Agenda item

Report of the Director of the Built Environment.

The Committee considered a report of the Director of the Built Environment setting out the proposed response from the City of London Corporation to the consultation currently being carried out by TfL concerning proposals to make changes to their bus services across London.

The Director of the Built Environment introduced the report. The changes proposed by TfL were supported as they were in line with the Transport Strategy. The aim was for greater utilisation and fewer empty buses across the City. If approved, the changes would come into effect on a rolling basis throughout 2019.

A Member said that a reduction in the number of buses with minimal impact on uses was welcome, and suggested that the changes be co-ordinated according to the time of day. However, tourist buses were a bigger issue that needed to be addressed and the Corporation’s response should include a suggestion that they be banned during peak hours.

A Member welcomed the review and change of direction. There were still problems with buses in the City, such as congestion by buses on Threadneedle Street. A wider look at why there were empty buses in the first place would be valuable, particularly with the implementation of the Transport Strategy.

A Member told the Committee that the frequency and efficiency of buses was good, and they were a useful mode of transport for older people and a whole range of other people. The proposals by TfL did take away some connectivity to the West End and some other areas, and as there was no real mention of how this would be mitigated, the Corporation’s response should ask for this to be addressed.

A Member told the Committee that not all underground stations were step-free, and would not be until 2044, buses remained a useful mode of transport for passengers with mobility issues. There was a particularly high demand for buses heading south across London Bridge in the early evening as many workers commuted by bus from South London. Some of the recent decline in demand could be attributable to more people working at home due to the recent chaos on the train network. Any changes should also ensure that passengers did not have to walk long distances at night in order to change buses, as this was a safety concern. Bus services were flexible and could be changed quickly, so the proposals should be taken forward and amended later if they were not working.

A Member added that the bus network was crucial for early morning and late-night workers and the network needed the right links in place. The Hopper ticket had been a success and real progress had been made in improving the bus services. However, more services were needed at night.

A Member reiterated that the proposals lacked any consideration of the time of day. Buses ran at the same frequency at peak commuting hours as they did in the middle of the day which made no sense. The Chairman responded that he had asked TfL about this, and it was supposedly cheaper to keep the buses running during the middle of the day than to send them back to the depot. A Member added that depots and light industrial units close to the City would be valuable.

A Member stressed that the important thing was that a bus user should have a reasonable expectation of getting a bus in a reasonable amount of time, ideally waiting no more than 5 minutes at the bus stop. The proposals needed to consider the consumer point of view and perhaps technology would help to the end.

A Member reminded the Committee that buses that were empty at one stage of the route could have been full at other stages of the route. Arrangements following the changes needed to be made clearer as they would affect a significant number of people, and buses were a vital service.

A Member suggested looking at the effect of current travel subsidies on income and inequality and look at what could be done to address any issues. A Member added that discounts and more affordable pricing would lead to more usage of the buses and fewer cars, meeting multiple objectives.

The Director of the Built Environment responded to the points raised, noting the general support for the proposed changes. Comments made by Committee Members around frequency, time of day, social mobility and tourist buses would be taken into account, and the Corporation’s response would be shared with the Chairman and Deputy Chairman before being sent out.

RESOLVED – That the Planning & Transportation Committee:

a)    Note the report; and

b)    Generally support TfL’s proposed changes to bus services across London, taking account of comments from Members as set out.