Consultation on proposed changes to bus routes 27 and 440 Consultation Report November 2018 1 Contents Executive summary ..................................................................................................... 4 Summary of issues raised during consultation ......................................................... 4 Next steps ................................................................................................................ 4 1. About the proposals ............................................................................................ 5 1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 5 1.2 Purpose .......................................................................................................... 5 1.3 Detailed description ........................................................................................ 7 2.1 Purpose .......................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Potential outcomes ......................................................................................... 9 2.3 Who we consulted .......................................................................................... 9 2.4 Dates and duration ......................................................................................... 9 2.5 What we asked ............................................................................................. 10 2.6 Methods of responding ................................................................................. 10 2.7 Consultation materials and publicity ............................................................. 10 2.8 Analysis of consultation responses .............................................................. 11 3. About the respondents ...................................................................................... 12 3.1 Number of respondents ................................................................................ 12 3.2 How respondents heard about the consultation (public respondents) .......... 12 3.3 Methods of responding (public respondents) ............................................... 12 4. Summary of all consultation responses ............................................................ 13 4.1 Summary of responses to Question 1 .......................................................... 13 4.2 Summary of responses to Question 2 .......................................................... 13 4.3 Summary of responses to Question 3 .......................................................... 14 4.4 Issues commonly raised ............................................................................... 14 4.5 Summary of stakeholder responses ............................................................. 17 4.6 Comments on the consultation ..................................................................... 18 5. Next steps ......................................................................................................... 18 Appendix A: Consultation materials .......................................................................... 19 Appendix B: List of stakeholders consulted ............................................................... 25 Appendix C: Response to Issues Raised .................................................................. 28 2 Response to issues commonly raised ....................................................................... 28 3 Executive summary Between 2 July and 12 August 2018, we consulted on proposals to change routes 27 and 440 in Chiswick. (We consulted separately on proposals to extend route 440 in Wembley). We proposed to make route 27 more reliable by terminating it at Hammersmith Grove, removing the least-used section (between Hammersmith and Chiswick Business Park). Also, under our proposals – at night only – route 27 would not travel between Hammersmith Bus Station and Hammersmith Grove. It would operate as route N27. We also proposed to run route 440 through Chiswick Business Park and continue along Oxford Road North / Wellesley Road / Heathfield Terrace before terminating at Turnham Green Church near the local Sainsbury’s. We received 607 responses to the consultation (including three responses from stakeholders). Of the 604 public responses, nine per cent supported or strongly supported the proposed changes to route 27, three per cent neither supported nor opposed them, 72 per cent opposed or strongly opposed them, three per cent did not use the route and 13 per cent did not answer. For the proposed changes to route 440, 14 per cent supported or strongly supported the proposals, 15 per cent neither supported nor opposed them, 14 per cent opposed or strongly opposed them, 43 per cent did not use the route and 14 per cent did not answer. Summary of issues raised during consultation The issue of broken links between Gunnersbury / Chiswick and central London – due to the removal of route 27 between Chiswick Business Park and Hammersmith bus station – was an important issue to local people Concerns were raised about the impact of the proposed changes on school pupils, whose schools are located along the removed section of route 27 Concerns were raised about the additional walking distance to reach bus stops on the sections of route 440 which would no longer be served under the proposals Next steps We have reviewed all of the consultation responses and intend to proceed with the scheme as proposed in early 2019 with one alteration: instead of terminating at 4 Hammersmith Grove, route 27 would terminate at a bus stand on Glenthorne Road currently used by rail replacement buses. The last and first stops would be at this location instead of at Hammersmith Grove. This is because the Hammersmith Grove stand has been removed as part of a local urban realm scheme. 1. About the proposals 1.1 Introduction In 2017 we consulted on proposed changes to a number of bus routes in west London, as part of our plans for the Elizabeth line. Since then we have carried out further work to improve the bus network in the area. We have now developed a new set of proposals for route 440 that would: provide a new direct bus link between Gunnersbury, Acton and the planned Elizabeth line station at Acton Main Line improve bus links into Chiswick Business Park from South Acton Estate provide a direct link between stops at the northern end of Chiswick Business Park and Gunnersbury station Our review of bus services serving inner west London also revealed a number of routes that were running with a lot of spare capacity (buses that are not full). We are therefore proposing the followings changes to route 27: make route 27 more reliable route by terminating it at Hammersmith Grove, which will remove the least-used section of the route (between Hammersmith and Chiswick Business Park) create a short new local link from King Street to Glenthorne Road and Hammersmith Grove turn buses around at Hammersmith Bus Station at night, removing an under- used section of the route between the bus station and Hammersmith Grove. (This truncated route would operate as the ‘N27’.) We also proposed to extend route 440 from Stonebridge Park and Wembley via Harrow Road. Those proposals were consulted on separately at https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/buses/routes-224-and-440/. 1.2 Purpose Route 27 5 We constantly review our bus services to ensure we have enough buses to meet passenger demand. Currently, there is a lot of spare capacity (i.e. buses that are not full) on routes running between Hammersmith and Chiswick. While route 27 is used by many people in some areas it is not being well used along this stretch, which is not an effective use of our limited resources. Our analysis of the demand for bus services at Turnham Green (on Chiswick High Road) shows that a maximum of around 16 buses per hour are required. We currently provide 30 buses per hour. Removing route 27 (which accounts for eight buses per hour) would take the total number of buses provided per hour down to 22, more than enough to serve the demand along this corridor Similarly, between Hammersmith and Turnham Green 10 buses per hour are required to serve existing demand at most. We currently provide 22 buses per hour. Removing route 27’s eight buses per hour from this total would take the total number of buses provided per hour down to 14, more than enough to serve the demand along this corridor It is also very lightly used between Turnham Green Church and Chiswick Business Park (because it cannot serve the stops at Gunnersbury station to the west of the entrance to the business park because it turns right into the business park itself before it gets to that point). People who currently use route 27 to travel between Hammersmith and Chiswick Business Park would still be able to make that journey on one of the following routes: 237 267 391 H91 Route N27 Under our proposals – at night only – route 27 would not travel between Hammersmith Bus Station and Hammersmith Grove. It would operate as route N27. Cutting the route back slightly so that it turns around at the bus station during these hours removes the under-used section along King Street when the shops are closed. Under the proposals eastbound route N27 services would run every 30 minutes. The first service towards Chalk Farm, Morrisons would depart Hammersmith Bus Station at 00:35 (no later than 00:40). The last service would depart the bus station at 05:15 (no earlier than 05:10). Westbound