A GOOD PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE 129 Chapter four – A good public transport experience London has one of the most extensive public transport networks in the world, with more than 9 million trips made every day by bus, tram, Tube, train and river boat. Use of the public transport system has increased by 65 per cent since 2000, largely because of enhanced services and an improved customer experience. An easy to use and accessible public transport system is an essential part of the Healthy Streets Approach as it gives people alternatives to car use for journeys that are not possible on foot or by cycle. By providing the most efficient and affordable option for journeys that are either impractical or too long to walk or cycle, public transport has helped to reduce Londoners’ dependency on cars during the past 15 years and this trend must continue. VERSION FOR PUBLICATION A GOOD PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE 131 401 As it grows, the city requires the public This chapter sets out the importance of The whole journey ‘By 2041, the transport capacity to reduce crowding a whole journey approach, where public A good public transport experience and support increasing numbers of transport improvements are an integral means catering for the whole journey, public transport people travelling more actively, efficiently part of delivering the Healthy Streets with all its stages, from its planning to and sustainably. Figure 18 shows that Approach. The chapter then explains the return home. All public transport system will need by 2041 the public transport system will in four sections how London’s public journeys start or finish on foot or by need to cater for up to around 15 million transport services can be improved for cycle, and half of all walking in London is trips every day. all Londoners and also become a more done to or from public transport stations to cater for up to 1 appealing option than car use by: or stops . It is essential to integrate 15 million trips FORECAST GROWTH IN PUBLIC bus, Tube, rail and tram services with FIGURETRANSPORT 18: FORECAST TRIPS TO 2041 GROWTH IN PUBLIC a) Improving safety, affordability and improvements to street environments every day.’ TRANSPORT TRIPS TO 2041 customer service so the whole public to provide Londoners with attractive 20 transport network becomes easier and alternatives to car use. more convenient to use for more people. The areas around and within stations, 15 b) Improving public transport accessibility however, can be cluttered and difficult so that disabled and older people can to navigate, provision for cycle parking 10 travel spontaneously and independently. can be inconsistent, and interchanges between services can be complex. c) Shaping and growing the bus network to 5 provide convenient, reliable, accessible Stations and stops will be designed for public transport options where they active, efficient and sustainable onward Public transport trips per day (millions) Public transport trips per day 0 are needed. journeys. The first things passengers 2015 2041 will see on emerging from the station will Year d) Making rail services the most be clear walking directions and maps, efficient way for people to travel cycle hire facilities, bus connections and Committed investment Strategy longer distances by tackling crowding an attractive, accessible and inclusive and improving the reliability, comfort public realm, rather than car parking and and appeal of rail travel. pick-up/drop-off spaces. 1 London Travel Demand Survey (LTDS) 2013/14-2015/16, TfL analysis VERSION FOR PUBLICATION A GOOD PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE 133 Policy 10 system will be to achieve year-on-year Proposal 50 The Mayor, through TfL and the increases in the proportion of people who The Mayor, through TfL and the a) Sufficient space and desire-line boroughs, and working with walk or cycle for at least 20 minutes a day. boroughs, will make improvements connectivity for current and stakeholders, will use the Healthy measured and prioritised against future volumes of people arriving Streets Approach to deliver co- The healthy, efficient and sustainable the Healthy Streets Indicators to and leaving on foot. ordinated improvements to public choice must be the easiest option transform the design and layout of transport and streets to provide an every time, particularly at places where street space and transport facilities b) High-quality provision for attractive whole journey experience people change between transport around bus, rail, Underground, cycling, consistent with London that will facilitate mode shift away modes. This will require good quality, London Overground, DLR and other Cycling Design Standards, from the car. secure cycle parking at a level that stations, and around river piers, including secure and well-located meets current demand and provides as far as practicable, to create cycle parking. for future growth. Buses, cycle hire, safe, secure, accessible, inclusive, The walk to and from the stop or station, Dial-a-Ride and community transport welcoming, well-designed gateways however short, can be an important part services will also need to be easy to and routes to and from public of staying healthy for many people. A key access and navigate to, and taxi ranks transport, including provision of: measure of a more integrated transport should be accessible. VERSION FOR PUBLICATION A GOOD PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE 135 a) Improving safety, transport system. All parts of the Policy 11 affordability and public transport network will play an The Mayor, through TfL and the c) Training staff on their role in customer service important role in achieving Vision Zero, boroughs, and with the DfT, Network helping customers and users eliminating deaths and serious injuries Rail, train operating companies stay safe. Vision Zero for safe public transport from London’s transport system by and other transport infrastructure Londoners rightly expect their public 2041. The policies and proposals in providers and service operators, will d) Developing new and transport services to be operated this chapter, setting out investment work to eliminate deaths and serious more innovative ways of safely and to be managed and policed in new infrastructure and service injuries from London’s rail, Tube, communicating safety messages to ensure their personal security. After enhancements, as well as other factors London Overground, DLR, tram, river to customers and users. many years of safe operation, there such as staff training, will help develop and cable car services by: was a tram overturning on a curve at an even safer and more secure public e) Applying appropriate Sandilands Junction in November 2016, transport system. a) Ensuring that assets and arrangements for maintenance in which seven people lost their lives infrastructure are maintained to and other supporting services and more than 50 people were injured. Priorities include reducing the danger the required safety standards that are contracted or licensed. This tragedy serves as a reminder that to users on the transport network itself, and that all new assets and safety is paramount. TfL will implement for example when boarding and alighting infrastructure are designed with f) Working closely with the the relevant lessons learnt from both trains, and also reducing the danger Vision Zero in mind. emergency services to ensure the Rail Accident Investigation Branch posed to Londoners more generally, such rapid response to incidents. (RAIB) report2 and TfL’s independent as that which can be associated with b) Identifying and implementing investigation3 more widely across TfL’s level crossings and low railway bridges new approaches to reduce or operations. TfL will continue to work over roads. eliminate injuries. with the wider tram industry to ensure all the RAIB’s recommendations are Sadly, there are a number of suicides implemented and tram safety continues each year on the transport system, and to improve. a range of measures will continue to be The Vision Zero approach to road taken to prevent this, including working danger, including bus services, is set Including and beyond this, the Mayor with the rail industry and organisations out in Chapter three. is committed to ensuring Londoners such as the Samaritans. can travel safely throughout the entire 2 ‘Overturning of a tram at Sandilands Junction, Croydon, 9 November 2016’, Rail Accident Investigation Branch: Rail Accident Report, December 2017 3 ‘Tram overturning at Sandilands, Croydon on 9 November, 2016’, TfL Board Paper: Safety, Sustainability and Human Resources Panel – RAIB and TfL Investigations – Update, 22 January 2018 VERSION FOR PUBLICATION A GOOD PUBLIC TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE 137 Making public transport affordable Policy 12 Enhancing customer service to accurate real-time information and A fully inclusive public transport The Mayor will ensure public In London, almost every resident, worker assistance along the way. There should system would enable all Londoners to transport fare levels are set to and visitor is a customer on the city’s be easy and accessible interchange take advantage of the opportunities enable access to affordable travel transport system. The experience of between different public transport the city has to offer. An affordable fares for all Londoners. travelling around London has improved services and with walking and cycling. system, both now and in the future, is significantly in recent years. However, essential to encouraging a shift from car there are still too many inconsistencies This means, for the rail and Underground to public transport. Members of the public who use non- across the network in terms of quality network, more frequent and reliable trains; TfL services will still be subject to fares and reliability, information provision and fairer, simpler fares (including extending To ensure that public transport is increases, however. Should such rail general integration between different Oyster and contactless payment to more available to those who may find it least services be devolved to TfL, fares will be transport options.