London United Buses have questions about Richmond Council's controversial proposal to remove the bus lane in HamptonWick, which speeds the 281 and 285 routes along the Upper Teddington Road to Kingston Bridge.

The company is also critical of Richmond Council's policies and of the proposals to fill the bus lane, after its removal, with parking metres.

The operators want to know:

• Why their customers weren't consulted as they are the ones directly affected by this decision?
• Have the council told local residents that this will cost £25,000 to remove?
• Why remove this bus lane when they have not explored all options - limiting the hours of operation, for example.

Commented London United's Peter Spring: "This makes a mockery of encouraging people to walk or cycle and improve the quality of air in the borough. I believe this is only the tip of the iceberg. They would then look at other bus lanes and do the same.

"They did not listen to us or learn from their mistakes over the Kew Bridge Bus Lane and now, after removal, the traffic is just the same every day and it is given out on the radio to avoid this area.

"Also we have seen an increase in patronage on our buses by 9%, and 20% on NightBuses, which proves customers have confidence in the bus service. Removal of this bus lane, if it goes ahead, will add extra time to bus journey times which affects our customers' quality of life.

"We will be joining forces with TFL to fight tooth and nail with Richmond Council over their decision."

At a council meeting late last year the issue was raised by a local resident. In response to a series of questions, Cabinet Member for Transport and Parking, Cllr Mark Kreling, admitted that the administration had always intended to remove the bus lane if they came to power. The minutes record Cllr Kreling saying at that council meeting in November 2003:

"The Bus Lane Review was discussed at Cabinet in February 2003 and also Transport Consultative Group had a long and in-depth discussion of this around that time as well. The results of the consultation were reported to this meeting and are freely available.

"Bus operators were against the removal of the bus lane. However, surveys have indicated that the bus lane has not been needed since the Kingston Bridge improvements have been implemented and that no evidence was found by officers of this Council and has been forthcoming from operators of London Buses that the bus lane needs to be retained.

"The cost of removal is estimated to be £25,000, to be spent mainly upon the resurfacing of the road. Parking will be installed in the space occupied by the bus lane, which will obviously over the years generate an income.

"Council is looking at reducing delays to buses and other traffic through the Congestion Hot Spots programme. Several junctions highlighted in the action plan lie on the route of buses serving Kingston, especially the 281. In addition, works have started in Heath Road to provide an all day bus lane proving that this Council and this administration is not set against bus lanes, but wishes them to be viable, necessary and non-detrimental to the free flow of traffic of all our residents.”

Cllr Kreling was then asked whether he had totally disregarded the results of the consultation, in that the views of Transport for London, the London Transport User Committee, the Teddington Society and all the cyclists who had responded had been ignored in favour of two residents who would welcome more parking space.

Councillor Kreling replied that when the bus lane had first been introduced, a petition with over 1500 names opposed to its installation had been submitted and the then Opposition (now the administration) had promised that if they took control of the Council, it would be removed. The bus lane was unnecessary and had not proved to be either viable or useful.

Opposition spokesman Cllr Martin Elengorn said at the time: "This makes a mockery of the review and public consultation process. Transport for London, the bus operators, the Bus Users' Committee, the Teddington Society and cyclists all wanted the lane kept while a grand total of 15 residents favoured its removal at a cost of £25,000.

"It now turns out to be a matter of political dogma not rational consideration."

A spokesman for Richmond Council now states: "The consultation involved TfL, the bus operators and local residents. In addition, the statutory consultation was carried out with the police, emergency services etc.

"Responses to the consultation will all be reported to the Transport Consultative Meeting in July and the responses are currently being studied. No date has been set to remove the bus lane as it does all depend on the outcome of the July meeting. Obviously we do not wish to prejudge the outcome."

See Richmond Council's Review of Bus Lanes

Wednesday, June 2, 2004

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