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Transport
for London to Carry Out Turnham Green
Review on taking control of the Underground
"A
fresh and unbiased review of the needs
and costs of stopping Piccadilly Line
trains at Turnham Green is long overdue."
Local
representatives of the STOP Campaign have
taken their case to the Headquarters of
Transport for London (TfL) and presented
the first part of the petition to Vice
Chair Dave Wetzel for Mayor Ken Livingstone,
the TfL Board and Transport Commissioner
Bob Kiley.
During
the meeting Dave Wetzel said that when
Transport for London take over the running
of the London Underground he would ask
Bob Kiley and his team of world experts
to carry out a fresh and unbiased review
of the needs and costs of stopping Piccadilly
Line trains at Turnham Green Station.
They would also be asked to implement
short and long-term improvements to the
entire London Transport system.
The
visit coincided with the resignation of
London Underground's Chief Executive,
Derek Smith. The relationship between
the Mayor and the incumbent LUL management
has been fraught with Ken Livingstone
describing them as dullards. STOP is lobbying
the government to handover control to
TfL as quickly as possible.
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Bob
Kiley is widely credited
with turning around the
New York subway and has
been brought in by Ken
Livingstone to tackle London
Underground.
Dave
Wetzel was a key player
in the Mayor's cheap fares
policy under the old Greater
London Council and is currently
Vice-chair of Transport
for London.
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Tim
Mack with Dave Wetzel and
Bob Kiley
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The
nearly 8,000 strong STOP campaign petition
(Stop at Turnham Green On the Piccadilly
line) requests that,
"
Transport for London give priority to
the stopping of Piccadilly Line trains
all day at Turnham Green station".
Tim
Mack the Conservative PPC for the Brentford
and Isleworth constituency stated: "Transport
for London (TfL)was established to run
London Underground and should have taken
over control from the Government earlier
this year. The cross party STOP campaign
has deliberately been focussed on showing
TfL the demand for, and practicality of,
an all day Piccadilly Line service at
Turnham Green as a priority improvement
to the system.
As
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and
the Government continue to try to impose
their flawed PPP scheme for the Underground
on Londoners, STOP campaigners are now
calling on them to hand over control to
TfL to enable them to get started on the
long term turnaround. The sooner TfL and
Bob Kiley are able to get started the
better.""
STOP
campaigners share the TfL concern that
if PPP goes ahead too much of the new
investment would be in improving train
stations and retailing outlets and not
enough on improvements to the train service
such as stopping the Piccadilly Line at
Turnham Green.
When
he was the leader of Hounslow Council
in the 1980s, Dave Wetzel campaigned for
Piccadilly line trains to stop at Turnham
Green. As Vice Chair of TfL and a
Brentford resident he has also been taking
an interest in the current reduced service
on the District line and the need for
more Piccadilly Line trains to stop as
the work continues. Dave Wetzel emphasised
the importance of prompt and effective
communication to passengers as well as
the opportunities of greater integration
of all forms of public transport in London.
In
earlier meetings with STOP campaigners,
London Underground undertook to stop Piccadilly
Line trains during the current cutbacks
at stations between Acton Town and Hammersmith
whenever there is overcrowding on the
District Line platforms. Information from
passengers shows this is not taking place
and seems to depend on the opinion and
expertise of duty supervisors.
In
reply to questions in Parliament and at
the GLA, Shadow Transport Minister Bernard
Jenkin and Greater London Assembly member
Tony Arbour confirmed that LUL had assured
them they would stop more Piccadilly Line
trains during the District Line cutbacks
when the situation warranted it.
LUL claimed that to stop a Piccadilly
Line train would hold up those behind
it and insert too large a gap for satisfactory
service through Central London. STOP campaigners
point out that they have routed occasional
Piccadilly line trains on to the District
Line tracks and allowed other Piccadilly
line trains to proceed through on the
fast tracks, so that problem has not arisen
and they have demonstrated they can provide
a service if they wish.
Tim
Mack stated after the meeting: "The
deteriorating tube service at Turnham
Green is a vital issue for local people
and we will not give up campaigning until
it gets better. Meanwhile we will be lobbying
for the Government to hand over control
so TfL can take over from the discredited
LUL management and get started".
Anyone
who has yet to sign the petition can do
so at Mr Lad's newsagent on South Parade,
Southey's restaurant at 144 Chiswick High
Road or at Austen jewellers right next
door to the station.
Please note that ChiswickW4.com is
not affiliated with the STOP campaign.
We are delighted to feature any campaign
activity on local issues but our stance
is not to take sides.
Related
articles:
Ann
Keen's Statement on the Issue
Tim
Mack says GLA not LUL will decide
Campaign
not over according to Peter Eversden of
the Chiswick Protection Group
Is
Turnham Green the Most Dangerous Station
on the Tube?
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