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Post by LJ17THF on Aug 19, 2020 15:53:18 GMT
To be fair, it is understandable, quite a lot of money was lost, but an easy way out would be to cut a few over-bussed routes, probably something like the 38 (as people say that it's over-bussed, however it doesn't operate in my area), and get some funding from the buses not running. Once school starts in September (not long to go), the 533 will most likely be packed, but I'm not sure about the 38, could some from the area please give an insight to how it was before and after lockdown? |
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Post by george on Aug 19, 2020 15:58:00 GMT
To be fair, it is understandable, quite a lot of money was lost, but an easy way out would be to cut a few over-bussed routes, probably something like the 38 (as people say that it's over-bussed, however it doesn't operate in my area), and get some funding from the buses not running. Once school starts in September (not long to go), the 533 will most likely be packed, but I'm not sure about the 38, could some from the area please give an insight to how it was before and after lockdown? I agree it probably doesn't help how the 533 contract was extended recently because if not then the 209 contract could be written into the 533 route? Put question mark as someone who is much more clude up in that kind of thing will be able to say if this would have been an option or even possible. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2020 13:09:38 GMT
Apparently some in government are actively approaching the army to build a temporary bridge. This is a total farce. It shows the unfathomable situation local government is in. Pathetic.
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Post by george on Aug 28, 2020 15:39:55 GMT
Hammersmith Bridge bus Updates from 05/09/2020.
533
Mon-Fri. 07.30 to 19.00 three buses every hour and then two an hour in the evenings
Sat and Sun. 09.00 to 18.30 four buses every hour.
378.
Mon-Sat day time. Eight buses per hour.
Evenings and weekends six buses apart from early morning Sundays four buses per hour.
209. Mon-Sat daytime. Four buses per hour
Eveings and weekends three per hour and early morning Sundays two per hour.
This is confirmed rather than me speculating.
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Post by evergreenadam on Aug 28, 2020 16:06:09 GMT
Hammersmith Bridge bus Updates from 05/09/2020. 533 Mon-Fri. 07.30 to 19.00 three buses every hour and then two an hour in the evenings Sat and Sun. 09.00 to 18.30 four buses every hour. 378. Mon-Sat day time. Eight buses per hour. Evenings and weekends six buses apart from early morning Sundays four buses per hour. 209. Mon-Sat daytime. Four buses per hour Eveings and weekends three per hour and early morning Sundays two per hour. This is confirmed rather than me speculating. Better than nothing, moves capacity around sensibly. 533 every 15mins Mon-Fri is still really needed though. |
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Post by thelondonthing on Sept 2, 2020 17:53:03 GMT
Sarah Olney MP (Richmond Park) said today that TfL has confirmed that service levels on the 533 will increase to every 15 minutes (4bph) every day from 19 September. Given the increased passenger demand since the bridge was closed to pedestrians, this is a very welcome development. My guess is that the increase to 3bph on 5 September that george mentioned will now not go ahead, and that they'll simply delay the service increase to the 'full' 4bph on the 19th. It would be logistically burdensome to manage two frequency increases within two weeks - not just in terms of the operational challenges, but also in communicating the new service levels to the public. |
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Post by MoEnviro on Sept 2, 2020 18:24:30 GMT
Sarah Olney MP (Richmond Park) said today that TfL has confirmed that service levels on the 533 will increase to every 15 minutes (4bph) every day from 19 September. Given the increased passenger demand since the bridge was closed to pedestrians, this is a very welcome development. My guess is that the increase to 3bph on 5 September that george mentioned will now not go ahead, and that they'll simply delay the service increase to the 'full' 4bph on the 19th. It would be logistically burdensome to manage two frequency increases within two weeks - not just in terms of the operational challenges, but also in communicating the new service levels to the public. Extra buses have been running on the 533 since last Saturday, running with the V prefix (as used for the school services) And that has taken the service to 4bph. |
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connor
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Post by connor on Sept 2, 2020 18:25:54 GMT
Sarah Olney MP (Richmond Park) said today that TfL has confirmed that service levels on the 533 will increase to every 15 minutes (4bph) every day from 19 September. Given the increased passenger demand since the bridge was closed to pedestrians, this is a very welcome development. My guess is that the increase to 3bph on 5 September that george mentioned will now not go ahead, and that they'll simply delay the service increase to the 'full' 4bph on the 19th. It would be logistically burdensome to manage two frequency increases within two weeks - not just in terms of the operational challenges, but also in communicating the new service levels to the public. Extra buses have been running on the 533 since last Saturday, running with the V prefix (as used for the school services) And that has taken the service to 4bph. the V533 is only a temporary service only for school kids only. |
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Post by MoEnviro on Sept 2, 2020 18:54:52 GMT
Extra buses have been running on the 533 since last Saturday, running with the V prefix (as used for the school services) And that has taken the service to 4bph. the V533 is only a temporary service only for school kids only. On Saturday and Sunday? |
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connor
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Post by connor on Sept 2, 2020 19:00:42 GMT
the V533 is only a temporary service only for school kids only. On Saturday and Sunday? don’t now why they was listed as V533 because school was not open on the weekends |
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Post by MoEnviro on Sept 2, 2020 19:26:46 GMT
don’t now why they was listed as V533 because school was not open on the weekends Because they are being used to supplement the normal service every day of the week |
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Post by greenboy on Sept 4, 2020 6:25:03 GMT
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Post by thelondonthing on Sept 4, 2020 7:24:57 GMT
Unfortunately, every available resolution to this situation depends, to varying degrees, on support from central Government - and the Government has so far shown no interest in providing support of any kind. Indeed, it's very much in this Government's interest to ensure that the bridge remain closed for as long as possible, in order to score political points against the Labour-run Hammersmith & Fulham Council; and against Transport for London and the Mayor, who will of course be opposed by the Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey in the upcoming Mayoral election. It doesn't serve the interests of Government - or, more accurately, of the Conservative Party - to provide any meaningful assistance to reopen the bridge any time soon. Even before the pandemic, it was always going to be unrealistic for H&F Council to provide around £100m of funding to ensure that the bridge could be properly restored and reopened to traffic. There are obvious - and very reasonable - points to be made about H&F's appalling failure to adequately maintain the bridge to the standard demanded by its listed status, but while they are undoubtedly accurate, there is little to be gained from making such points when they do nothing to change the current situation. H&F could, and should, have done more to meet their maintenance obligations, but pointing the finger of blame does not solve the current problem. With the added financial pressures on all local councils during the coronavirus crisis, there is simply no possibility of H&F being able to provide the funding needed even to repair the bridge to a level at which it can be safely reopened to cyclists and pedestrians (which the Evening Standard article says would cost £46m). As the article points out - and it's no great surprise - even this amount cannot be raised without Government support. In early August, Transport for London updated its Hammersmith Bridge project page with new information, including this: At the same time, TfL added that it still hasn't agreed terms with Government to ensure the next stage of essential funding for its general operations "beyond 17 October 2020", and several weeks later, that position still hasn't changed. "Until we know the outcome of current negotiations with Government," TfL said, "we must pause the planning application for the temporary bridge. As part of these negotiations, we will ask for the full funding needed to refurbish Hammersmith Bridge, including the temporary bridge, stabilisation works and main bridge strengthening works." The DfT has previously indicated that it has no interest in providing funding when the responsibility for the bridge's maintenance lies with H&F Council. With the long-term closure of the bridge offering such a juicy opportunity for the Government to present it as a failure of the Labour-run council, and to use it as a stick with which to beat Sadiq Khan in the Mayoral election, I can't see the Government's position changing soon. Indeed, Sarah Olney MP noted this week that her efforts to engage with the Department for Transport regarding the full closure of the bridge and the urgent need for Government support have so far been ignored; having written to Baroness Vere (Minister for Roads, Buses and Places) last month, no response had been received after several weeks of waiting. The implementation of an enhanced programme of repairs to deal with the worsening damage to the bridge, the building of a temporary bridge, the reopening of the existing bridge to pedestrians and cyclists, the full restoration of the bridge and its use again by larger vehicles... all of these options require the support of the Government, which - politically - stands to gain far more by withholding that support for as long as possible. Regrettably, politics will always stand in the way of progress. |
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Post by LJ17THF on Sept 4, 2020 8:52:56 GMT
It really is annoying that it is a listed building, now it's just a bit of decoration. I can only imagine how slow vehicles are moving around the bridges, especially with the closure on Vauxhall Bridge. |
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Post by evergreenadam on Sept 5, 2020 8:55:31 GMT
Unfortunately, every available resolution to this situation depends, to varying degrees, on support from central Government - and the Government has so far shown no interest in providing support of any kind. Indeed, it's very much in this Government's interest to ensure that the bridge remain closed for as long as possible, in order to score political points against the Labour-run Hammersmith & Fulham Council; and against Transport for London and the Mayor, who will of course be opposed by the Conservative candidate Shaun Bailey in the upcoming Mayoral election. It doesn't serve the interests of Government - or, more accurately, of the Conservative Party - to provide any meaningful assistance to reopen the bridge any time soon. Even before the pandemic, it was always going to be unrealistic for H&F Council to provide around £100m of funding to ensure that the bridge could be properly restored and reopened to traffic. There are obvious - and very reasonable - points to be made about H&F's appalling failure to adequately maintain the bridge to the standard demanded by its listed status, but while they are undoubtedly accurate, there is little to be gained from making such points when they do nothing to change the current situation. H&F could, and should, have done more to meet their maintenance obligations, but pointing the finger of blame does not solve the current problem. With the added financial pressures on all local councils during the coronavirus crisis, there is simply no possibility of H&F being able to provide the funding needed even to repair the bridge to a level at which it can be safely reopened to cyclists and pedestrians (which the Evening Standard article says would cost £46m). As the article points out - and it's no great surprise - even this amount cannot be raised without Government support. In early August, Transport for London updated its Hammersmith Bridge project page with new information, including this: At the same time, TfL added that it still hasn't agreed terms with Government to ensure the next stage of essential funding for its general operations "beyond 17 October 2020", and several weeks later, that position still hasn't changed. "Until we know the outcome of current negotiations with Government," TfL said, "we must pause the planning application for the temporary bridge. As part of these negotiations, we will ask for the full funding needed to refurbish Hammersmith Bridge, including the temporary bridge, stabilisation works and main bridge strengthening works." The DfT has previously indicated that it has no interest in providing funding when the responsibility for the bridge's maintenance lies with H&F Council. With the long-term closure of the bridge offering such a juicy opportunity for the Government to present it as a failure of the Labour-run council, and to use it as a stick with which to beat Sadiq Khan in the Mayoral election, I can't see the Government's position changing soon. Indeed, Sarah Olney MP noted this week that her efforts to engage with the Department for Transport regarding the full closure of the bridge and the urgent need for Government support have so far been ignored; having written to Baroness Vere (Minister for Roads, Buses and Places) last month, no response had been received after several weeks of waiting. The implementation of an enhanced programme of repairs to deal with the worsening damage to the bridge, the building of a temporary bridge, the reopening of the existing bridge to pedestrians and cyclists, the full restoration of the bridge and its use again by larger vehicles... all of these options require the support of the Government, which - politically - stands to gain far more by withholding that support for as long as possible. Regrettably, politics will always stand in the way of progress. A very thoughtful and accurate assessment of the current situation. The government lost three seats in England at the general election in December, two of those were Putney and Richmond Park. Not a surprise that they are in no hurry to fund a solution. They have found new friends in Blackpool, Burnley and Blyth Valley and won’t hesitate to splash the cash there instead. |
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