Barnet Eye Exclusive - TFL to reopen the Mill Hill Broadway to Edgware railway extension

Ok, I'll come clean. This was the Barnet Eye April fool joke, but I think this is not a bad idea at all!

The Barnet Eye was amazed to see workmen inspecting the old track bed this morning on the Railway trackbed that used to run between Mill Hill and Edgware as part of the railway that ran from Finsbury Park to Mill Hill East and was closed in 1965. It has always struck me as a complete waste of a valuable transport resource. Had the line remained open between Mill Hill East and Edgware, then it would provide an excellent cross Borough link and Saracens Rugby club would have it's own station.

Being a nosey git, I asked what they were doing. The answer I found most surprising. The Mayor of London has been backing a plan, known as the West London Orbital railway to link West Hampstead and Hendon with West London via the freight only Dudding Hill Line. It is a bit of a now brainer, being one of the highest scoring schemes for delivering value for money.

Pic Courtesy of Wikipedia

It seems that the Mayor is carrying out of a feasibility study to extend the line to Edgware via the old branch line. As the trackbed is in place, this would require minimal works. There is a dedicated platform at Edgware and the scheme would make the logistics of turning the trains around far more feasable. There is also the opportunity for a large freight distribution depot at the site, which would make use of the Orion freight distribution service. The plan would also accomodate a dedicated cycle superhighway to the side, improving cycling options between Mill Hill and Edgware. Apparently this will extend to Spur Road. 

I asked the surveyor what he thought was the probability of the scheme coming to fruition. He said "If WLO is approved, I'd put it at 80%"

Sounds exciting. 

The Old Edgware Rail Station - Pic Courtesy of disused stations

Better Streets for Barnet Response to Barnet Council Enviironment Committee Report - A Guest blog by Jon Klaff

Today Barnet Council released its long-awaited report intothe emergency COVID measures which included cycle lane on the A1000. This week the Council’s environment committee will discuss this report, which broadly supports the lane. We at Better Streets for Barnet back this change as an important step forward in rebalancing our road environment.

For those new to the discussion, the segregated lane along part of the A1000 (from East Finchley to Tally Ho Corner) was put in as part of the emergency transport measures during the initial phase of the pandemic. It has caused much discussion amongst both supporters and opponents, and in our view should be seen as a success.

 The data shows that car journey times along the route are down, and air quality has improved. This fits a pattern that has been repeatedly shown wherever these schemes are objectively assessed – cycle lanes do not cause congestion. We applaud the diligence of the data collection team and thank them for their hard work.

 At the same time, the report does mention some areas in which the scheme could be improved. Better Streets for Barnet highlighted some of these during the consultation and will happily work with the council to ensure alterations meet the needs of all road users. We urge those designing these changes to consider how shared use paths might cause conflict between pedestrians and cyclists, and to avoid situations where cyclists would have to move out of the safety of a lane into the main traffic flow to avoid parked delivery vehicles.

 During the trial period, several different points of view have been raised – “why is segregation needed?”, “I support cycle lanes, but just not this one”, “it is in the wrong place”, “it puts cyclists at risk because of its design”.

Segregation is needed to address the fundamental problem of our roads – that putting two tonne metal vehicles moving at more than 25mph in the same space as 90kg bikes carrying humans with minimal protection is not safe. Any hazard control strategy places elimination at the very top - if we remove the risk, then we no longer need to worry about collisions occurring.  Working towards zero collisions must be the primary focus. We know by now that simple painted lanes do not remove the risk, they are little more than a warning sign and crashes still occur. 

So, Barnet are fulfilling promises in their transport strategy by putting this lane in, and it is absolutely in the right place. The A1000 is the number one desire route for transport in the borough. Starting here is going to produce the most benefit, it will encourage more people to cycle. Linking the main town centres in the borough will remove the need for car journeys of less than 5km, which make up a disproportionate amount of our trips. If we reduce the number of these short car journeys, the roads will be freer for longer journeys as well as for the emergency services.

We are under no illusion that the lane is perfect, and the report does mention improvements. Very few initial schemes of any sort are ideal, but in assessing these kinds of change, we should not allow perfect to be the enemy of good. We must work together to improve the lane, listening to the concerns of all involved and establishing ways to make it better. Removing the lane will undo the achievements of the past 18 months and will cause the Borough to commit further to roads being overly dominated by cars with the knock-on effect of dangerous air pollution being inflicted on Barnet citizens. The councillors supporting the lane should all be applauded and praised for their leadership, both in a time of crisis and going forward.

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Jon Klaff is a campaigner for sustainable transport and lives in the Borough of Barnet. Guest blogs are always welcome at the Barnet Eye

Strip Govia of the Thameslink Franchise immediately - A Guest Blog by Richard Logue

By Richard Logue,

Like many of you I am a regular daily commuter on the Thameslink line from Mill Hill Broadway to Central London. I share your frustration at the constantly cancelled trains, short formations and gross overcrowding that characterise our local train service. 

It wasn't always like this. If you look closely on the wall next to the station entrance you can see a faded British Rail era timetable poster. This timetable dates from the Bed-Pan days, before the Thameslink service was introduced in 1988. What is remarkable that even back then Mill Hill Broadway had Six trains an hour at peak times, four stopping and two fast. The fast trains were non-stop to St. Pancras and later to Kings Cross Thameslink. Compare and contrast with today's five trains at peak times and you begin to wonder what real benefits did rail privatisation actually bring to Mill Hill Commuters?

Mill Hill Broadway - unloved by Train operators

 The service began to change for the worse when First Capital Connect took over the previous Govia Thameslink franchise. We lost our fast trains to Kings Cross and to make matters worse, went down to four stopping trains per hour. Only at a later stage was the extra fast train to West Hampstead at peak times introduced. Now we are back at full circle again; Govia have reclaimed the Thameslink franchise but significantly have not made major changes to the Timetable they inherited from First. As a result, journeys on the Thameslink to Mill Hill Broadway are characterised by gross overcrowding and short formations. Coupled with a shortage of drivers qualified to drive the remaining Class 319 trains that Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) provide for the Thameslink Metro service that stops at Mill Hill, there is a real sense that MIll Hill Broadway is more of a nuisance than an asset for Thameslink Management. 

How many times have you stood on a Monday morning at Mill Hill Broadway only to be told your trains are cancelled while fast trains from St Albans and Bedford whizz past on the fast lines? These trains could stop at Mill Hill. We have 12-car capable platforms that could accommodate the longer and newer trains that First Group and now GTR don't allow to stop at Mill Hill. Indeed I worked on the Thameslink Programme and took part in the decision to provide 12-car platforms at our station. What a pity these platforms are currently going to waste.

In my capacity as Chair of the Mill Hill Residents Association I have taken part in meetings with senior Thameslink management and asked them to consider stopping fast trains when there are delays to the existing service. I have asked them to provide an extra train at peak to eliminate the 20 minute gap that occurs at peak times by allowing the trains that are fast from West Hampstead to Elstree and vice versa. In both cases Thameslink have refused to budge, citing the tight timetabling needs of the line. 

It is obvious to me that Thameslink Management place far more value on their long distance commuters than the local London commuters. That is why we don't get the fast, modern trains that the St Albans and Bedford commuters get. Instead it's jam tomorrow and we will have to wait for the new Class 700 trains that are due to enter service in 2018. These trains will be running in 12 car formations as well as 8 cars, and they will have more room for standing compared to the old Class 319 trains. In addition we will get 8 trains an hour after 2018. Great, but what about in the meantime?

Two more years of misery isn't acceptable. It isn't acceptable to be constantly late for work and it certainly isn't acceptable to fob off commuters with the promise of a brighter day tomorrow. Not when Thameslink's performance ratings are among the worst of any of the Train Operating Companies and have been since they took over the line.

Mill Hill -Services worse than in the BR days

We need a better deal; I welcome the recent announcement that the Thameslink franchise is to be handed over to Transport for London (TFL) in 2021 when the franchise expires. However 2021 is a ridiculous time to wait for a better management team. Better to cancel the Thameslink franchise now and get TFL on board to start running the railway properly and in the interests of passengers. Some may wonder if this would affect the Thameslink Programme. Not a bit of it. The Thameslink Programme is being delivered by Network Rail and the DFT. Govia Thameslink may be the current Train Operating Company on the route, but they do not take part in the delivery of the project. 

If you believe as I do, that the Thameslink franchise should be taken away from Govia Thameslink and handed over immediately to TFL, please sign this petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/119480 

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Richard Logue is a Mill Hill Resident and chair of the Mill Hill Residents Association. He is also works in the railway industry. 

Why Russell Brand is wrong and you should use your vote

I've spent the last 36 years playing rock and roll, running a music studio and organising music gigs, festivals etc. I am by nature a cynic. I've had the misfortune to meet plenty of very uninspiring politicians, who are the opposite of what one may call an advert for the profession. I've had politicians tell me bare faced lies, insult me and even tell lies about me on the radio and TV. This is not a new thing either. When our band toured Sweden in 1981, we were denounced as dangerous by a Swedish politician on national TV, following the disappearance of 2 teenage girls following our gig at the Underground club in Stockholm. We were accused of abducting them and taking them to Finland. When it turned out that they'd simply gone home with boys they'd met at the gig, doing what teenage girls sometimes do,  we did not get an apology for the wild accusations that had been made. The politician simply changed his tack to state we'd encouraged them, by singing permissive music. The whole incident was ultimately rather comical. When we returned to Stockholm, the poor girls mother actually apologised to me in front of TV cameras for the insults she'd made the previous evening. Bearing in mind that we'd been in Finland and hadn't got a clue what all the fuss was about (no moblie phones in 1981), it was rather surreal (the apology was staged by the tour promoter to get us a bit of free publicity). When the full story was told, I felt very sorry for the Mum. She'd been wound up and used by a nasty right wing politician, who was trying to garner support for the 1982 general election there. It was quite funny seeing myself on the Swedish news being asked my opinion of said politician, to which I replied "He's clearly an idiot, I hope no one votes for him" with Swedish subtitles.

Strangely enough what they didn't show was the rest of what I said. I told them that we didn't sing songs urging teenage girls to run off with their boyfriends, we write songs to help people deal with the issues they are facing in their lives, issues which fat, useless politicians don't give a damn about.

Despite my antipathy towards the type of politician who lies, abuses there position and doesn't give a damn about the society they live in, I cannot possibly let Mr Brand have his say without making the point that not only is he wrong, he is what Lenin would call a "useful idiot" for the very powers he claims to be fighting against. In this country there is huge injustice, yet the people at the end of the sword cutting welfare budgets are those least likely to vote. When Russell Brand "whips up apathy", he is not whipping it up amongst the billionaires such as Rupert Murdoch, who ensures his media empire does everything legally allowed to ensure a Conservative victory. It does not whip up apathy amongst rich property owners, who campaign like tigers against a mansion tax, but ignore the people at the bottom being forced out of their homes by the bedroom tax.

Sadly the people most likely to buy into the Russell Brand form of apathy are impressionable teenagers, who are idealistic and impressionable. What Brand is doing is simply removing a whole swathe of voters who care about injustice and the environment from the process, ensuring that those who simply want to maintain the status quo and protect their own privilige.  If you look at countries where there are not democratic elections, they are invariably hell holes. Whatever you think of the UK at the moment, it is one of the best places in the world to live. By not voting as a positive decision, you are in effect lining yourself up with some of the most vicious and repressive regimes in the world.

Brand argues that "voting doesn't make a difference". This is a complete lie and I am sure Russell knows it. I thought I'd make a short list of some of the decisions that have been policies of the Conservative Party and opposed by the Labour party, which have made huge differences to millions of peoples lives. Some are local and some are national issues.

* Closure of Edgware General Hospital. I was born there, my eldest daughter was born there. The Tories shut it, so my next daughter had to be born in Barnet General. As my mum's health failed, I spent many hours in the overloaded A&E dept of Barnet General, which has never been able to cope with the number of people using it following Edgware Closure.

* NHS cuts starving cancer pateints of services. I am under treatment for prostate cancer. Following my last MRI scan in February, I had to have a telephone consultation with someone who wasn't my doctor, because the cuts mean there are too many patients at the Royal Free for the number of doctors available.

* Privatisation of the railways, meaning trains are run largely for the benefit of foreign shareholders. On the Thameslink service, the latest in a long list of useless private contractors are driving the service into the ground. Under BR, Mill Hill Broadway had eight trains an hour in rush hour. Now we are lucky to have five or six and they are all rammed full. Fares now cost a fortune and vicious regimes levy huge fines if you make the slightest mistake or the Oyster reader doesn't read your card properly.

* Students face a massive tax, wrongly called a student loan. The Tories have hiked this so students leave University with tens of thousands of pounds of debt. If tax is on millionaires is bad for the country, how can it be good for students? (Note Brand is a millionaire so likely to benefit from a Tory government). I have two daughters starting Uni in September. Whilst my wife studied Russian for four years and left college with no debt, my daughters will be well and truly shafted.

* The Tories have decimated the supply of social housing. Margaret Thatcher forced councils to sell off council houses and did not allow them use the money raised to build new ones. This means that young people are forced to pay huge rents to private landlords, many of whom are less than scrupulous.

The bottom line is that for the vast majority of people living in this country, health, education, housing and transport are the issues which define the quality of our lives. It could not be clearer that the Tories and Labour have completely different policies and approaches. When a millionaire encourages people not to vote, I always get suspicious. When most of the people he is targeting, will vote against his fiancial interests, I smell a huge rat.

Guest Blog - Govia Thameslink consult...but won't tell us what they are consulting on - By Richard Logue

By Richard Logue (Chair of Mill Hill Residents Association),

It is no secret that since Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) took over from the much loathed First Capital Connect on the Thameslink route that they have taken the level of service on our trains down to an even lower level than First Capital Connect ever did. Late trains, cancelled trains and shorter trains are what we long suffering Mill Hill Broadway commuters have had to put up with.

We are even now at the point where Charles Horton the Managing Director of GTR even tells the Evening Standard that his priority is to make it easier for us to stand on Thameslink's sardine can trains. What else could GTR possibly throw at us to make our train journeys even more unbearable?

A botched consultation exercise perhaps? 

I received an email yesterday from Andrew Dismore drawing my attention to a consultation exercise that GTR have launched concerning their December 2015 timetable. That may seem a long way off, but once that timetable is set, we will not see many more significant changes to our train service until 2018, when the new trains enter service and the link from the Peterborough and Cambridge lines to St Pancras International opens. 

So what are GTR proposing for Mill Hill Broadway in this consultation? 

At present Mill Hill Broadway is served overnight by an hourly service that starts at Three Bridges, just south of Gatwick Airport, and terminates at Bedford. These trains run until the early morning, at which the normal commuter service kicks in. GTR are proposing to run these trains non-stop between West Hampstead and St Albans, which means that Mill Hill Broadway will not be served. However, GTR propose to run an extra hourly service from Luton to Blackfriars, stopping at Mill Hill and all other stops. 

That does not sound too bad as in effect we would not lose a train, but the GTR consultation document does not tell us anything else about the proposed extra Luton to Blackfriars service, not even to tell us what times these trains would run.

How is it then possible to respond to a consultation document without the whole picture of what is being proposed? So I called GTR. Big mistake. It took me about 40 minutes to actually connect to a human being rather than a voice menu. Only problem was that when I did speak to a human being she was in an overseas call centre and I was definitely not sticking to her script.

I was first told that the Brighton line timetables were online. When I told the lady from the call centre I wanted to see what the proposed timetable for Mill Hill Broadway was I was told that was online too. I asked where? I was told it was in the consultation document. Only problem is that the proposed timetable isn't in the consultation document, and how can I respond to the consultation without the timetable I am supposed to be consulted on?

Well, you too can be bamboozled by the GTR consultation document too. It's available at http://thameslink-cms.govia.net/uploads/publications/256.pdf

If I do get any clarity from GTR regarding what they are proposing I will of course let you know. The consultation closes on 30 January 2015.

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