The Public Transport Liaison Forum of Lewisham Council will be provided with a report pack that contains responses from Transport for London, Southeastern, Network Rail, Go Ahead, Stagecoach and Lewisham Council to questions that have been submitted by Councillors and members of the public. These questions and responses are scheduled to be considered at the meeting, but we do not know for certain what will actually be discussed. The report pack indicates that the meeting may include discussion of a number of topics relating to the transport network in the borough.

Lower Sydenham Station

The report pack states that Bromley Council has confirmed that no section 106 funding¹ has so far been secured from new developments to upgrade accessibility at Lower Sydenham Station. The report pack also contains several questions about the station. One submission states that:

The cheapest and most realistic immediate improvement to Lower Sydenham Station's service would be to rezone it to zone 3/4, so ticket prices would match nearby stations.

Southeastern are recorded in the document as saying in response to a previous question about re-zoning that:

In the last case of this happening, the Stratford rezoning in 2015, this only went through because of a mayoral pledge and TfL agreed to cover train operator revenue losses caused by the rezoning.

The report pack also contains a question about whether there are plans to improve the station. Network Rail and Southeastern are recorded in the report pack as saying that they:

do not have a further update on improvements to the condition of Lower Sydenham station.

Bell Green

The report pack includes a number of questions about the area around Bell Green. It states that there have been extremely serious accidents on Alan Pegg Place and the Spine Road and asks for an update on plans to remodel the gyratory system in Bell Green. The report pack also contains a question about the access road to the Aldi supermarket off the Spine Road. A large residential development is planned for the nearby gasholders site.

Please can you produce any traffic and/or safety data for the unadopted access road to Aldi, off the Spine Road, which Barratt intend to use as the sole access for a large development at the gasholders site?

The report pack contains a lengthy response from Barratt London who state that they did not collect traffic data. There is a further question on the subject of PTAL ratings at Bell Green.

Given the fact that PTAL rating at Bell Green can only be improved by making connectivity between railway station and bus stops, what changes are being considered? Poorly sited, overcrowded bus stops are inadequate for the purpose.

TfL are recorded in the report pack as saying that:

The option of extending the Bakerloo line to Hayes and Beckenham Junction is still being investigated by TfL with feasibility studies currently underway. Any decision on such an extension remains subject to public consultation and funding. The extension would be expected to improve accessibility at stations including Lower Sydenham on this branch due to the large increase in train frequency, however as these stations already have a train service, we don’t expect that an increase in train frequency would result in a major uplift in the PTAL (Public Transport Accessibility Levels) at these stations.

Sandhurst Road

The report pack contains questions about the impact of buses on residents of Sandhurst Road. It states that dozens of residents have complained about buses and other large vehicles causing significant vibration of their homes and asks what steps are being taken to address this issue. TfL are recorded in the document as saying in response:

We support the advice previously given by the Council, that residents would need to engage an independent Structural Engineer for a report into the issue.

It also asks whether the council will commit to measuring air pollution on the road. The report pack states that there are five bus routes, mostly serviced by diesel buses, using the road and that:

It feels as though a street mostly populated by rented and HMO property is being neglected in favour of other nearby roads with more affluent populations, and that the Council would rather not know the state of the air on the road in case the data is inconvenient.

A21

The report pack includes two questions about the A21 that are recorded as having been submitted by Councillor James-J Walsh. The first question concerns the 'wands' that have been installed along the road.

As part of the experimental traffic orders that were introduced during the coronavirus period, and then normalised, you introduced a number of wands along the A21. A number of these wands are not visible due to their thinness and the accumulation of dirt, this leads to a lot of motorists striking them and then becoming regularly removed. What is your solution to this?

TfL are recorded in the report pack as saying that they:

are assessing our cleaning and maintenance regimes in relation to these wands.

The second question concerns the junction of the A21 with Rushey Green and Wildfell Road.

On the southbound approach along the A2 one towards Catford at the junction of Rushey Green and Wildfell Road a number of motorists make unauthorised right hand returns from the A21 into Wildfell Road. There is hard landscaping in the form of ones at this point however they do not stretch far enough north to stop this activity and the signage on the approach indicating that there is no right hand turned his limited. How do you propose to remedy this?

TfL are recorded in the document as saying in response:

We are investigating the addition of signage and markings in advance of the junction, and the line of wands stretching further north to physically restrict this manoeuvre.

Lewisham Station

The report pack indicates that a question may be asked about the state of repair at Lewisham Station. The question states that:

recently at Lewisham station there has been flooded staircases, broken lift and no lights due to heavy rain, residents have raised concerns

Dog buggies

The report pack indicates that Councillor Hilary Moore may ask a question about the etiquette surrounding the use of dog buggies on buses.

When a small dog’s buggy is placed in the wheelchair area of a bus (where there is one) should the owner (as with a baby buggy) be asked/expected to collapse the buggy when either other baby buggies/prams or indeed a wheelchair enters the bus? Have noticed an increase in these small dog buggies in recent months and would be useful to have the same expectations of owners of the dog/buggy as those we have and made clear in the information in the space, for the parents of babies and their buggies.

South Eastern Rail Franchise

Councillor James-J Walsh is recorded in the report pack as intending to ask TfL if the South Eastern rail franchise will be brought under TfL control.

With the change of national government, will TFL be reopening conversations with the department of the transport about transferring the south-eastern round network into TfL control as it is currently being delivered by the operator of last resort?

Unauthorised crossovers on red routes

Councillor James-J Walsh has also submitted a question about unauthorised crossovers on red routes².

Cross many of the red roots throughout Alborough there are a number of unauthorised crossovers by motorists.

Lewisham High Street

Councillor Edison Huynh is recorded in the document as asking about the provision of information to bus passengers about the changes to bus stops along Lewisham High Street as a result of the Lewisham Gateway project.

Ticket office at Catford Bridge Station

Councillor James-J Walsh has submitted a question about the ticket office at Catford Bridge Station.

What is going on with the London bound ticket office at Catford Bridge?

Lighting under the railway arches at Lewisham Station

Councillor Edison Huynh has submitted a question about the lighting under the railway arches at Lewisham Station.

The street lighting has also not been working since Network Rail completed the work under the arches near Glassmill. It means that it is quite dark and unsafe for Lewisham residents walking back in the evening. Can network rail look into this issue to restore lighting under and around these tunnels before the end of summer?

Stepping distance between trains and platforms at Lewisham Station

Councillor Aliya Sheikh has submitted a question about the stepping distance between trains and platforms at Lewisham Station.

The gap between trains and the platform are getting dangerously wider, making it very difficult to get off the train at Lewisham Train Station, particularly for vulnerable adults, children, and mothers with buggies. Is it possible to deal with this issue?

Access for All Funding

Councillor Stephen Penfold has submitted three questions about the Access for All Programme, which is a government-funded initiative to improve accessibility at railway stations.

Councillor Penfold asks whether the programme will continue to receive funding.

As far as Network Rail is aware is the Access For All Programme continuing under the current government?

He also asks when the deadline for applications to the next round of funding is.

Assuming that the funding is continuing, what is the cut off date for submissions for the next round of funding.

Finally, he asks if Network Rail is aware whether St John's Station will be included in the next round of funding.

Does Network Rail know, at this stage, whether St John’s station will be included for the next round of Access For All Funding.

Signage and information at new bus stops

Councillor Aliya Sheikh has also submitted a question about the signage and information about recently created bus stops.

The signage and information about the recently created bus stops are not very accessible for both the residents and the service users. Can you please investigate these issues? (Councillor Sheikh)

Security in light of recent events

Councillor Aliya Sheikh has also submitted a question about what steps TfL has taken to keep passengers safe following recent protests/events.

In light of the recent protests/events happening, has TfL devised any special security measures to keep the passengers safe during the journey and can you please share if these events had an impact on the timetable of the buses?

Parking spaces replaced with cycle/bus lanes

Councillor Aliya Sheikh has also submitted a question about whether TfL has a strategy to mitigate the impact of parking spaces being replaced with cycle/bus lanes on local businesses.

Does TfL have any strategy to mitigate the impact on the local businesses, due to the parking spaces being replaced by the cycle/bus lanes?

Uneven pavements and inspection covers at temporary bus stops on Molesworth Street

Councillor Aliya Sheikh has also submitted a question about the condition of the pavement at the temporary bus stops on Molesworth Street.

The uneven pavements and elevated inspection cover at the Molesworth Street at recently created temporary bus stops are making residents/users to trip over and sustain injuries. Can this issue be investigated?

Brighton Main Line 2

Councillor James-J Walsh has also submitted a question about the Brighton Main Line 2 (BML2).

What appetite and conversations have there been regarding the BML2 (Brighton main line 2) route being established, and further, it running via Catford?

Performance data for Lewisham residents

Councillor James-J Walsh has also submitted a question about the performance of transport services in the borough.

What performance data do you have for the last full 12 months of delivery that show for Lewisham residents: • Timeliness • Service level demand vs capacity • Customer satisfaction

Capital and revenue investment in Lewisham

Councillor James-J Walsh has also submitted a question about investment in the borough's transport network.

What capital and revenue investment have you made over the last 12 months in local services (including routes, stations, infrastructure and community projects) in Lewisham and what do you have planned going forward?

Crime and antisocial behaviour on the transport network

Councillor James-J Walsh has also submitted a question about crime and antisocial behaviour on the transport network.

What picture of crime and antisocial behaviour can you give us in our locality from the services that you operate over the last full 12 months of reporting that you have available?