London tube

[ozbob]

London Evening Standard --> We must have 24-hour Tube to boost London, says major new report

We must have 24-hour Tube to boost London, says major new report
Late running: report says trains need to run until at least 3am

Jonathan Prynn, Consumer Business Editor

Published: 30 April 2013

London transport bosses today came under intense pressure to launch round-the-clock Tube services in a major new report on the future of the West End.

Trains need to run from central London until at least 3am — and preferably later — on Friday and Saturday nights to help the huge crowds in areas such as Leicester Square and Soho get home.

The recommendation came in the long-awaited report from the West End Commission, set up by Westminster council in the wake of the bitter row over proposed car parking charges.

It concluded: "Underground last trains leave too early (between midnight and 1am) for many evening economy workers as well as many visitors... the potential positive impact of later running services should not be under-estimated."

The east-west Crossrail line, to be completed in 2019, and the modernised north-south Thameslink Overground route must also provide a 24-hour service to make central London properly  accessible day and night, the report said.

Sir Howard Bernstein, the chairman of the 12-strong commission, told the Standard it was vital that London matched global competitors such as New York, where the subway runs through the night, and Paris, where Metro services already operate until 2am at the weekend.

He said: "We have to look at how maintenance regimes can be changed over time to ensure this becomes reality. Other cities do it, they seem to get it right. I'm not saying there aren't challenges to be overcome but the ambition needs to be established."

Transport for London has already said that it will run more modern lines such as the Victoria and the Jubilee until 2am from 2015.

Today London's most senior transport boss, Sir Peter Hendy went further and pledged to engage in "really meaningful discussion" about the possibility of even later opening on some services. He said: "We do need a few hours a night for maintenance. But I'm not saying we couldn't do it. I'm saying it's really sensible to look at it in the context of the strategic future of the West End."

Currently the last train out of Leicester Square on the Piccadilly line departs at 12.35am and the final service from Oxford Circus on the Central line is on its way at 12.33am.

West End business leaders welcomed  the proposal and said the end of the 12.30am shutdown would bring huge gains for the later night economy.

Simon Thomas, owner of the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square and a member of the West End Commission said: "It would be great if Transport for London got themselves organised so they can run through the night on  Friday and Saturday — the maintenance could be condensed on the other nights. We need transport infrastructure that does what the city needs not just what is practical for Transport for London."

He said the casino had up to 2,000 customers and 150 staff on the premises between midnight and 6am "who need to get home safely".

There was also strong support for the proposal from Philippa Roe, leader of Westminster council, who said: "At the weekend it is now difficult to walk down the streets of the West End at 2am because they are so packed. Anything that makes it easier for people to disperse and get home we are 100 per cent behind."

The 72-page report was launched by Sir Howard at the Prince of Wales theatre in the heart of the West End.  Other proposals include setting up a "politburo" of senior West End figures to help shape policies on key issues such as transport; a unified marketing strategy for Britain's most visited district and a big increase in "traffic free" days for Oxford Street and Regent Street to boost retailers.

But Sir Howard made it clear that the commission did not favour a return to evening and weekend parking charges in the West End, the issue that triggered the row that led to the resignation of Ms Roe's predecessor Colin Barrow.

[ozbob]

Railway Gazette --> New Tube for London initial designs unveiled

UK: Design proposals for the New Tube For London project to modernise London Underground's small-profile Piccadilly, Bakerloo, Central and Waterloo & City lines were revealed on October 9.

Transport for London has shortlisted Alstom, Bombardier, CAF, Hitachi and Siemens for the contract to supply around 250 trainsets. It plans to issue formal invitations to tender in early 2015, with a contract expected to be worth between £1·0bn to £2·5bn scheduled to be awarded in 2016. The first trains would enter service on the Piccadilly Line in 2022.

TfL's commissioned transport design consultancy PriestmanGoode to develop the designs, which set out its aspirations for the new trains. PriestmanGoode co-founder Paul Priestman told Railway Gazette International that the consultancy has worked closely with London Underground's 'very experienced' engineers over the past 2½ years, as well as drawing on its extensive global rail and aviation experience. 'It is a good team effort', according to Priestman. 'Good design isn't just about style, it's about making something better and easier to run and maintain.'

The design brief was to maximise available passenger capacity and provide a cooler environment. The exceptionally small profile of the deep-level tunnels mean that installing air-conditioning is very difficult, because there nowhere for the excess heat to go. 'It's not an easy problem to solve', says Priestman. 'The best way to do it is to put less heat into the system', by designing lighter and more energy efficient trains. In the central areas 'the train doors are open more than they are closed', and so air-conditioning is 'self-defeating'; air cooling will be used instead ...

[ozbob]

Twitter

London Underground reveals stunning design for the 'New Tube for London' http://ow.ly/CuhA9 



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Twitter

Railway Gazette @railwaygazette

New #Tube for #London designs unveiled; details of features and shortlisted bidders at: http://bit.ly/1uFwzDj 

[aldonius]

stops sleeping

Ha!

Stops people lying down, perhaps.

[ozbob]

stops sleeping

Ha!

Stops people lying down, perhaps.

So true Aldonius.  I sleep very well sitting up!    

I have been known to be fast asleep by Roma St after leaving Central on an Ippy flyer .. zzzzzzzzzzzz

Trains can be very soporific!

[James]

Stops people lying down, perhaps.

Given the pax loads which the tube carries, there's probably no opportunity for someone to actually sleep. Segregated seating is always a big plus. Personally, I have never been able to sleep on PT, even if I try my hardest.