D Consultation on possible changes to bus services in Hounslow, Ealing and Twickenham (E8 110 H28 635) Consultation Report March 2016 1 2 Consultation on possible bus changes to bus services in Hounslow, Ealing and Twickenham Consultation Report 3 Contents 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2 2 The consultation ............................................................................................................. 3 3 Responses from members of the public ......................................................................... 6 4 Responses from statutory bodies and other stakeholders ............................................ 51 5 Summary and conclusions ........................................................................................... 56 Appendix A – Consultation leaflet ....................................................................................... 58 Appendix B – Leaflet distribution area ................................................................................ 71 Appendix C – List of stakeholders consulted ...................................................................... 72 Appendix D - Letter sent to residents of Amhurst Gardens and Alton Close ....................... 76 Appendix E - Petition received from residents of Amhurst Gardens and Alton Close ......... 80 Appendix F – Public meeting to discuss proposed changes to H28 bus route .................... 81 Appendix G – Questionnaire ............................................................................................... 83 Appendix H - Analysis of responses by limiting health problem or disability ....................... 87 1 Introduction We consulted stakeholders and the public about proposed changes to bus services in the Hounslow, Ealing and Twickenham areas. The consultation was open during 9 November to 18 December 2015. Demand for bus services continues to grow in these areas. With further development planned at Hounslow and Brentford town centres, additional services are required along the A315 London Road. Changes to healthcare services have increased demand for direct links from Ealing to West Middlesex University Hospital. Crossrail services will start serving Ealing Broadway, West Ealing and Hanwell stations by 2019. In summary the changes proposed were: Route E8 would be extended from Brentford High Street, to Hounslow Bell Corner, via West Middlesex University Hospital. Buses on the route would all be double deck (currently both single and double deck buses operate on this route). It would no longer serve Commerce Road. Route 110 would no longer run between Hounslow bus station and West Middlesex University Hospital. It would be extended from Twickenham to West Middlesex University Hospital via Twickenham Road. It would no longer serve York Street and Arragon Road. Route H28 would no longer serve Wood Lane, Amhurst Gardens and Twickenham Road. It would be rerouted between Jersey Road and Osterley Tesco via Syon Lane and extended to serve Brentford County Court. School route 635 would no longer run between Hounslow bus station and Brentford County Court. It would continue to run between Hounslow bus station and St Paul’s School in Sunbury. The extension of route E8 would provide sufficient capacity. Route 481 would have a frequency increase from a bus every 60 minutes to a bus every 30 minutes Monday to Saturday daytimes and a new hourly Sunday daytime service. This route runs between Kingston (Cromwell Road bus station) and West Middlesex University Hospital. This report explains the background to the scheme and consultation and summarises the responses from the general public and stakeholders. This report has the consultation responses for the routes E8, 110, H28 and school route 635. The consultation responses for route 481 are contained in a separate report. The results of this consultation will form part of the decision making process as to whether the scheme is implemented, modified or does not go ahead. A further report will be published with our response to issues raised during this consultation process. 2 2 The consultation The consultation was designed to enable us to understand the views of local residents, businesses and stakeholders about the proposals. The potential outcomes of the consultation were: We decide the consultation raises no issues that should prevent us from proceeding with the scheme as originally planned We modify the scheme in response to issues raised in consultation We abandon the scheme as a result of issues raised in the consultation. 2.1 Consultation objectives The objectives of the consultation were: To give stakeholders and the public clear information about the proposals and allow them to respond To understand the level of support or opposition for the change To understand any issues that might affect the proposal of which we were not previously aware To understand concerns and objections To allow respondents to make suggestions. 2.2 Who we consulted The public consultation intended to seek the views of people who live near to the proposed route, current users of the service and other potential users. We also consulted stakeholders including the affected Councils, traffic police, London TravelWatch, Members of Parliament, Assembly Members and local interest groups. A list of the stakeholders we consulted is shown in Appendix C and a summary of their responses is given in Section 4. 2.3 Consultation material, distribution and publicity The consultation was available on our consultation website https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/buses/e8-110-h28 We sent an email to stakeholders with a link to the online consultation page. We produced a 12 page A5 booklet outlining the proposals (Appendix A). We sent this to all residents, businesses and organisations within a 400 metre distance of the current and proposed routes (Appendix B). In total 53,019 leaflets were distributed. We sent a supply of leaflets to: Ealing and West Middlesex University Hospitals Local GP surgeries Libraries St Francis of Assisi Church, Isleworth The proposals for the E8 would mean that a double-deck bus would operate along Amhurst Road instead of the single deck H28. The proposals also involve removing the existing westbound bus stops on Amhurst Gardens and making a new westbound stop outside the Rising Sun pub car park. Three trees would need to be removed and replacement trees 3 planted. We sent a letter and map of the proposals to all residents in Amhurst Gardens and Alton Close (Appendix D). Posters highlighting the consultation were placed at bus stops along the routes (where space was available). We sent an email link to the online consultation to registered users of the bus routes affected. We also sent this link to users of the 235, 237 and 267 since the proposals involve an increase in bus services along London Road and Twickenham Road. In total 17,711 emails were sent out. The leaflet mentioned that copies were available in large print, audio or another language through a Freephone number 0343 222 1155. People were invited to respond to the consultation using a variety of methods. They could respond by accessing the online questionnaire; by using our freepost address at FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS; or by emailing [email protected] The questionnaire asked seven generic questions relating to name, email address, postcode, organisation name (if responding on behalf of a business/stakeholder/organisation), whether the respondent had a health problem or disability which limited their day to day activities, how they had heard about the consultation, and views on the quality of the consultation. A copy of the questionnaire is shown in Appendix G. There were six questions specific to the consultation: How often do you use the bus routes? Respondents were given a choice of six answers: 5+ days a week, 3 to 4 days a week, 1 to 2 days a week, 1 to 3 times a month, less than once a month, I do not use this route How will the proposed changes affect the length of your journey? Respondents were given a choice of five answers: my journey will be shorter, my journey will be longer, there will be no change to the length of my journey, I do not know what the impact will be, I do not use this route If the proposed changes go ahead are there any routes you would start using? Respondents were given a choice of four options: yes I would start using this route, I already use this route, I do not use this route and would not in the future, I would no longer be able to use this route If you answered yes to the above question you would start using a route, please let us know where you would travel to (for example postcode, the town centre, West Middlesex University Hospital) Do you support our proposals for routes E8, 110, H28 and 635? Respondents were given a choice of three answers: yes, no or no opinion. This question was asked for: E8 extension to West Middlesex University Hospital and Hounslow Bell Corner; E8 conversion to use double deck buses from single deck; 110 proposed withdrawal between Hounslow and West Middlesex University Hospital and extension from Twickenham to West Middlesex University Hospital; H28 re-route and extension to Brentford County Court, School 635 Please let us have any comments about our proposals (please include the route number you are commenting on). Respondents were given a “free text” box to share their views 4 2.4 Meetings and site visits A route test was carried