Another near-fatality at North Sheen level crossing

Here's a candidate for the Darwin Awards.

The level crossing at North Sheen today. Mate, the barrier is there for a reason. pic.twitter.com/LDlm2nLFRU
(via @laughingcow4)

— Jeremy Vine (@theJeremyVine) May 11, 2017

Unfortunately, this level crossing is a known problem.

1. There's a long list of near misses, broken barriers, suicides or accidental deaths at this crossing, in Mortlake, in White Hart lane and Vine road -4 level crossings in about a couple miles or so.

2. There was a footbridge and Network Rail took it down in the 90ies, it was then reinstated a few years ago -but on the wrong side of the road (meaning if you're coming from the South side, you'd need to go up and down 4 times to get to the station, without ramps for prams or buggies and w/o side railings to take bikes up.

3. We live in a dense urban area, level crossings should not be. Period. 

Not only it's dangerous, but you can wait 15mn to cross. There are often huge queues along Manor Road, all the way back to Upper Richmond road on the South side and to Manor circus (A316) on the North side. Things are about to get much worse if the Stag Brewery in Mortlake gets redeveloped with 900 flats...

To your questions, I don't know who the chap is (no one seems to know him around here). He's certainly nearly won the Darwin Awards.

More on the crossing here > http://richmondtransits.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/footbridge 

Including why it's an issue for emergency services, past accidents, etc.

More on the Manor Road level crossing:

• Another accident at North Sheen level crossing
• North Sheen Footbridge update
• At last: the North Sheen footbridge is coming... alas, this is not what you expected!
• Richmond Transits: Join the Facebook group "Stuck at North Sheen ...
• Richmond Transits: Airtrack and North Sheen Crossing
• Richmond Transits: Monday Mayhem at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Here's the new camera at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the update on the North Sheenstation ...
• Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North SheenStation ...
• Richmond Transits: Another train tragedy in waiting at North
• Richmond Transits: Still waiting at the level crossing...
• Traffic pandemonium: just a sign of things to come?
• More on Manor road and Heathrow
• Richmond Transits: Level crossing tragedy in Barnes
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge

North Sheen station closed because of suspected WWII bomb

Following the decision of the lunatics running the council and Network rail of building a footbridge on the wrong side of Manor Road instead of where it happily was before, workmen have found a suspicious device.

Well done all.

JourneyCheck - South West Trains - All Stations to All Stations - Live Train Disruption/Cancellations/Delays and Real Time Departure/Arrival Boards

Line problem: at North Sheen.
Owing to a security alert at North Sheen all lines are blocked.
Impact:
Train services running through this station may be cancelled, delayed or revised at short notice. An estimate for the resumption of normal services will be provided as soon as the problem has been fully assessed.
Customer Advice:
A suspicious device has been found at North Sheen level crossing. Staff are on site and investigating, but until such time as the area can be declared safe, we are unable to run trains between Barnes and Feltham via Richmond.
Local bus services are conveying passengers via any reasonable route until further notice.
Underground services are conveying passengers between Richmond and London Waterloo in both directions until further notice.
Message Received :14/03/2013 13:15

See also:

• North Sheen Footbridge update
• At last: the North Sheen footbridge is coming... alas, this is not what you expected!
• Richmond Transits: Join the Facebook group "Stuck at North Sheen ...
• Richmond Transits: Airtrack and North Sheen Crossing
• Richmond Transits: Monday Mayhem at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Here's the new camera at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the update on the North Sheen station ...
• Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station ...
• Richmond Transits: Another train tragedy in waiting at North
• Richmond Transits: Still waiting at the level crossing...
• Traffic pandemonium: just a sign of things to come?
• More on Manor road and Heathrow
• Richmond Transits: Level crossing tragedy in Barnes
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Preliminary plans for North Sheen footbridge rebuffed
• Richmond Transits: Campaing for suppressing level crossings
• Richmond Transits: Richmond and Twickenham Times: Commuters see red over level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Time to remind Susan Kramer about the North Sheen Station footbridge

How to milk a captive market? Tap commuters

Rail commuters probably wonder what made them look so much like the golden eggs goose when reading pieces such as this one:
Rail fare rises: UK commuter train tickets 10 times the price of European equivalents | This is Money

Aren't they "carbon friendly" and part of the essential workforce of the nation after all?
The truth is that subsidy levels are decreasing, which means a commuter in the UK will pay about 70% of the costs -at least that's a stated government goal.

The problem though, is that years of under-investment and also deregulations have made this essential service costly to run.

If only the service was ten times better than on the continent...

Another accident at North Sheen level crossing

Another proof that a level crossing has no place in a dense urban setting.

A vehicle smashed a barrier at the level crossing on Manor road. The barrier was lying on the pavement tonight (on the right on the picture) and all traffic was interrupted -including for pedestrians as there's no footbridge to the South side of Manor road (see posts below).

At the time of writing, three police patrol cars and a Network Rail engineer were on site.

This is the second incident in a week, as I saw the police at the same place on Monday apparently carrying checks for motorists running through the crossing lights...

See my previous posts on the subject:

• North Sheen Footbridge update
• At last: the North Sheen footbridge is coming... alas, this is not what you expected!
• Richmond Transits: Join the Facebook group "Stuck at North Sheen ...
• Richmond Transits: Airtrack and North Sheen Crossing
• Richmond Transits: Monday Mayhem at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Here's the new camera at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the update on the North Sheen station ...
• Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station ...
• Richmond Transits: Another train tragedy in waiting at North
• Richmond Transits: Still waiting at the level crossing...
• Traffic pandemonium: just a sign of things to come?
• More on Manor road and Heathrow
• Richmond Transits: Level crossing tragedy in Barnes
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge

North Sheen Footbridge update

Local politicians are busy visiting us before next week's elections, including the chap who's designed a new version. They seem to be all quite happy about finally getting a resolution, thought they quickly admit it's only a fix to part of the issue.

I'm not sure why they think we should settle for something half-baked?

Here's my comment on Zac Goldsmith's website, since Katharine Harborne doesn't seem to believe in getting direct feedback on hers.

We should not let Network Rail get away with this band-aid solution as it solves only a part of the problem.

1. It doesn't solve the car congestion issue. A level crossing simply has no place in a densely populated area in 2012.

2. It doesn't help with the station access for less able and parents with children. Or commuters living on the South of the railway line.

3. It doesn't improve the miserable station that North Sheen is, with for instance cycle parking.

Bottom line: Network Rail broke it 17 years ago, they should fix it by moving the signalling equipment they installed where the old footpath was.

See my previous posts on the subject:

• At last: the North Sheen footbridge is coming... alas, this is not what you expected!
• Richmond Transits: Join the Facebook group "Stuck at North Sheen ...
• Richmond Transits: Airtrack and North Sheen Crossing
• Richmond Transits: Monday Mayhem at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Here's the new camera at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the update on the North Sheen station ...
• Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station ...
• Richmond Transits: Another train tragedy in waiting at North
• Richmond Transits: Still waiting at the level crossing...
• Traffic pandemonium: just a sign of things to come?
• More on Manor road and Heathrow
• Richmond Transits: Level crossing tragedy in Barnes
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Preliminary plans for North Sheen footbridge rebuffed
• Richmond Transits: Campaing for suppressing level crossings
• Richmond Transits: Richmond and Twickenham Times: Commuters see red over level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Time to remind Susan Kramer about the North Sheen Station footbridge

Curing the symptoms: plod in a van at the level crossing

After realising red  light jumping at levels crossing is rife and having established that people running in front of trains isn't exactly the best for health and safety statistics, Network Rail has shelled out £60k on a high-tech camera van. 

The sixty grand mobile enforcement control room comes complete with PC Chris Sheppard watching herds of commuters and vehicules running across the railway as light flashes.

Check this video, mostly filmed at Mortlake station (the van is parked on a double yellow line..): BBC: New spy camera to check level crossings.

It's worth pointing out that the Sheen lane crossing does have a pedestrian bridge, allowing school children to cross instead of running across unlike at North Sheen station.

My take on this? Once more, they're trying to cure the symptoms rather than tackling the issue. Which is quite simply that a level crossing on a busy line (translate: closed for 15+ mn at a time) is archaic in a densely populated connurbation. The line should be buried or a tunnel dig, or else. 

 

Final thought: the story doesn't say if the plod-van comes with a toilet?

BBC - Mind The Gap: Why do south London trains suffer most in the snow?

BBC - Mind The Gap: Why do south London trains suffer most in the snow?

Another proof that our transport system is antiquated and no longuer fit for purpose:

In south London the companies like Southern Railway, Southeastern and South West Trains have to operate using the "third rail system".That is, the electricity is transmitted to the train using an electrified third rail that the train picks up through a bit of metal called a shoe. So, while Network Rail have been running "ghost trains" (empty trains) and de-icing trains through the night there comes a point when it doesn't help.
When the snow and ice hits, if the conductor third rail is cold as soon as snow hits it, it freezes.

uk, trains, transportation, rail, railways, london, southwesttrains, southernrailways, southeastern, richmondtransits.blog

Giving up infrastructure is rarely a good deal for users and tax payers

Read this am: BBC News - High-speed rail link London to Folkestone is sold

Since it cost GBP 5bn and was sold for 2.1b, I'm failing to see where's the "great news for tax payers and rail users". For the latter, the failure of British Rail privatisation and of the tube PPP maintenance contracts clearly shows that selling out transportation infrastructure is a dodgy bet for the least.
When it works, it usually means giving private companies a nice little monopoly and a steady cash flow -take the French privatisation of motorways for instance, where more is going to share holders and less to building of new roads (which was incidentally the excuse in the first place for instoring tolls on those autoroutes).
But usually it doesn't work, and either companies end up bust with taxpayer having to mop up the collateral damage. Think the great

Plus relinquishing a tool to boost a nation's economy and litterally shape a nation fabric is neither a good news for users. Prove me wrong...

richmondtransits.blog, rail, railways, transportation, HS1, HS2, UK

Waterloo: more Boris Bikes but still no sign of life for the Eurostar old platforms

Two good posts this week on Londonist.

• The first one is on the continuing mystery of the old Eurostar platforms and why they cost £4.1 to keep in mothball state -quite a good example for a pathetic failure on behalf of people in charge of the nation's rail infrastructure. It's especially enraging when you're waiting on the approach to the station in a commuter train for a platform...  I've blogged before about this, see links below.
  
• And it looks like TfL has heard about my winging on Boris Bike stations being located far away from stations: Huge New Cycle Hire Station For Waterloo.  Shame common sense did not prevail in the first place, I still wonder why they looked at Montreal rather than Paris for municipal cycle hire best practices...
  

See my previous posts on those subjects:

• Waterloo plans mean no end of misery for commuters
• Londonist: What Next For Waterloo?
• The Boris bike vs. the French vélib -unfair comparison?s

borisbike, cycle, DfT, London, richmondtransits.blog, transportation, travel, UK, velib, London, rail, railways, richmondtransits.blog, TfL, transportation, tube, waterloocity, trains, rail

North Sheen level crossing: don't miss the public meeting on the 21st

As posted todat on the Facebook group: Stuck at North Sheen Level Crossing, there will be a public meeting about the level crossing with Zac Goldsmith, Network Rail and local councillors at DUKE STREET CHURCH in DUKE STREET, RICHMOND on THURSDAY 21st OCTOBER at 7.30pm. Bring your tales of misery and woe!

See my previous posts on the level crossings:

Near miss at North Sheen level crossing

Some news on the level crossing: consultation next Thursday!

At last: the North Sheen footbridge is coming... alas, this is not what you expected!

Richmond Transits: Join the Facebook group "Stuck at North Sheen

Richmond Transits: Airtrack and North Sheen Crossing

Richmond Transits: Monday Mayhem at North Sheen level crossing

Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge

Richmond Transits: Here's the new camera at North Sheen level crossing

Richmond Transits: Update on the update on the North Sheen station

Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station

Richmond Transits: Another train tragedy in waiting at North

Richmond Transits: Still waiting at the level crossing...

Traffic pandemonium: just a sign of things to come?

More on Manor road and Heathrow

Richmond Transits: Level crossing tragedy in Barnes

Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge

Richmond Transits: Preliminary plans for North Sheen footbridge rebuffed

Richmond Transits: Campaing for suppressing level crossings

Richmond Transits: Richmond and Twickenham Times: Commuters see red over level crossing

Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station footbridge

Richmond Transits: Time to remind Susan Kramer about the North Sheen Station footbridge

Recommended reading:

• Pedestrian Safety at Public Road Level Crossings: Committee Report

Tags: planning, north, sheen, level, crossing, railways, rail, transportation, footbridge, richmond, richmondtransits.blog

Near miss at North Sheen level crossing

On Wednesday, a mother on a bicycle with a child on the back and another on a bike attempted to cross while the lights were flashing.

They got trapped by the barriers and had to be helped out to safety by some bystanders who held the barriers.

There is no emergency phone or "panic button" at the crossing.

Such a crossing in a dense urban area is an accident waiting to happen. What will it take for action to be taken?

See my previous posts on the level crossings:

• Some news on the level crossing: consultation next Thursday!
• At last: the North Sheen footbridge is coming... alas, this is not what you expected!
• Richmond Transits: Join the Facebook group "Stuck at North Sheen
• Richmond Transits: Airtrack and North Sheen Crossing
• Richmond Transits: Monday Mayhem at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Here's the new camera at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the update on the North Sheen station
• Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station
• Richmond Transits: Another train tragedy in waiting at North
• Richmond Transits: Still waiting at the level crossing...
• Traffic pandemonium: just a sign of things to come?
• More on Manor road and Heathrow
• Richmond Transits: Level crossing tragedy in Barnes
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Preliminary plans for North Sheen footbridge rebuffed
• Richmond Transits: Campaing for suppressing level crossings
• Richmond Transits: Richmond and Twickenham Times: Commuters see red over level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Time to remind Susan Kramer about the North Sheen Station footbridge

Some news on the level crossing: consultation next Thursday!

The council just informed me that a public meeting will be held on the Manor Road level crossing, following that very ill advised planning application for a footbridge.


In my previous post (At last: the North Sheen footbridge is coming... alas, this is not what you expected!) I explained that indeed someone came up with the ridiculous idea to set the footbridge across the street, opposite the station.

See the invite below -do come to voice your ideas!

(still no word from Susan Kramer on this...)


*** EMAIL FROM THE COUNCIL ***

Proposal:

Erection of a footbridge to facilitate a pedestrian crossing of the railway and installation of 1 no. CCTV mast with 2 no. Cameras.

Town and Country Planning Act 1990

Town and Country (General Development Procedure) Order 1995

I write to advise you that the above application is to be considered by the Planning Committee on 1 July 2010. The meeting will commence at 6.30pm and be held in the Council Offices, York House, Richmond Road, Twickenham. The meeting is held in public and the Council has a procedure for representations to be made by members of the public and applicants to be made to the Committee: this is explained on the attached sheet. Please note that speakers should arrive at 6pm to liaise with the committee clerk.

If you would like to put your views to the Committee personally please contact the Customer Support Centre at the Civic Centre, 44 York Street, Twickenham on 0845 612 2660 so that we can register your wish to speak. You will be given a registration number which you may be asked to quote to the Committee Clerk when you arrive at York House for the meeting. If you do not register your wish to speak before 12 noon on the day before the meeting you will not be allowed to speak. The written comments you have already submitted have been included in my officer's report. Any further written comments will be accepted until noon on the day before.

Copies of the Committee Agenda and my officer's report will be available for inspection in Richmond's reference library five working days before the meeting and on the Council's website at www.richmond.gov.uk/planning. If you go to your local library to see the report on the website, it will greatly assist if you take this letter with you.

We have produced a short film to show first time speakers how the Planning Committee conducts its proceedings. The film is available in three formats, DVD, CD-Rom and VHS. Please ask for a copy in your chosen format when registering to speak. The film can also be viewed on our website.

Yours faithfully

Robert Angus

Development Control Manager

See my previous posts on the level crossings:

• At last: the North Sheen footbridge is coming... alas, this is not what you expected!
• Richmond Transits: Join the Facebook group "Stuck at North Sheen
• Richmond Transits: Airtrack and North Sheen Crossing
• Richmond Transits: Monday Mayhem at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Here's the new camera at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the update on the North Sheen station
• Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station
• Richmond Transits: Another train tragedy in waiting at North
• Richmond Transits: Still waiting at the level crossing...
• Traffic pandemonium: just a sign of things to come?
• More on Manor road and Heathrow
• Richmond Transits: Level crossing tragedy in Barnes
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
Richmond Transits: Preliminary plans for North Sheen footbridge rebuffedRichmond Transits: Campaing for suppressing level crossings
• Richmond Transits: Richmond and Twickenham Times: Commuters see red over level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Time to remind Susan Kramer about the North Sheen Station footbridge

At last: the North Sheen footbridge is coming... alas, this is not what you expected!

The planning application for the footbridge over the infamous Manor road level crossing has been filed here.

Before your rejoice, I must add that it's not exacly what you were looking for...
Indeed, as you can see from the picture on the left, the engineers have sited it on the wrong side -not where the existing footbridge is, but on the Richmond side.

Which means anyone coming from the South (Upper Richmond road/Sheen road) would have to take one footbridge across, cross Manor road and then the other footbridge to get to the station.

What kind of weird logic was in that engineer's mind?

Also, as John pointed out on the Facebook group Stuck at North Sheen level crossing -it doesn't solve the misery for car users. Not surprising, as this aspect is not taken into account by the "Design & access statement" (who came up with such a document title?):

In the mid 1990's the southern span of North Sheen station footbridge was removed leaving access to the station from the north side of the level crossing on Manor Road only. The barriers of the level crossing are closed for approximately 30 minutes in each hour and this has led to dangerous misuse through people twng to access the crossing whilst the barriers are lowered. A safer system of crossing the railway lines when the barriers are down is required. The
introduction of the footbridge will remedy the safety problem at this location.

Partial analysis, partial solution: the planning application is flawed because they only saw the issue with crossing, not the cars, not the stations access, nor there is any provision for cycle parking, people with pushchairs and cycles or disabled access.

The Conservative candidate, surely seeing an opportunity to throw a spanner in one of Susan Kramer's campaings commented:

I whole heartedly support the proposal for replacing this footbridge that was dismantled years ago leaving a ridiculous half bridge for the last 16 years. The proposed bridge will help commuters accessing the North Sheen Station.

However the current proposal will do little to make life easer for other members of the community, mothers with young children and pushchairs, those that have difficulty walking or climbing, cyclist and those with heavy shopping.

To approve the current design without listening to the excellent suggestions of the local community is a wasted opportunity to build better bridge that will serve the needs of more people in our community. After waiting 16 years for this bridge our community deserves a far better bridge.
Can I urge that the decision on this application go to a full planning committee for approval as soon as possible to avoid any further delay but to allow consideration of local resident?s suggestions for better design, better location and better accessibility, thus making the bridge more of an asset to the whole community and less of an eyesore?

It is a wasted opportunity not to consider the residents suggestions to improve the design ensuring it meets the councils own guidelines BLT 17 on designing out crime and fear of crime.

It is a wasted opportunity not to consider the residents suggestions to improve the design of the bridge BLT 11.

It is a wasted opportunity to not consider the residents suggestions on the location of the bridge to avoid the bridge overlooking residents properties.

Best wishes

Katharine Robinson
Conservative Council Candidate for North Richmond
Conservatives Caring and Campaigning for our Community.

A political attack from someone we haven't heard much on this issue but I would find hard to agree with her points.

Susan, what's next?

See my previous posts on the level crossings:

• Richmond Transits: Join the Facebook group "Stuck at North Sheen ...
• Richmond Transits: Airtrack and North Sheen Crossing
• Richmond Transits: Monday Mayhem at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Here's the new camera at North Sheen level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Update on the update on the North Sheen station ...
• Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station ...
• Richmond Transits: Another train tragedy in waiting at North
• Richmond Transits: Still waiting at the level crossing...
• Traffic pandemonium: just a sign of things to come?
• More on Manor road and Heathrow
• Richmond Transits: Level crossing tragedy in Barnes
• Richmond Transits: Update on the North Sheen station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Preliminary plans for North Sheen footbridge rebuffed
• Richmond Transits: Campaing for suppressing level crossings
• Richmond Transits: Richmond and Twickenham Times: Commuters see red over level crossing
• Richmond Transits: Susan Kramer's progress on North Sheen Station footbridge
• Richmond Transits: Time to remind Susan Kramer about the North Sheen Station footbridge

Tags: footbridge, London, north, richmondtransits.blog, sheen, rail, transportation, planning

Here's the new camera at North Sheen level crossing

But no sign of a footbridge yet :-(

Is that camera for cars jumping the lights in a bid to avoid being stuck for 20 mn? Does it work for schoolchildren too???

Join the Facebook group "Stuck at North Sheen level crossing"

Just join:
Facebook | Stuck at North Sheen Level Crossing
See my previous posts on the level crossings and the footbridge...

Do also check this BBC News footage, partly filmed at North Sheen:

As far as I am concerned, it's all too easy for Network Rail to accuse people to be careless when a level crossing is down for up to 15 mn at the time and is located in a densely populated area.

North Sheen level crossing belongs to a long bygone area and the line should be running in a covered trench at this place, leaving space for a commuters bicycle park and a more modern station for instance.

North Sheen, Level Crossing, richmondtransits.blog, north, sheen, level, crossing, facebook

Still waiting at the level crossing...

At the North Sheen station / Manor road this morning.

I'm not sure I understand the ambulance crew logic: if it's urgent, why go through a level crossing? If it's not, why the flashing lights?

Anyhow, just another life level crossings cost lives (and a reminder we're waiting for that footbridge promised by Susan Kramer MP)

See my previous posts on the level crossings.

I could not say it better

Saw the quote below in INTERVIEW: The Man in Seat 61... - Londonist:

If you had a magic wand, what one thing would you do to improve London’s current transport problems?
We urgently need Crossrail, and Thameslink 2000 (or is it 3000 by now?). Like the RER in Paris, this will bring suburban trains right through the centre of the city and out the other side, relieving the Underground and for many passengers, avoiding the need to switch from train to Tube at all. But whereas other countries seem to plan ahead, we Brits prefer things to reach crisis point before we do anything.

UK, trains, rail, railways, transporttion, richmondtransits.blog

Oyster on National Rail but not in stations

So you can use your Oyster card in the trains around London... but you can't buy one in Richmond station -despite it being a District line terminus.

Hum, not too good...

The circle line now runs to Hammersmith

Good news for commuters, as it increases the frequency.

I've never understood why they never joined the two Hammersmith tube stations though?

Side note: this picture show the different gauges of the LU -incompatible rolling stock doesn't help with reliability, line extensions, etc...

Integrated transport anyone?

One of the most frustrating aspects of the transport system in London, apart from its high-cost (busses went from 70p to an eye watering £2 in just a few years) and unreliablility, is the lack of integration. There are many examples -just look at a tube map to see where rail stations don't connect with the tube, like in Putney for instance: that one is quite frustrating as both lines actually intersect but instead of building an interchange above the train line, commuters have get out of the station and walk 200 feet. Or, why is the Waterloo & City line not extended to Moorgate and then through using National Rail tracks? And South?

Some things are improving though: from yesterday, the Oyster card is accepted on National Rail (except to Heathrow, etc). At last you may say...

There's some more scope for improvement though. For instance, this Evening Standard column suggests using the Thames a proper highway.

In under three years, and for an initial outlay of just £30 million, we can create a new, waterborne Tube line, with a frequent service of high-speed boats at 20 piers from Putney to Woolwich. That is about a quarter of the time, and less than a hundredth of the money, that a similar project would need on land.

Would Boris dare?

London, transportation, rail, railways, Waterlooandcity, tube, thames, richmondtransits.blog, TfL