NOTES OF TRAM MEETING
[prepared by John Griffiths of hfcyclists]

Public meeting to raise awareness of and to gather information about West London Transit's proposals for the Uxbridge Road.

25 March 2003 - 7pm at Bush Hall, 310 Uxbridge rd, Shepherd's Bush W12

This meeting was organised by an alliance of Hammersmith and Fulham groups who are working with Save Ealing Streets to prevent TfL closing the Uxbridge rd and to ensure that the interests of the residents and existing businesses are protected.

SSBS (Save Shepherd's Bush Streets), RAPA (Residents' Amenities Protection Association), The Ravenscourt Society, SBRA (Stamford Brook Residents' Association) GRAG (Greenside Residents'Action Group). H&F Cyclists [participating in the interests of cyclists and proper consultation, not necessarily against tram]

The meeting was well attended, with 220 seated and about 30 people standing

CHAIR: VIRGINIA IRONSIDE.

Virginia opened the meeting and explained that it was an information gathering meeting rather than a protest meeting, and hoped everyone would be polite.

TIM JONES Project director, West London Transit, Transport for London.

[Some information packs were available and contained
Why a tram [3pages],
Tram design [4 pages],
route overview [A4plan]
Area 6 Shepherds Bush [A3 plan]
Contact the Tram's new Communications Manager Barbara Gray for a copy.
barbaragray@streetmanagement.org.uk]

Tim explained that he was working for TfL progressing the West London Transit.

The following was gleaned from a fast moving PowerPoint presentation [Tim had been given only a short time slot for his presentation]. Tim explained that it was in the information packs given to some of us. However it was not. We hope it will be on TfL's tram website soon.

The timetable for the scheme includes a
Transport Works Order Deposit in the winter 03/04.
From winter to summer 2004 there would be consultation.
From then to winter 2006 there would be detailed design.
Construction to be started 2007 and completed 2009.

The scheme needs the approval of the three boroughs involved to go ahead. LBHF, LB of Ealing, LB of Hillingdon. In September 2003 Tim will go to Ken asking for approval. After this there will be a period of Public enquiry. The Secretary of State was mentioned.

Tim explained the progress through various levels
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3 Jan - Jun 03 Local modelling
Level 4 July - Dec 03

Tim talked about traffic modelling. Louise Thomas is the traffic modeller. If there is no tram what will happen in 10 years time? The alternatives are apparently dire.

We were given level 2 maps in the information packs.

[Level 3 maps exist but are secret. Tim has explained to Sam that this is because they are waiting for Compulsory Purchase Orders to come through in April. Why should people be denied this detailed information and have every thing squeezed into a few months before September? Could TfL have operated in a way that would have allowed access to this information sooner?

The secret information we are not allowed to know but can deduce from the Level 2 maps is that eastbound traffic going along the Uxbridge rd will be sent down Lime Grove.

As there is no eastbound traffic along the north side of the Green, one can perhaps assume 2-way working on the south side of the Green. The roadway is restricted to 3 lanes just to the east of Shepherds Bush rd. Not very suitable for 2-way working.

Perhaps the CPO's are needed so that the roadway can be widened. Also for the siting of power substations, 13 of which are required along the line. [from "Tram design" in the info pack]

SAM COVINGTON Save Shepherd's Bush Streets http://www.ssbs.org.uk

Sam talked passionately about the public consultation document. This was the consultation for TfL distributed in LBHF by the Council. It was delivered by the HFM distributors. There was a very low response rate compared to other boroughs. TfL received 642 responses from the 90,000 sent out in the LBH&F.

TfL uses this consultation to promote / endorse the tram.

"75% of respondents from consultation said they would be willing to see less space for general road traffic in return for public transport "
[http://www.tfl.gov.uk/trams/initiatives/ini_index_wl.shtml]

[Sam finished by throwing the consultation leaflet over her shoulder in a theatrical flourish.]

JANE ASHLEY, Save Ealing Streets, http://www.ealingstreets.org/

Jane said that in Croydon there has been only a 4% reduction in traffic. She talked about the prospect of traffic being sent down residential streets. Her main message was "Do not close the Uxbridge road"

JOHN JONES, The Ravenscourt Society

Talked on various problems about the tram.

There may well be increased traffic from the Chelsfield site WhiteCity with its 4,500 parking places. Particularly traffic going to Holland Park and using the roundabout.

The congestion charge zone may come out to Shepherds bush, and the peripheral traffic may increase.

The cost, mentioned on the TfL website at £200M, has crept up to nearly £500M.

The speed advantage of the tram over the bus over the length of the route is only 1mph.

He suggested converting diesel buses to run on liquefied petroleum gas, LPG. This is half the price and cleaner to run, though slightly less efficient in terms of miles / gallon. He suggested that this option might cost less than £500M.

CHAIR then asked Tim to respond to some prepared questions, and questions from those present. Here is a summary of his responses

TIM JONES

I do not know why so few responses to the consultation.

An independent company did the phone survey.

Yes, the phone survey was paid for by TfL. [A cry from the crowd called for the Electoral Reform Society to be involved.]

Cycle routes will be improved. A special consultation group will be set up for cycling.

No, cycles will not be carried on the tram. Too bulky. [folding bikes OK]

The 207 and 607 buses would no longer run and would be replaced by the tram. [There will only be 2 tram stops replacing the 5 bus stops along the Uxbridge rd. Will other buses be available down this stretch?]

The Uxbridge rd to the east of Lime Grove will be closed to eastbound traffic. The traffic will go down Lime Grove: However these plans are not the Final Solution. [perhaps an unfortunate phrase]

Loftus rd match crowds and WhiteCity traffic will be included in the Traffic modelling.

LOCAL BUSINESSES

Q: How will we get deliveries to shops where the road is closed, or where there is no stopping.
TJ: Round the back.
Q: And where there is no back access?
TJ: There will be an analysis of each business.
[General disorder]
TJ: This problem is far too big to answer at this moment.

[The chair had to repeatedly ask for order and respect from the enthusiastic (ie unruly) populace of Shepherds Bush and elsewhere (one particularly vocal contributor came from Ealing). The chair explained that we were getting plenty of information from Tim Jones. Someone later interpreted this remark to mean that the information we were getting from TJ is that we were getting no information, but that is a rather subtle interpretation]

CONSULTATION GROUPS

TJ: Consultation groups will be set up if that is what is wanted. This will be organised by some combination of TfL, the Council and this group. In Ealing it started with 80 community groups being involved and has now extended to 120 groups.

CHRIS BAINBRIDGE Principal Officer, Transportation Policy Team. LBHF

The Council will help with setting up such groups. Bona fida groups will be invited.

Q: Do the council want the tram? Are you TfL's poodle?

CB: We want to regenerate the Borough. We want high quality public transport.

[CB has since confirmed the Council's position as
"The Council fully supports the scheme in principle* and believes that TfL must now work with the Council to design a scheme which meets the concerns of local people"
* Formal in principle support expressed in response to Mayor of London's draft transport strategy. ]

IVAN GIBBONS Labour, Shepherds Bush Green ward, ivan.gibbons@lbhf.gov.uk

The enhanced public transport along the Uxbridge rd will be to the benefit of residents and businesses. Whether it will be a tram or a trolley bus we wait to see.

I do not think that TfL has done itself any favours in the way it has handled things so far. We will carry out a consultation of everyone on the electoral roll in the area between the A40 and the A4.

We are concerned about both car users and non car users [hyphen where?]

We will not let them send the Uxbridge rd traffic down Lime Grove. In no circumstances will we remove barriers put up to prevent rat runs.

Be positive. Think about the positive side. The Green, instead of being an isolated island, will become an apron extending from the north side.

Q: There is a contradiction between saying we will have the tram and saying no traffic down Lime Grove.

IG: There will be no traffic sent down Lime Grove.

CHELSFIELD AND THE GHOST TOWN

Q: I can see the tram being good for Chelsfield. But it will carry people straight past the Uxbridge rd. The tram stops in the heart of the Chelsfield development. No one is going to come out and cross the road to go to the West12 Centre. Shepherds Bush will become a ghost town.

It may be good for the people of Hillingdon, but what will it do for us?

COMMENTS FROM TRAM SUPPORTERS

Some of the audience were pro tram and felt like Daniel in the den of lions. They spoke thus.

1 Hammersmith and Fulham is one of the boroughs with the lowest car ownership, and you need to improve public transport for the people.

2 In 1866 when they were building the railways The Times reported that even for the best of schemes some selfish opposition is bound to be offered. It is the same today.

UXBRIDGE TO THE BUSH

PAUL ALEXANDER: The Piccadilly and Metropolitan run from Uxbridge to nearby Hammersmith. There is a defunct bit of railway bridge in Beadon Rd W6 (rises above Pic. & District line) - 'The London Underground Outer Circle line' used to join the Piccadilly & District lines into Hammersmith & City line. You could go straight from Uxbridge to Shepherd's Bush. - Have you considered re-opening the line. The only obstruction is the George Wimpey Office block.

TJ: We will note that.

SOFTWARE

Q: All seems to hang on the software. You know there is often a problem with software. And as far as modelling predictions are concerned, what about the M25, congestion charge changes etc.

TJ: The software has been around since 1991 and has been well tested.

GRIDLOCK

JOHN GRIFFITHS hfcyclists We have been involved in the design of the cycle routes around Shepherd's Bush Green, and know a bit about how critical the traffic flows are there. If the traffic modelling shows gridlock around the Green, what will you do?

TJ: Cycle lanes will be incorporated in the scheme.

I am talking about the gridlock coming from the roundabout dealing with the extra Chelsfield traffic. I am talking about the south side of the Green handling all the east and west bound traffic. And the Goldhawk rd junction also handling the Uxbridge rd traffic. [That junction will also probably have to include right turns across traffic - Shepherds Bush rd turning east, from the south side of the Green turning north to Wood Lane, Uxbridge rd].

[no clear answer given]

SAM COVINGTON

Thank you all for coming. Please note we do not have funding like TfL and we have costs for the hire of the hall and printing. If you wish to leave a donation as you leave, please do.

CHAIR

Thank you all for such a good meeting.

[note: information about tram on hfcyclists and ssbs sites maybe more upto date and useful than on TfL and LBHF sites - WHY?]
http://www.hfcyclists.org.uk
http://www.ssbs.org.uk
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/trams/initiatives/ini_index_wl.shtml
http://www.lbhf.gov.uk
***************************
John Griffiths
Co-ordinator - hfcyclists / London Cycling Campaign.
122c Edith rd W14 9AP
020 7371 1290
http://www.hfcyclists.org.uk
john@truefeelings.com