http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/medi...ntre/7741.aspx

17 March 2008

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that it intends to take direct
control of Tramlink services this year.

Tramlink is a vital part of the south London transport network and last
year carried 25 million passengers.

TfL's offer of £98m to acquire Tramtrack Croydon Ltd, the Private
Finance Initiative (PFI) Concession holder which runs Tramlink, was
accepted today.

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said: "Bringing Tramlink into the
control of TfL is excellent news for Londoners.

"This will mean we can plan how to make the improvements that are
required to cater for ever increasing numbers of passengers and provide
them with the very best possible services."
Value for money

The current contract requires TfL to make compensation payments to
Tramtrack Croydon Ltd for changes to the fares and ticketing policy
introduced since 1996.

Last year, that payment was £4m, and the rate is increasing annually.

Taking control of Tramtrack Croydon Ltd means that TfL will no longer
have to make those payments and will be able to concentrate on improving
the network.

Peter Hendy, TfL Commissioner, said: "With 88 years remaining on the
Concession Agreement with Tramtrack Croydon Ltd, this deal represents
excellent value for money for London's fare and tax payers.
Improvements

"It will allow us to build on the success of Tramlink to date, and
increase levels of investment in the system to ensure it can keep up
with growing demand, all the while providing a safe, reliable service
for passengers.

"Tramlink should be setting the benchmark for tram services throughout
the UK."

Following completion of the purchase later this year, Tramlink would be
managed by TfL's London Rail directorate, allowing TfL to develop
Tramlink as a key part of the Capital's integrated public transport
network.

There would be no change to the current fares and ticketing arrangements
but improvements have already been proposed that would take effect as
soon as TfL takes control of the network.
More services

Off-peak services between Elmers End and Beckenham Junction would double
from two trams per hour to four on Monday to Saturday evenings and on
Sundays.

TfL would also seek to run additional services to relieve crowding on
the Wimbledon to New Addington line.

Graffiti and vandalism on the system would be targeted, general
maintenance levels would increase and TfL would begin a programme to
refresh tram interiors and stops to improve the environment for
passengers.

In the longer term, TfL is keen to enhance the Tramlink system so that
it can cater for increasing passenger numbers.

An investment programme would be developed which, subject to future
funding commitments, could allow for upgrading or renewal of the network
to ensure that Tramlink provides the best possible public transport
service well into the future.
--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

Good news! I just hope that they won't be adding it to the Tube map,
like they did with Overground - it is already overcrowded.

On Tue, 18 Mar 2008 03:20:49 -0700 (PDT), alex_t
wrote:

Good news! I just hope that they won't be adding it to the Tube map,
like they did with Overground - it is already overcrowded.

Yeah! Keep it separate and completely un integrated with the rest of
London's transport in the interest of keeping Beck unsullied :-)

Yeah! Keep it separate and completely un integrated with the rest of
London's transport in the interest of keeping Beck unsullied :-)

Just the map ;-)
They are welcome to keep current tram icon at Wimbledon though!

alex_t wrote

Good news! I just hope that they won't be adding it to the Tube map,
like they did with Overground - it is already overcrowded.

Looks OK on the London Connections map, but I agree the pocket size
tube map is already very crowded.

And I would like to add a grey line to show SWT Wimbledon-Clapham
Junction-Vauxhall-Waterloo rather than leaving these stations in
apparent isolation.

What should be done when everywhere within the zones accepts PAYG ?

--
Mike D

On 18 Mar, 12:41, "Michael R N Dolbear" wrote:
Looks OK on the London Connections map, but I agree the pocket size
tube map is already very crowded.

And I would like to add a grey line to show SWT Wimbledon-Clapham
Junction-Vauxhall-Waterloo rather than leaving these stations in
apparent isolation.

Tramlink would have an even bigger problem, only being connected to
the existing map at Wimbledon. The ELL and the Southern takeover would
fix this, of course.

What should be done when everywhere within the zones accepts PAYG ?

It'd be good if they added routes with frequent regular services to
the map - FCC's inner suburbans north of the river and the Shenfield
Metro would be good places to start. Never gonna happen though.

U

--
http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/
A blog about transport projects in London

Mr Thant wrote:

Tramlink would have an even bigger problem, only being connected to
the existing map at Wimbledon. The ELL and the Southern takeover would
fix this, of course.

Hasn't the ELL extension been added as "work in progress" to the most recent
version of the map?

Mind you West Croydon isn't a good interchange - has anyone thought of using
the platform 4 entrance (was that the original?) as a second to provide
better interchange with the Tram stop and bus station?

Tim Roll-Pickering wrote:

Hasn't the ELL extension been added as "work in progress" to the most recent
version of the map?

They did, but it's disappeared from the March edition of the pocket
map (I have a whole blog entry on it if you're interested). I haven't
seen a March poster map yet - they might be waiting until the 27th (T5
opening).

U

--
http://londonconnections.blogspot.com/
A blog about transport projects in London

Tim Roll-Pickering wrote:
Mr Thant wrote:

Tramlink would have an even bigger problem, only being connected to
the existing map at Wimbledon. The ELL and the Southern takeover would
fix this, of course.

Hasn't the ELL extension been added as "work in progress" to the most recent
version of the map?

Mind you West Croydon isn't a good interchange - has anyone thought of using
the platform 4 entrance (was that the original?) as a second to provide
better interchange with the Tram stop and bus station?

The explanation I've heard - which is so bonkers it could just be true -
is that if they did open another gate, the whole station would need to
be made "accessible". As it is, there are steps to every platform, but
that is okay because it has always been like that. If they created a new
(presumably step free) access to platform 4, they would need to rebuild
the footbridge to give access from the "new" door to the other platforms.

Of course this could be complete cobblers...

They do open the door when there are replacement buses running.

--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

On Tue, 18 Mar 2008, Michael R N Dolbear wrote:

alex_t wrote

Good news! I just hope that they won't be adding it to the Tube map,
like they did with Overground - it is already overcrowded.

Looks OK on the London Connections map, but I agree the pocket size
tube map is already very crowded.

And I would like to add a grey line to show SWT Wimbledon-Clapham
Junction-Vauxhall-Waterloo rather than leaving these stations in
apparent isolation.

What should be done when everywhere within the zones accepts PAYG ?

The London Connections map, or possibly the High Frequency Services one,
replaces the tube map.

Although this would make for a rather crowded pocket map. How about
showing central London (almost entirely tubes anyway) on one side, and
then the local sector of the periphery on the other?

tom

--
Any problem in computer science can be solved with another layer of
indirection. But that usually will create another problem. -- David
Wheeler