22 July (Part 2) - Transport extras
Here are a few things that were missed from the initial Transport Users’ Sub-Committee meeting report. (From a review of the audio recording.)
• Southeastern is expecting its close working partnership with Network Rail - a shared Managing Director - will lead to lower Government subsidies.
• Councillor Davey asked if hot weather caused particular railway
problems. (Drones are used to look out for distorted rails. Near London Bridge
some rails have been painted white which helps just a little bit.)
• It was Councillor Diment who put in a plea for
Albany Park (and Falconwood) to be opted out of any station skipping. (Not Councillor Smith.)
• Sidcup station is unlikely to get step free access any time soon unless someone comes up with external funding.
• Albany Park station may get a footbridge refurbishment.
• Councillor Davey asked why there is a consultation on extending the DLR
to Thamesmead. Surely everyone will be in favour and is there money for it? (No answer from TfL.)
• The Youth Council Member asked why the SL3 disappears from departure boards and
conversely sometimes one will show up unannounced. (TfL asked for examples. I
have seen both phenomena myself. I think the former is caused by buses being
prematurely terminated, at Bexley Library especially.)
• Councillor Davey said that the Lion Road SL3 stop is only a short walk from
Bexleyheath station so is not needed. (The TfL lady said that stopping data is looked at constantly.)
• Councillor Smith did not say that the SL3 route is the least used
SuperLoop. He said that it was one of the least used.
• Councillor Diment said that TfL Buses is a very difficult organisation to do
business with and his counterparts in other boroughs agree. They say that TfL Rail is good. (No TfL Rail in Bexley.)
• Councillor Davey asked if Cycle Routes were demand driven or aspirational. They too often
caused traffic jams and bus delays. Answer: A bit of each in the case of the
proposed Bexleyheath to Erith route which may result in “a bit of lane narrowing”. It may cause “major disruption”.
A cycle route over the Long Lane railway bridge would not meet TfL’s requirements.
• Trojan Energy is installing about 90 EV charge points across the borough.
• The new pedestrian crossings will be installed in Brook Street and Slade
Green Road in late August and Bexley Road in October.
• The Abbey Wood CPZ signs and road markings will be installed in early August to be
operational in September with a two week grace period for offenders. West Heath
will follow a month later. (The Agenda date is a mistake.)
• The cycling representative said that employing Lolly Pop ladies was an admission that roads are dangerous and
argued that further attacks on motorists were justified and more concessions
towards cyclists. The Highways Manager countered that there was no evidence of
speeding at crossing sites. The justification for crossings is the number of
pedestrians wishing to cross versus the road traffic density.
• The resurfacing of Townley Road by the Library is on hold for budgetary reasons.