London Banter - View Single Post - Overground speed

David Cantrell · November 28th 14, 12:15 PM posted to uk.transport.london

On Thu, Nov 27, 2014 at 01:14:27PM +0000, d wrote:

South london is already oversubscribed with national rail services, it didn't
need another.

When compared to the north that's true. However, you need to look at it
in the context of having hardly any tube service. If you look at rail
services in toto - both TfL and NR, tube and overground - the density of
stations is probably about the same if you ignore the bit inside the
Circle line. The differences are that there are more junctions and
changes in the south, and a lower frequency service in the south.

The Overground (what a stupid brand that is) doesn't solve the frequency
problem. That can only be solved by a dramatic simplification of the
network. It does introduce a few more routes that can be travelled
without having to change (passengers don't particularly like having to
change trains), and creates some convenient ways to travel which avoid
central London bottlenecks. It is an improvement on what we had before,
just not a very big one.

It has made travel from south London to east and west London easier, and
has made travel from east London to north and south London easier, which
has got to be a good thing.

Some examples. The first time I worked for the BBC out in White City, I
had to get a train into Victoria, then two tubes, changing at two of the
busiest stations on the network - Victoria and Oxford Circus - with all
the attendant hassle and not getting a seat. With the Overground, I
avoided those. And the first time I worked in Shoreditch, I had to get a
train into Victoria and then the District line - again, changing at a
stupidly busy station onto a stupidly busy service. With the Overground
I can avoid Victoria, and I usually get a seat. If those orbital
services from Clapham Junction didn't exist, I doubt I would have
considered working in those places again. The Overground opens up more
jobs to more people, makes more potential recruits available to more
employers, reduces congestion and overcrowding - what's not to like?

--
David Cantrell | Godless Liberal Elitist

Do not be afraid of cooking, as your ingredients will know and misbehave
-- Fergus Henderson