The Transport Users’ Sub-Committee is a meeting like no
other; the subject matter is of universal appeal except perhaps to the
housebound, it is not webcast (hence the need to attend in person) and since we saw the back end of Chairman Val
Clark in 2022, is comprised of Bexley Council’s friendliest Members. Last night, Richard Diment, June Slaughter, Labour’s Sally Hinkley and Chairman Cameron Smith.
Everyone is on first name terms and to my surprise
I was
invited to sit closer to the proceedings than I chose to do. The Committee
Secretary is Chantelle Queenbarrows who always makes me welcome and provides a copy of the Agenda.
All four Councillors had been at
the previous evening’s Scrutiny meeting, don’t run away
with the idea that it is an easy job.
The only downside is that free evening parking in Bexleyheath gets ever more
difficult to find and reducing the number of accessible bays in Oakhouse Road
has not helped.
I had hoped to hear some of the
bus questions from last time answered but TfL
failed to send a representative so the meeting was launched by Southeastern’s
man George Patterson. If you have been following rail matters closely you may
not learn a lot from the following. More trains (4 an hour) are to stop at Albany Park from
June and services on all lines will be a little more evenly spaced. (The ‘clocks’ in the photo
show the before and after situation on the Greenwich line.)
The extra trains will benefit passengers and ticket receipts.
The benefits of more evenly spread services were spelled out and one must wonder
why, after nearly 200 years of Greenwich line services, no one had noticed them before.
Some late night Charing Cross services are to be reintroduced to the Bexleyheath line to make theatre going easier and ticket
gates will be in operation until 10 p.m. everywhere in an effort to reduce fare evasion and antisocial behaviour.
The 175 year old Blackheath tunnel will be closed from 1st June to 10th August
for much need repairs. Weekend only closures would have been impractical because
sending in materials and hauling them out ready for Monday would have doubled the number of closure days.
Mr. Patterson didn’t think the tunnel closure would have much effect on Bexley
residents. Richard Diment begged to differ, as do I.
Tickets will be accepted on local buses.
Passenger numbers are up by around 9% on a year ago but the peak periods are still well down on pre-pandemic
which translates into Southeastern still requiring a DfT subsidy of £1 million a day. In better news the loop line restoration is
predicted to be cost neutral so there is optimism for a favourable DfT decision within the next two weeks.
New drivers are being recruited to replace retirements. Recruitment is not a problem but retention is.
Harry Stevenson from Network Rail was able to add that the improved (“Access for All”)
Bexley station will be open by the end of April with a refurbishment that goes beyond the much needed lifts. His illustrations
revealed that they will be by Stannah and everyone familiar with Abbey Wood’s station or its adjacent supermarket will let
out a loud groan. The Stannah repair van is almost a permanent fixture on Gayton Road.
Mr. Stevenson conveyed his thanks to Bexley residents and the Cricket Club for
their assistance with and understanding of the project.
A Police Inspector from the 70 strong Safer Transport Team said that the
number of robberies on buses was on the increase and in Bexley it has gone up by
66% but the borough remains third lowest in London. Beaten by Kingston and
Richmond. No one was surprised to hear “with ASB it is the school kids. Ask any bus driver”.
Under cover officers are deployed to combat it.
They vape on the top deck and Dylan from the Youth Council said it was
incongruous that his school bus, the 669, was festooned with adverts for vapes.
Sexual touching, mainly of school girls, was an issue but most of the offenders are caught thanks to
the technology found on all London buses. Their houses are searched for “other items of concern”.
Richard Diment said he had seen what appears to be a regular e-scooter rider
jumping red lights. He provided the time and location and the Inspector will be waiting for the offender in the
immediate future. If found he will get six points on his Driving Licence even if he hasnְ’t got one.
This new Inspector came across as down to earth and keen to improve things in her area of responsibility
On roads, the Highways Manager defined large potholes as being more than 40 mm
deep and 200 across and small ones as at least 31 mm deep. Anything less doesn’t
really count. The large ones are given a temporary fix as soon as they are
reported and the smaller ones some time within the following 90 days.
The plan for four new Zebra crossings will probably be implemented during the school Summer holidays.
The problem with the Yarnton Way crossing is still under
investigation. The flooding could be a blockage, inadequate drainage capacity or tidal.
Andrew Bashford who appeared via a video link warned road users that if they thought Bexley had been plagued with utility
works over the past few years, “it’s not looking good for the next three years I am afraid”. Three major water
main installations plus a power cable from the Belvedere incinerator
(currently working in Thames Road) are due to criss-cross the borough.
Councillor Slaughter said the fancy blocks installed in Hadlow and Hatherley
Roads in Sidcup in 2014 (Photo number 40 for example if you click the link) had not lasted very long but Mr. Bashford was reluctant to
replace the surface with asphalt. He had expected a 20 year life. Replacement blocks are very expensive.
Negotiations are continuing for another 80 or more EV chargers across eleven sites.
Probably low output units as ultra-rapid chargers cost around £200,000 each.
Cabinet Member Richard Diment indicated that he was unhappy with Bexley being
palmed off with clapped out diesel buses (my words not his) discarded by central
London operators. The SL3 ‘new Routemasters’ are more than ten years old. I
suggested that he stood at the Harrow Manor Way station bus stop if he wanted to experience bus fumes at first hand.
So a good meeting except that the doorman had gone home and I found myself
trapped in the building. Fortunately Sally Hinkley escorted me to the tradesman’s exit.