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Tim
Mack Argues that it is not the current
management of LUL that will be making
the decision on Turnham Green.
Tim
Mack is the Conservative Prospective Parlimentary
Candidate for Brentford & Isleworth.
He is a leading organiser of the recent
petition on the issue.
The
deteriorating tube service at Turnham
Green is a vital issue for local people
and none of us should give up campaigning
until it gets better.
Turnham Green is a key tube and bus interchange
for passengers throughout West London
who are supporting us.
The following two reasons have prompted
the recent campaigning by local people,
1) The imminent transfer of responsibility
for the tube to Transport for London under
Bob Kiley.
2) The chaos caused by District line cutbacks
during essential maintenance
The
nearly 8,000 strong STOP campaign petition
(Stop at Turnham Green
On the Piccadilly line) requests
that,
" Transport
for London, give priority to the stopping
of Piccadilly Line trains all day at Turnham
Green station".
The fact that the District Line service
has not operated at target levels since
1998 and is now severely restricted during
maintenance work means that LUL should
be called to account to improve the service
on our behalf. Your comments about the
District Line providing a "fast efficient
and safe service" do not represent
the reality.
The
current management are running a poor
service that has been starved of investment
and vision. It is clear from the GLA meetings
that Ken Livingstone and Bob Kiley are
well on the way to recruiting a new management
to raise investment and bring new vision
as soon as the Government allow them to
get on with the job.
Consequently
the long-term view of the current management
is irrelevant. Their current plans are
for upgrades in 2004 and 2010-15 so why
assume that some improvements cannot be
made in 2004 or much earlier?
London
Underground's comments look even more
ridiculous because Piccadilly Line trains
are currently stopping during the day
at Turnham Green.
The
STOP campaigners discussed all of the
issues reported last week, and much more,
at a meeting with London Underground some
weeks ago. We are now awaiting a reply
to the detailed summary of our analysis
and suggestions as follows,
1.
Reduction in the impact of track repairs
and signal upgrades needed to restore
District Line reliability and reduce noise.
2. Better train/time information at West
London stations.
3. Improvements on the platforms to reduce
harassment.
4. Train shuttle services during periods
of engineering works.
5. Extended times for early and late stopping
of Piccadilly Line trains at Turnham Green.
6. Use of Piccadilly Line trains at District
Line platforms in West London.
7. An all-day Piccadilly Line service
at Turnham Green Station.
Therefore,
while engaged in a dialogue with LUL over
the short-term crisis, our main objective
is a long-term solution from the new management.
I
welcome any and all contributions to improve
the service but from the report it seems
our own MP, perhaps unwittingly, has become
a voice for the outgoing management of
LUL.
Tim Mack
Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, Brentford
& Isleworth
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