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Chiltern Local Committee 17 July 2002
CHILTERN DISTRICT COUNCIL EXECUTIVE - 16 JULY 2002
Background Papers, if any, are specified at the end of the Report
METROPOLITAN LINE TIMETABLE CHANGES - SEPTEMBER 2003 Contact Officer: Gill Gowing 01494 732051
Matter for Consideration
1 To respond to the consultation on the proposed timetable changes for September 2003, which affect both the Metropolitan Line and Chiltern Railways.
Implications
(i) Not a key decision
(ii)Not in the Forward Plan
Financial Implications
None
Legal Implications
None
Report
2 Chesham Town Council hosted a London Underground Limited (LUL) and Chiltern Railways consultation meeting to discuss plans for Metropolitan Line timetable changes for 2003. These changes have a knock on impact on Chiltern Railways timetable, hence their presence at the meeting.
Key points
3 In the presentation by London Underground the following key points were made:
• In any changes the objective is to constantly review services in order to minimise customer journey time.
• 24 month change process timetable, so currently looking at changes for September 2003.
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Chiltern Local Committee 17 July 2002
• No significant changes proposed for the Metropolitan line in September 2002, but changes to Circle and District Line scheduling is anticipated to significantly benefit the Metropolitan Line and Chiltern Railways - due to performance problems on the Circle Line in particular causing performance problems elsewhere.
• Chesham Shuttle times have been altered to reduce the gap between services, in response to previous consultation meeting and survey of early morning users.
• September 2003 changes focus on the Metropolitan Line. Two options have been developed for the peak services. London Underground is committed to retaining the Chesham link These are the only options possible within the current infrastructure limits (single track and rolling stock availability).
Peak Service Options as described by LUL and Chiltern Railways
4 Option 1
Run 2 through trains to Chesham with a shuttle service otherwise.
Pros Continues to provide an-interchange option to the City
Cons Remains a 34-minute interval for the service pattern to work at the junctions Difficult to improve connections to Chiltern Railways.
5 Option 2
Remove through trains to Chesham and provide all-day shuttle service.
Pros Could have departures from Chesham every 22-24 minutes Provide opportunity to have more fast trains at Amersham with more even intervals Could integrate better with Chiltern Railways
Cons Forces an interchange at Chalfont for Chesham customers
6 LUL advised at the end of the meeting that they wished for a response by the end of June. They were advised that this would not be possible since there was no available meeting of the Council to consider the proposals.
7 The immediate reaction from the majority of those present at the meeting - predominately Chesham Town Councillors, although some were also District
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Chiltern Local Committee 17 July 2002
and/or County Members, was strong support for Option 1 since this option retained the through trains to Chesham.
8 Chiltern Railways urged the meeting not to reject Option 2 out of hand, since it did significantly improve the connection from Chesham with Chiltern Railways. A survey of early morning shuttle users had identified this as a priority. The waterfall diagrams which will be displayed at the meeting illustrate in graphic form how this is achieved.
9 The continuing deterioration of the Metropolitan Line service, particularly in terms of the quality of the ride compared with that of Chiltern Railways, may be encouraging people to travel by car to Amersham and/or Little Chalfont to catch the Chiltern Railways trains. Certainly the use of the car parks at Chesham, Amersham and Little Chalfont indicate that this may be occurring.
10 It is considered that unless it can be demonstrated that Option 2 would be likely to result in the increased use of Chesham Station, Option 1 should be preferred. In order to assess whether Option 2 would make Chesham more, rather than less attractive, further work on existing and future travel preferences needs to be undertaken, and the impacts of these preferences assessed for all modes of transport between Chesham, Amersham and Little Chalfont.
11 In assessing the impact of Option 2, consideration should be given to whether Chiltern Railways could increase the number of stops at Chalfont and Latimer station.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. That further work be undertaken on travel preferences and the associated impact on all modes of travel prior to any decision on the Options being taken.
2. The Council considers the Chesham through train at peak times to be a valued service for local residents, and only if it can be clearly demonstrated that Option 2 would result in significantly more passengers, (over and above any projected growth in rail usage) using Chesham Station than at present, would the Council be willing to support Option 2.
3. The Council welcomes London Underground's stated commitment to retain the Chesham Link,
Background Papers:
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Chiltern Local Committee 17 July 2002
COMMENT FROM BUCKINGHAMSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
The County Council had received no information from London Underground Ltd (LUL) on their proposals for changes to services on the Chesham branch.
This has been taken up with the company and an outline of the proposals has now been received. Initial discussions with the principal user groups representing travellers on the branch line suggest that the majority of people travelling between Chesham and Central London tend to change to Chiltern Railways' services at Chalfont & Latimer rather than continue to London by the slower Metropolitan Line trains. Further information is awaited from the Amersham & Aylesbury Rail User Group before a response can be made to LUL.
JOHN HODGKINS PASSENGER TRANSPORT MANAGER