, covered bus station with bus departure times clearly on show, to encourage people to travel by public transport into the Barnes/Sheen/Isleworth areas?

A: I am concerned to hear that departure times are not clearly on show. TfL is planning to install Countdown signs (electronic information displays of bus arrival times) at individual stops by 2011 across the network. There are also plans to improve signage, which I hope will ease the situation at Hammersmith and help make journey decisions easier.

You may well be aware that there are ongoing pressures on TfL’s finances, made worse by the impact of Metronet’s collapse, and unfortunately, there aren’t any current plans to cover the lower bus station but all the bus stops do have covered glass shelters.

Q9: One of the key challenges stated is making more use of the river for transporting people and goods - how will you do this, and how will this benefit residents in the Richmond and Hounslow boroughs?

A: The work we have done with London’s pier owners, boat operators, borough councils and TfL is unprecedented. For the first time all parties have signed up to a river agreement to improve ticketing, piers and passenger information. We’ve also secured use of Oyster on Thames Clippers from the end of the month making river travel much easier. Plus, travel on the Thames is key to our 2012 Olympic transport strategy.

I know it’s disappointing for residents in Richmond and Hounslow that they do not have the same river services as other boroughs further east. This is because the section of the Thames that would service Richmond and Hounslow is too shallow for freight or passenger travel and has a very slow speed limit of 8 knots an hour. The current Pier Plan only addresses the section of the river to the east of Wandsworth Bridge, where the water is deeper.

Q10: Improving interchange between bus, underground, rail and other forms of transport is listed as a key issue. In Richmond there are council plans - funded by TfL - to move a taxi rank away from the front of Richmond station. Why press ahead with this if, as indicated, taxi drivers and residents are not in support?

We are working hard to improve station interchanges across London; however local improvements are managed by the boroughs, in this case Richmond Council. My understanding is that the rank is being moved so the forecourt can be pedestrianised and the changes being made will provide nine more spaces for taxis thanks to the new layout. I am reassured that the new rank is just 20 yards away from the station, in The Quadrant, where the zebra crossing is, and that the taxi rank will still be very visible from the station entrance.

Q11: Proposals show 629 businesses in Richmond will be liable for a Crossrail levy despite the rail link having no benefit for the area. How can this be justified?

A: I know that what we are asking of businesses may seem hard but Crossrail is absolutely crucial to the economic vitality and recovery of the whole of London and also the UK. A review of the benefits of the project earlier this year concluded that all areas of the capital will benefit from Crossrail and by 2026 retailers will be amongst those benefiting from an annual boost to London’s economy of £1.24bn. By that time the yearly benefits from Crossrail are expected to be around six times higher than the cost of the Business Rates supplement.

It shouldn’t be forgotten that when Crossrail opens in 2017 it will increase capacity on the network by 10% in a huge boost to improve and expand the capital’s transport system. Crossrail is the biggest transport infrastructure project in Europe.

Q12: Please can the Mayor update readers on plans to integrate the suburban railway network into the Oyster network. Are South West Trains still resistant to these plans?

A: The Mayor hopes to make an announcement about the rollout of Oyster across the whole of London’s overground rail network within the next couple of weeks. The aim remains for Oyster to be accepted at all over those stations from early next year and final arrangements are being made to enable this to happen.

Q13: In Richmond the number of residents who have signed up to the borough's car club has passed the 2,000 mark - however many residents say car clubs bays are taking vital car parking spaces. How will you address this?

As part of the three-year Smarter Travel Richmond upon Thames initiative, Richmond Council and TfL had a target of boosting car club membership by 125% in the borough to 2,250 members. It is fantastic that this target has already been exceeded, less than a year into the programme. Research shows that for each car club vehicle on the streets, six privately owned cars are taken off the road; and should be freeing up spaces, not making parking harder. There is a consultation period before car club spaces are installed, and a six month period after installation when residents can raise any concerns, which I hope those worried about parking have taken part in.

Q14: Plans were announced last week for step-free access to be deferred at Osterley station. Will this be reconsidered in future?

A: I live locally and I know this is something residents are worried about, but the current pressure on TfL’s finances has meant that we’ve had to prioritise step-free access at the larger stations used by many thousands of people - such as Green Park, King’s Cross St. Pancras, Tottenham Court Road, Bond Street and other central interchange stations.

I am pleased to say that all of London’s 8,000 buses are fully low floor accessible, that’s around 700 routes covering the entire 1579 sq km Greater London area; and all of London’s 21,000 black cabs have wheelchair ramps.

Q15: And are there plans to make the stations in the Hounslow and Richmond boroughs more user friendly for those with disabilities? A: Kew Gardens, Richmond, Hounslow West and East Tube stations all have step-free access, and as part of the improvements made to the District Line fleet last year, trains now have more wheelchair space. On the Underground, as well as bringing in step-free access, features such as induction loops (for hearing), tactile paving, plus additional and more visible help points are in the process of being added to stations.

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