Hackney Transport Strategy - 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan - Hackney Council
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
2015-2025
Strategy
Public Transport Plan
Hackney Transport
Produced by Hackney Design, Communications & Print • February 2016 • PJ62051
Contents
1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1
Hackney Transport Strategy Vision ................................................................... 3
What will public transport in Hackney look like in 2024? .................................... 3
2 Why do we need a Public Transport Plan? .................................................... 6
Introduction ........................................................................................................ 6
Population growth and increasing demand for travel ......................................... 6
High public transport use in Hackney ................................................................ 7
Gaps in the network ........................................................................................... 7
Promoting equality and social inclusion ............................................................. 8
Reducing pollution and improving air quality...................................................... 9
Potential government reforms and diminishing funding levels ........................... 9
3 Policy Background ........................................................................................ 10
4 Existing Situation and Future Challenges ................................................... 11
Introduction ...................................................................................................... 11
Current Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTAL) ...................................... 11
Hackney residents’ commuting patterns .......................................................... 14
Improvements in public transport since the 2006 Hackney Transport Strategy 17
Population and employment growth in Hackney and beyond .......................... 18
Land use and projected growth levels to 2026................................................. 19
Addressing future over-crowding ..................................................................... 20
Barriers to using public transport in Hackney................................................... 22
5 Rail Strategy ................................................................................................... 26
Introduction ...................................................................................................... 26
Existing rail network and recent improvements ................................................ 26
Confirmed rail improvements (2015-2019)....................................................... 31
Crossrail 1 (2018) ...................................................................................... 31
Lea Bridge Station (2015) ......................................................................... 32
West Anglia Main Line three-tracking (by 2019) ........................................ 32
Devolution of West Anglia Line suburban services to the Mayor and TfL .. 33
Hackney Central / Hackney Down direct interchange (2015) .................... 34
Electrification of the Gospel Oak – Barking line (GOBLIN) (2019) ............ 35
Five car trains on all London Overground routes (2014-15) ...................... 36
Cycle parking at stations ........................................................................... 37
Future rail priorities .......................................................................................... 38
Progression of Crossrail 2 and securing stations in Hackney .................... 38
Hackney Wick station upgrade and remodelling ....................................... 40
Improving accessibility and upgrades of existing stations ......................... 40
Staffing of stations and consideration of co-locating community uses in
stations ...................................................................................................... 41
Full four-tracking of the Lea Valley line including Coppermill Lane Junction
improvements Post-2019 (Network Rail Control Period 6) ........................ 42
Promotion of Stratford as a regional and international hub ....................... 43
Investigate the possibility of light rail on some of Hackney’s key bus
corridors .................................................................................................... 43
6 Bus Strategy................................................................................................... 45
Introduction ...................................................................................................... 45
Existing bus provision and recent improvements ............................................. 45
Strategic priorities for the Council .................................................................... 47
Improving access to Hackney Wick and Stratford/Queen Elizabeth Olympic
Park ........................................................................................................... 48
Improving bus connectivity in the north of the borough ............................. 49
Improving journey times through bus priority measures ............................ 49
Stoke Newington gyratory Major Scheme ................................................. 51
Mare Street (Narrow Way) Major Scheme ................................................ 51
Achieving full coverage of accessible bus stops in the borough ................ 52
Extending bus countdown and publicising iBus realtime information ........ 53
Reducing crime and the fear of crime on the bus network ........................ 54
7 Taxi, Private Hire and Community Transport Strategy ............................... 56
Introduction ...................................................................................................... 56
Existing taxi and private hire provision in Hackney .......................................... 56
Community Transport ...................................................................................... 59
8 Action Plan ..................................................................................................... 61
Implementation phasing ................................................................................... 61
Funding sources and prioritisation of projects .................................................. 61
9 Monitoring and evaluation ............................................................................ 70
Key infrastructure ............................................................................................. 70
Annual data and LIP indicators ........................................................................ 70
10 Bibliography ................................................................................................... 72
Figures
Figure 1: Structure of Hackney Transport Strategy ............................................ 3
Figure 2: Public Transport Accessibility (PTAL) Map of Hackney ...............Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Figure 3: Travel to work by public transport Hackney residents……………… 11
Figure 4: Map showing where Hackney residents work ……………………… 13
Figure 5: Forecast Underground crowding in am peak in 2031 ....................... 21
Figure 6: Existing rail network in and around Hackney .................................... 30
Figure 7: Existing cycle parking at Hoxton and Dalston Junction stations ....... 37
Figure 8: Crossrail 2 – regional option ............................................................. 39
Figure 9: Existing bus network in Hackney ...................................................... 47
Tables
Table 1: Table 1: Jobs density in selected inner London boroughs……………14
Table 2: Barriers to public transport raised by key stakeholders...................... 22
Table 3: North London Line passenger numbers 2006/07-2013/14……………23
Table 4: Passenger numbers on Greater Anglia stations……………………….24
Table 5: Passenger numbers on London Overground stations 2010-2014……24
Table 6: Rail Action Plan.................................................................................. 63
Table 7: Bus Action Plan.................................................................................. 66
Table 8: Taxi, private hire and community transport Action Plan ..................... 69
Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
1 Introduction
1.1 Public transport plays a critical role in facilitating movement for residents of the
London Borough of Hackney and to support wider growth and regeneration in
the borough. The Transport for London 2012 London Travel Demand Survey
results show that 36% of Hackney’s population use public transport for the
majority of their trips, almost twice the levels of car use, and Hackney residents
have the highest levels of bus usage in London. Public transport’s importance
as a means of commuting to and from work is even more prevalent with almost
57% of the borough’s resident population using bus, rail, Tube or Overground
as a means to get to work or study.
1.2 These figures are relatively high despite the borough’s historic lack of access to
the London Underground network. Despite recent improvements, most notably
to the London Overground network, the dramatic increase in Hackney’s
population over the past decade and projected future growth mean that further
investment and upgrades to the public transport system will be needed.
1.3 This Public Transport Plan sets out the Council’s long term strategy and
delivery plan for public transport in Hackney. This document is one of six
supporting documents that form part of Hackney’s Transport Strategy 2015-
2025. In addition, there is an evidence base document which provides relevant
context to the Strategy. Figure 1 (below) sets out the structure of the Strategy.
1.4 As with all other supporting Plans in the Transport Strategy, the Public
Transport Plan is a ‘live’ document and is subject to revision over the plan
period as circumstances and available funding streams dictate. The Council’s
Corporate Plan to 2018 ‘Hackney; a place for Everyone; for example, commits
to investing in our streets but also acknowledges the severe financial restraints
that the Council have been operating under since the first Comprehensive
Spending Review (CSR) with over £130 million saved since 2010. The
Corporate Plan estimates that the next CSR due later this year may result in an
indicative gap of over £70 million over the period 2016/17 to 2018/19. Any
1
Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
further unforeseen reductions to these funding streams will adversely impact on
the Council’s ability to deliver proposed transport improvements over the ten
year plan period and necessitate revision of the existing Strategy.
1.5 Despite the extremely challenging fiscal climate for local authorities, there is a
recognition at all levels of government that improved public transport
infrastructure is critical to delivering regeneration and housing and employment
growth in London. The majority of the projects outlined in the first phase of
Public Transport Plan are funded, through committed Transport for London
investment including for example, the Hackney Interchange project and
Crossrail 1. As constraints on our Capital funding grow tighter, we will continue
to be innovative in terms of looking at revenue including advertising and
sponsorship and further partnership working with neighbouring boroughs if a
further than expected deterioration in local government finances takes place-
particularly in the latter part of the Plan.
2
Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Figure 1: Structure of Hackney Transport Strategy
Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025
Cycling Plan Walking Plan
Road Safety Plan Public Transport Plan
Liveable Neighbourhoods Plan Sustainable Transport SPD
Evidence Base
Hackney Transport Strategy Vision
1.6 The over-arching vision for the Hackney Transport Strategy is:
“By 2024, Hackney’s transport system will be an exemplar for
sustainable urban living in London. It will be fair, safe, accessible,
equitable, sustainable and responsive to the needs of its residents,
visitors and businesses, facilitating the highest quality of life
standards for a borough in the Capital and leading London in its
approach to tackling its urban transport challenges of the 21st
Century.”
What will public transport in Hackney look like in 2025?
1.7 Public transport has a key role in achieving the Council’s vision for a fair,
equitable and sustainable transport system, the objectives of the Public
Transport Plan are that, by 2025:
3
Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
1. Crossrail 2 proposals will be well advanced with an alignment through
Hackney that maximises benefits to the borough.
2. Hackney will have the most comprehensive and continuous bus priority
network in London reflecting the fact we have the highest levels of bus
usage in London.
3. There will be improved public transport accessibility for all our residents to
access emerging employment centres in Central London, Stratford, the
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the Upper Lea Valley.
4. The east of the borough will have seen a substantial improvement in public
transport services.
5. The Overground network will have had further improvements providing
additional capacity on congested routes.
6. Significant capacity improvements and route upgrades will have been
completed on the West Anglia Line.
7. There will have been a smooth transition of the West Anglia Line services to
Mayoral control, with improved stations and inner London rail services that
have not lost out to non‐stopping suburban services.
8. The accessibility of Hackney’s public transport will have been vastly
improved with a fully accessible bus stop network, increased real-time
service information, and step free access to the majority of stations in the
borough.
9. Hackney will have improved community transport services for those who
find it hard to access public transport, to support independent living so that
they can access jobs, education and essential services.
10. There will be improved interchange facilities and walking and cycling
conditions at our key public transport stations.
11. Stations in Hackney will contribute positively to local character and
distinctiveness and will be built to the highest standards of design offering a
safe, secure and attractive environment at all times.
1.7 The Council, and transport delivery bodies such as Transport for London and
Network Rail is operating under severe financial constraints and progress
towards these objectives may be more gradual than originally envisaged. As
4
Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
with the other Plans, the Council will produce an annual dashboard or progress
report to ascertain whether we are making progress towards these objectives
and to outline the circumstances in areas where we are not.
5Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
2 Why do we need a Public Transport Plan?
Introduction
2.1 The provision of a high quality public transport system is vital in a borough with
low job density, low car use and a high propensity to travel to access education,
London’s job market and retail and leisure opportunities both within and outside
the borough. The following section outlines some of the reasons why the
Council will prioritise public transport over the lifetime of the Transport Strategy
and beyond.
Population growth and increasing demand for travel
2.2 As outlined in the background document of the Transport Strategy, the
population of Hackney has increased by over 40,000 people (or an approximate
19% increase) since the 2001 Census. This figure represented the third
greatest increase in London. These high levels of population growth coupled
with significant levels of growth expected in and around Stratford, the Queen
Elizabeth Olympic Park, the Upper Lea Valley and the wider Thames Gateway
region, highlight an obvious need to plan for ever-increasing demand for travel
and to mitigate against road and public transport over-crowding in the East and
North London sub-regions.
2.3 Within Hackney, Census data shows that all wards here experienced high
levels of population growth with the exception of the Brownswood ward in the
north-east of the borough. However, this reduction is likely to be a result of the
temporary movement of residents as part of the Woodberry Down regeneration
scheme – one of the largest of its kind in Europe. The location of this scheme
near the London Underground stations of Manor House and Finsbury Park
suggests that peak time over-crowding on the Victoria and Piccadilly lines is set
to be an issue in future years – a fact recognised by the Mayor of London’s
Transport Strategy and illustrating the need to plan ahead.
6Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
High public transport use in Hackney
2.4 More people use public transport in London than in any other part of the
country. In 2011, London had the highest proportion of workers commuting by
public transport (light rail, train, buses and coaches) in the country at 52.6%.
2.5 Within Hackney, this trend is particularly prevalent. Despite Hackney’s relatively
high walking and cycling rates, travel by public transport is by far the most
popular method of travel for our residents (particularly for commuting trips) and
is likely to remain so for the foreseeable future. The Census estimates that
there are 113,400 Hackney residents in employment. Within that cohort, around
94,000 have a fixed workplace. Of these, 18,900 or 20% work within Hackney,
and the remaining 75,550 (80%) travel out of the borough to work, making
public transport a practical mode of transport. Census and TfL data consistently
show bus usage in Hackney to be amongst the highest in London with over a
quarter of residents (26%) using the bus as their main mode of transport (TfL,
2012).
Gaps in the network
2.6 A Public Transport Plan is needed to set out a vision for how the Council
intends, with partners, to address gaps in the existing transport network over
the coming period. Despite significant improvements made in provision – most
notably to the London Overground network in 2010 – there are still a number of
issues that the Council is keen to address. Hackney is one of the few Inner
London boroughs that is not comprehensively served with London Underground
stations. This is a long-standing problem which the Council is pro-actively
seeking to resolve by working with TfL through the Crossrail 2 route alignment
process. In addition, public transport connectivity in the Hackney Wick growth
area is weak while there are parts of Hackney particularly in the east, north, and
west and areas of social housing that have poor access to public transport
services.
7Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
2.7 The Council recognises it is vital for those living away from these key routes to
have their access to public transport further developed and protected in order to
ensure they can access education, employment and leisure opportunities.
There are particular problems in the King’s Park area of the borough that is only
served by one bus route the 242. When problems arise with this route then the
entire area, with many thousands of people is without access to the public
transport network in their immediate area. There is also a lack of public
transport connectivity in the Hackney section of the Olympic Park and with the
Here East proposals there will be large numbers of visitors and commuters
trying to access this area in the near future.
Promoting equality and social inclusion
2.8 A comprehensive, safe and affordable public transport system is a key measure
of social inclusion in the borough for a wide range of groups. This is particularly
relevant in a diverse inner London borough such as Hackney that suffers from
high levels of deprivation. Public transport has a critical and obvious role in
facilitating access to employment, training and health services but there are
other less obvious ways in which public transport promotes social inclusion.
2.9 The ability to travel safely by bus for example, allows children and young
people to get to school or college, the elderly to travel around London, and has
an important role to play in facilitating independent living by disabled people.
Conversely, issues such as a lack of step-free access, lack of staff at railway
stations and poorly lit approaches to public transport termini act as
disincentives to use public transport for all Hackney residents. Currently few rail
and underground stations in Hackney (excepting Hackney Central, Hackney
Wick, Hoxton, Haggerston and Dalston Junction) are step free meaning much
of the rail network is inaccessible to residents in wheelchairs or with limited
mobility. This Plan will identify some existing barriers to travel in Hackney and
propose improvement measures.
8Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Reducing pollution and improving air quality
2.10 The entire borough of Hackney was declared an Air Quality Management Area
in 2006. Public transport has a clear role in helping to reduce emissions from
transport and improving air quality primarily through reducing the amount of
road traffic coming from within the borough and the rest of London. Public
transport provision can also minimise emissions through greater use of lower
emission buses in areas of poor air quality and the electrification of railway
lines.
Diminishing funding levels
2.11 Hackney Council in common with other Local Authorities and Transport for
London, must plan for an era of financial uncertainty and significantly reduced
funding for public transport schemes and cuts to existing services. Given this
uncertainty, the Council will have to prioritise projects over the coming years
and this Strategy will provide a basis for these decisions.
2.12 The Plan will also highlight issues relating to the proposed reform of the bus
network in London and proposed cuts to staffing levels at National Rail and
Overground stations. For example, groups representing the elderly and those
with disabilities identified issues arising from recommendations contained in the
Government commissioned 2011 McNulty Report may have in terms of
providing assistance, identified difficulties for members in accessing platforms
and asking for directions if staff are removed from stations.
9Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
3 Policy Background
3.1 There are several policy documents at the London and sub-regional level which
provide relevant context to this Public Transport Plan. The following documents
are summarised in more detail in the background document of the Hackney
Transport Strategy:
The Mayor’s Transport Strategy;
East London Sub-regional Transport Plan (ESRTP);
North London Sub-regional Transport Plan (NSRTP);
Central London Sub-regional Transport Plan (CSRTP);
Hackney’s Local Implementation Plan 2 (LIP2).
3.2 Many of the policy background documents stress public transport’s importance
to managing an increasing demand for travel from expected population growth
and regeneration and improving access to planned employment growth areas
and services across London. Within Hackney, these London-wide challenges
are particularly acute, being a borough located on the doorstep of the Upper
and Lower Lea Valley Opportunity Areas as well as London’s Central Activity
Zone and the City, which together represent the largest jobs market in the
country.
3.3 The borough therefore needs to continue to plan for this growth whilst at the
same time attempting to overcome historical deficiencies in public transport
provision. This deficiency particularly affects access to new employment areas
brought on by the shift of traditional manufacturing to other areas and
addressing the likelihood of future over-crowding on the existing network.
10Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
4 Existing Situation and Future Challenges
Introduction
4.1 Hackney is a well-connected borough, with relatively high levels of public
transport accessibility. Despite this there remain some serious gaps in
provision, which will become more apparent as the borough and neighbouring
areas in London continue to grow. This section outlines some of the current
issues and future trends impacting public transport provision in Hackney as
things currently stand and some of the future challenges.
Current Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTAL)
4.2 Despite Hackney’s relative proximity to Central London and other key sub-
regional public transport hubs such as Stratford, public transport accessibility is
poorer than other similar borough’s in inner London primarily due to the lack of
Tube connections and the radial nature of its rail network.
4.3 Measurement of public transport accessibility in London has traditionally
revolved around the use of Public Transport Accessibility Levels (PTAL). PTAL
quantifies the proximity to and frequency of public transport services to a
particular site or location. PTALs are calculated by combining indices of bus,
underground and rail services and stations, resulting in an index demonstrating
the relative accessibility on a scale of 1 to 6 where 1 is the lowest provision and
6b the highest.
4.4 Transport for London (TfL) have recently updated its online public transport
connectivity guide –WebCAT (Web-based Connectivity Assessment Toolkit)
that allows users to create their own PTAL maps and view PTAL for future
scenarios. PTAL values are now pre-calculated using a grid of points at 100m
intervals across the Greater London area. They represent the best estimate of
connectivity based on the information available to us at the time of calculation.
11Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
4.5 Figure 6 shows an approximation of the current public transport connectivity
using 2011 as a base year.
Figure 6 2011 PTAL levels in Hackney adapted from TfL Webcat
Source TfL (2015). Note: accurate PTAL information from a specific point in London can be
accessed at; https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/urban-planning-and-construction/planning-with-
webcat?intcmp=25861
12Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Using 2011 as a baseline, the map reflected improvements to the London
Overground network with the opening of the East London line and further
enhancement of the North London line in 2010. The map showed that most
areas of the borough have PTAL Levels of between 3 and 6, with the best
public transport accessibility (level 6 to 6b) found at Shoreditch in the south of
the borough and at town centre areas such as Dalston and Hackney Central.
PTAL levels are also high along main transport corridors along the A10 and
Mare Street.highlights the areas of the borough that presently have low levels
of public transport accessibility (PTAL 3 or less). These areas tend to be
located in the east of the borough generally around Victoria Park, Hackney
Marshes and Lower Clapton. There are also pockets of low PTAL near post-war
housing estates in the north-west and in the Queensbridge areas of the
borough (in and around London Fields).
4.6 It is understood that TfL are in the process of developing a new method that will
better measure an area’s accessibility taking into account an area’s ‘Access to
Opportunities and Services’ (ATOS) and could potentially include proximity to
the Cycle Hire scheme. However, details of this are yet to be confirmed.
13Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Use of Public Transport for commuting in Hackney
Figure 3: Travel to work by public transport Hackney residents
Source: Hackney Policy team (2015).
14Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
In the map above, orange and red indicate where travel to work by public
transport is more common and light and dark blue indicate where it is less
common. There is a mix across the borough in levels of public transport use,
but there are several areas which clearly have lower or higher use. Areas of
high public transport use include:
In the north west tip of the borough, near Finsbury Park and Manor
House.
In the east of the borough, around Hackney Marshes, east Homerton
and Lower Clapton.
In the middle of the borough – an area around Hackney Downs, Hackney
Central and to the west of Homerton Hospital.
Upper Clapton – between Springfield Park and Millfields Park.
In some cases high public transport use appears to be connected to proximity
to underground or rail stations. This is the case near Finsbury Park and Manor
House, where there is very high public transport use. In this area are located
several of the Output Areas with the highest public transport use – over 80%.
This is also the case in the centre of the borough, with public transport use is
high around the Overground stations at Hackney Downs, Hackney Central and
Homerton.
There are also several areas with low public transport use. These include:
Stamford Hill, an area between the east reservoir across the A10 and
down to the River Lea.
The south of the borough – Shoreditch, Hoxton, Haggerston and towards
Bethnal Green. Lack of transport does not explain low use in these
areas; there are a number of Overground and rail stations in the area:
Old Street for tube and rail access, and Haggerston, Hoxton, Shoreditch
High Street for the London Overground. There are also many buses
offering routes down the A10 into the City. Instead, as we will see in a
map further down, many people in these areas are traveling to work by
‘Other’ methods, meaning they are either cycling or walking to work.
15Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Hackney residents’ commuting patterns
4.7 As covered in the over-arching Transport Strategy, at an average of 0.7 jobs
per resident of working age, Hackney has a low job density in relation to other
inner London boroughs. This means that the borough’s residents are more
likely to travel outside the borough to access employment than their
counterparts in neighbouring boroughs. Job density is even lower in the north of
the borough in places such as Clapton, Dalston and Stoke Newington which
have a job density of 0.31 reflecting an obvious need to travel in these areas to
access employment.
Table 1: Jobs density in selected inner London boroughs
Borough Jobs per resident in 2013
Camden 2.16
Islington 1.36
Tower Hamlets 1.34
Kensington & Chelsea 1.31
Southwark 1.19
H’smith & Fulham 1.08
Lambeth 0.72
Hackney 0.66
Source (GLA, 2015)
4.8 Analysis of the 2011 Census travel to work data showed that 75,550 (80%) of
Hackney’s residents travel out of the borough to work. The majority of
Hackney’s commuters travelled into Central London and neighbouring
borough’s to access their place of work (see Figure 4 below).
16Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Figure 4: Map showing where Hackney residents work
(Note; the full map can be found at p21 on the Census 2011- Transport Paper
4.9 This trend is likely to be maintained over the lifetime of the Strategy with
notable developments including the 2011 opening of the Westfield development
in Stratford and planned employment growth in the Upper and Lower Lea Valley
likely to impact on travel to work journeys in the next Census. A need for
additional orbital public transport provision and capacity across the inner north,
17Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
east and central London sub-regions will be required as employment
opportunities in these areas grows.
Improvements in public transport since the 2006
Hackney Transport Strategy
4.10 In recent years, Hackney has benefitted from significant investment in public
transport provision with many previously poorly-served parts of the borough
becoming more accessible. Since the publication of the 2006 Hackney
Transport Strategy the most significant improvements to public transport
include:
The completion of the East London Line and four new Disability
Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant London Overground stations at Dalston
Junction, Haggerston, Hoxton and Shoreditch in 2010;
The completion of the full orbital Overground East London route offering
connections from Dalston Junction to Highbury & Islington (since 2011) and
to Clapham Junction (since 2012);
The upgrading of the North London line with refurbishment of stations at
Dalston Kingsland, Hackney Central, Homerton and Hackney Wick and the
introduction of new rolling stock providing better comfort, greater reliability
and increased capacity;
Enhancement to the bus service in Hackney resulting in increased
frequencies, route extensions and particularly new routes, e.g. routes 388,
393, 394 and most recently the 488 extension. However it is also recognised
that recently there have been a number of reductions in service frequencies
on certain routes by TfL.
Population and employment growth in Hackney and
beyond
4.11 Accommodating recent and projected population and employment growth is the
underlying challenge for public transport provision. The 2011 Census estimated
Hackney’s population to be at 246,300 – a 19% increase over ten years. Much
18Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
of this growth has been in the 25 to 34 age group. The borough is relatively
young compared to London, with a greater proportion aged 25-34 and fewer
aged over 45. The growth pattern across the borough varies significantly at
ward level with Dalston, Hoxton, and Leabridge are all estimated to have
experienced population growth of over 40% over the last ten years, likely linked
to housing developments in these wards.
4.12 The East London Sub-Regional Transport Plan (SRTP) estimates there will be
an additional 600,000 people in the sub-region (about 40% of London’s growth)
and 160,000 additional jobs in the period up to 2031 – growth that will see the
total amount of trips increase by more than 25%. The majority of this growth will
take place in the neighbouring boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Newham (TfL,
2012, p11). North London has the second highest population and employment
growth of any London sub-region with 180,000 people and 40,000 jobs
expected by 2031 with focal points around Brent Cross, Central Leaside and
Tottenham Hale (TfL, NSRTP, 2012). The Central London SRTP meanwhile,
envisages an additional 300,000 population with an additional 450,000 jobs
spread throughout the sub-region in Opportunity Areas near Hackney such as
King’s Cross and the City Fringe and Intensification Areas of Farringdon and
Smithfield (TfL, 2012).
Land use and projected growth levels to 2026
4.13 Hackney is in the process of developing its Local Development Framework
portfolio of development plan documents. The Council adopted its Core
Strategy in 2010 which outlined broad strategic locations where Hackney’s
future growth will be expected to occur over the next 11 years to 2026. While
further information can be found in the Transport Strategy background paper
some of the key statistics are summarised as follows:
Dalston is a London Plan designated Intensification Area which is ear-
marked to grow by approximately 1,770 new homes, 6,000 sqm of new
employment space and 3,000 sqm of convenience shopping;
19Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Hackney Central has approximately 1,200 new homes and improved retail,
civic and cultural growth proposed;
Woodberry Down is one of largest regeneration programmes in Europe
which an estimated 5,000 new homes expected to be realised over a 20
year period;
Hackney Wick is a key Olympic Legacy employment area expected to
contribute an additional 87,000 sq m of employment space and 620 new
homes;
City Fringe South Shoreditch – growth in this area will look to enhance its
cultural, office, leisure and creative character with an additional 530 new
housing units and approximately 175,000 sqm of new employment space;
Railway Corridors centred in areas around Haggerston, Hoxton and
Shoreditch High Street Overground stations will be expected to
contribute 630 new homes and further intensification of mixed use
development.
4.14 A key reason for these particular growth locations was their proximity to high
levels of existing or planned public transport provision. This planned growth can
therefore be catered for by mitigating against additional car use but will likely to
increase pressure on existing public transport services.
Addressing future over-crowding
4.15 Even with all committed investment and planned infrastructure in place,
Hackney, in common with other inner London boroughs, is likely to experience
overcrowding and congestion on its public transport network in future years.
This will likely be the result of increases in the demand to travel within the
borough and from journeys originating outside, but routing through Hackney;
but also the increasing popularity of public transport as private car use is
discouraged.
4.16 Figure highlights the extent of expected overcrowding on London’s rail network
by 2031. The map depicts severe over-crowding on many railway lines and
Tube connections to key hubs and termini such as King’s Cross, Liverpool
20Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Street, London Bridge and Stratford. The following is of particular relevance to
the travel patterns of Hackney’s residents:
Severe overcrowding is expected on all rail and tube lines running south of
Finsbury Park;
Overcrowding expected on the North London line between Homerton and
Highbury & Islington (particularly between Dalston and Highbury &
Islington);
Overcrowding on most of the Northern line but particularly between London
Bridge and Euston;
Central Line overcrowding between Bank and Stratford.
Figure 5: Forecast London Underground crowding in 2031
Source: GLA (2014), London Infrastructure Plan, Transport Supporting Paper
21Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
4.17 Future regeneration within Hackney and within the wider central and east
London sub-region will be dependent upon the success or otherwise of finding
a solution to these problems. The answer is likely to be the result of a
significant uplift in public transport capacity provision and policy initiatives
promoting a shift to greater walking and cycling levels to reduce pressure on
the existing network. Efforts to aid the relieving of local public transport
overcrowding are outlined in the Cycling and Walking plans.
Barriers to using public transport in Hackney
4.18 As part of the initial consultation process for the Transport Strategy, Council
officers engaged key stakeholder groups including disability groups,
Sustainable Hackney (SH), Age UK, Hackney Headteachers Forum (HHF) and
Hackney Councillors (HC) to identify the key issues around public transport
provision in Hackney. In addition to this, Council officers also took into
consideration previous submissions to the LIP2 document and other useful
documents such as the Disability BackUp Report ‘Getting There’ (DBU) and the
Council’s emerging Infrastructure Delivery Plan, which identifies gaps in
transport infrastructure. Table 2 provides a synopsis of some the key issues
raised.
Table 2: Barriers to public transport raised by key stakeholders
Specific Locations
Issue Raised by
raised
Rail / Overground
Over-crowding on the London North London Line in
HC particular
Overground
All NR stations
Lack of staff at rail stations/ threat DBU
of staff cuts
HC
Dalston Kingsland/Dalston
Poor interchange facilities DBU Junction
Inadequate ticket hall facilities DBU Dalston Kingsland
Bus
Amhurst Park
Need for more bus priority
HC Wick Road
measures
Cassland Road
22Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Route 242, 336
Reduced bus services/reliability
HC
issues Stoke-Newington town centre
Generally east of the borough
Clapton Park – specifically
Lack of reliable west-bound and HC routes 242 & 308
south-bound bus services from
going west from the east of the Kings Park East of the borough generally
borough Ward
Forum (WF)
Stamford Hill – Finsbury Park
– Golders Green
Interlink
Lack of a bus service connecting
Golders Green and Stamford Hill –
210 from Finsbury Park should go Cllr
via Stamford Hill Steinberger
Cllr Levy
Cllr Stops
Suggested potential re-route
A need for a bus service from Interlink, of route no 253/254
Stamford Hill to Homerton Hospital
Cllr Levy
Need for more Real Time Clapton/ Kings Park area
DBU particularly on route 242
Information on bus stops
A need to connect Woodberry Suggested extension of route
Cllr Stops 276
Down with Stoke Newington
Borough-wide
Lack of bus shelter /and seats
especially in inclement weather – DBU
need audit of bus stops
Outside Dalston Junction
Borough-wide but prevalent
DBU outside main town centres
Lack of real-time information on and
some bus stops
Kings Park
WF
School children using bus services Amhurst Park
for short journeys to school rather HC
than walk or cycle
Distance between bus stops too Stoke-Newington Church St
HC
great (eastbound)
Accessibility
Lack of safe crossing facilities near Lea Bridge Road
DBU
bus stops
23Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Design of new Routemaster allows
DBU
less space for wheelchairs
Includes;
HC
Hackney Downs
Inaccessible rail stations/ lack of Dalston Kingsland
DBU
DDA-compliant stations
Homerton
Some bus drivers not stopping for Londonwide
HC
wheelchair users/ unhelpful attitude
DBU
Other
Lack of black cabs in town centres DBU Dalston
Need to consider the use of Route 55
Sustainable
trams/light rail in Hackney – Hackney
particularly on crowded bus
corridors Cllr Stops Route 149
4.19 In order to meet these challenges, the Council will need to continue work
closely in partnership with a range of stakeholders including the Department for
Transport, National Rail, Transport for London, community groups and through
forming alliances with neighbouring boroughs to plan and jointly fund public
transport improvements. These will include schemes that improve integration
between different travel modes.
4.20 Whilst the borough is not directly responsible for the provision of public
transport services, it plays an important role in facilitating improvements
primarily through identifying gaps in provision and working with TfL and public
transport operators to address these shortfalls. The Council can also assist by
implementing local improvements to existing services for example, by providing
bus priority measures on its road network or by using development
contributions to provide a better environment for pedestrians, cyclists and bus
users to access stations and bus stops through better crossing facilities and
slower vehicle speeds. The Council also acts as an important intermediary
between Hackney residents, key stakeholder groups including those
representing older people and people with disabilities with Transport for London
e.g. by raising resident concerns with bus stops, crossing facilities on the TLRN
network. This also includes hosting regular meetings which brings together a
24Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
wide range of public transport groups and operators to provide updates and
discuss areas of concern.
4.21 Many of the issues raised above are covered in more detail in other parts of the
Transport Strategy – notably the Walking Plan and Sustainable Transport SPD.
The remainder of this document will be concerned with the Council’s proposals
for improving the capacity, frequency and quality of public transport provision in
the borough.
25Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
5 Rail Strategy
Introduction
5.1 Rail-based public transport services in Hackney have significantly improved in
recent years, particularly with the opening of the East London Line Extension
and further service improvements to the North London Line. The devolution of
West Anglia services to Transport for London in May 2015, should also lead to
an improved quality of services in areas served by these routes.
5.2 Rail is an important mode of transport in Hackney, accounting for around a
quarter of all commuter trips. The majority of these trips unsurprisingly originate
in areas of the borough where there is good access to London Underground
services such as Manor House and Finsbury Park and Overground services
such as Hackney Central, Dalston and Homerton. Analysis of Census 2011
travel to work data shows that the key destinations for people travelling to work
by either rail or London Underground include the City, Westminster and Canary
Wharf (see Transport Strategy- supporting paper).
5.3 Despite real progress in rail provision in Hackney, there remains significant
challenges to overcome in order to address gaps in provision of underground
rail services, reduce overcrowding on services (particularly on the London
Overground) and improve accessibility to stations. The radial nature of the
National Rail routes that currently terminate at Liverpool Street also creates
difficulties in terms of providing orbital movement. This chapter sets out
Hackney Council’s approach to rail provision for our residents over the lifetime
of the Transport Strategy.
Existing rail network and recent improvements
5.4 Rail services in Hackney are provided and managed by a number of operators
including Transport for London and Network Rail. Four mainline rail routes
serve stations based within Hackney:
26Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
The former Greater Anglia’s West Anglia services which originate from
Liverpool Street and serve stations at Hackney Downs, London Fields,
Rectory Road, Clapton, Stoke Newington and Stamford Hill stations. These
stations became part of the TfL rail network on 31st May 2015.
Great Northern’s Northern City line which runs from Moorgate to Finsbury
Park and serves Old Street;
The North London Overground line that runs from both Clapham Junction
and Richmond in the west to Stratford in the east with stations at Dalston
Kingsland, Hackney Central and Homerton;
The East London Overground line that runs from Highbury & Islington in the
north to West Croydon in south London and Clapham Junction in the
southwest. The line opened in 2010 and provided new stations at Dalston
Junction, Haggerston, Hoxton and Shoreditch.
5.5 In February 2011, the Highbury & Islington extension on the East London line
was completed allowing additional services at Dalston Junction. The second
phase of the East London line extension was completed in December 2012,
thereby allowing the borough full orbital connections across London. The map
showing the existing rail network in Hackney and location of key railway
stations within and immediately outside the borough is depicted in Figure 5.
5.6 Rail use in Hackney has increased exponentially particularly since TfL assumed
control of former franchise lines and instigated improvements to the London
Overground network. The tables below comprise of passenger numbers
statistics obtained from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR);
Table 3: North London Line changes in passenger numbers 2006/07-2013/14
Station 2006/07 2013/14
Hackney Wick 366,586 1,517,052
Homerton 1,894,179 4,882,562
Hackney Central 1,895,979 5,310,932
Dalston Kingsland 2,538,141 6,174,590
27Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Table 4: Passenger numbers at Greater Anglia stations (TfL from 31 May 2015)
Station 2006/07 2013/14
Clapton 46 460,103 1,568,544
Stamford Hill 265,335 403,070
Stoke-Newington 314,821 939,430
Rectory Road 278,779 854,556
Hackney Downs 1,076,624 2,035,092
London Fields: 1 111,710 619,540
Table 5: Passenger numbers at East London Line stations since May 2010
Station 2010/11 2013/14
Dalston Junction 1,331,580 3,199,980
Haggerston 509,504 1,912,378
Hoxton 464,292 1,740,796
Shoreditch High 3,068,578 4,057,118
Street
5.7 ORR estimates tend to be less than those counts recorded independently by
the Council for a variety of reasons including a lack of a gated system at some
stations and the fact that Oyster pay-as-you-go trips were not always included.
Nonetheless, ORR statistics help provide a useful guide to trends.
5.8 Four of the busiest stations in Hackney rank amongst the busiest in the country,
with passenger numbers higher than that of many provincial cities;
Dalston Kingsland is 66th busiest station in the country, out of 2537, i.e.
in the top 3%, and busier than Nottingham at 67th
28Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Hackney Central is 76th busiest, also in the top 3%, and busier than
Ealing Broadway at 77th
Homerton is 79th busiest, busier than Birmingham International/NEC at
80th
Shoreditch High Street is 106th busiest, busier than Tonbridge at 107th
and Stansted Airport at 123rd
In addition to the above, Hackney Downs is busier than Portsmouth and the two
Dalston stations together are busier than Sheffield providing justification for
further investment in the Overground network in Hackney.
29Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Figure 5: Existing rail network in and around Hackney
Source: Hackney Council, LIP2, 2011
30Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Confirmed rail improvements (2015-2019)
5.9 Planned improvements to the strategic railway network in London are primarily
decided by the Department for Transport, Transport for London and Network
Rail. Nonetheless the Council has an important role in making the case for local
improvements either on its own or through strategic partnership agreements
with other boroughs such as the East London and South East London
Transport Partnership (ESEL), with colleagues representing north and central
London boroughs and a wide range of advocacy groups and non-government
organisations. Key sources of information include Network Rail’s ‘Strategic
Business Plan for 2014-2019 and TfL’s Business Plan 2009/10 – 2017/18. Key
confirmed infrastructure projects impacting Hackney include:
Crossrail 1 (2018)
5.10 Crossrail is a 73-mile rail route that links west from Reading and Heathrow
airport to Canary Wharf in London Docklands and Shenfield in Essex via 25
miles of tunnels under central London. Crossrail will expand the city’s rail
network capacity by 10% cutting journey times substantially and relieving
congestion on many other rail and Tube lines. Although there will be no station
situated within the borough boundary, the station at Liverpool Street will have
an influence on the South Shoreditch area and act as a further catalyst for
regeneration and growth in this area. Similarly, the station at Stratford should
have benefits in terms of reducing congestion on the Central Line and
facilitating regeneration in the Hackney Wick area providing appropriate bus
and rail links are in place. Hackney will work with TfL, Crossrail and
neighbouring boroughs to ensure that pedestrian, cycle and bus routes to
stations are improved as the project progresses. Crossrail 1 is due to open in
2018.
PT1: Crossrail 1 Station Access Improvements
Hackney will work with TfL, Crossrail and neighbouring boroughs to ensure
that pedestrian, cycle and bus routes from Hackney to new Crossrail
stations are improved and benefits to the borough maximised as the project
progresses.
31Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
Lea Bridge Station (2015)
5.11 Although located just over the borough boundary in Waltham Forest, Hackney
residents in the Lower Clapton and Lea Bridge Road areas of the borough will
benefit from the re-opening of this station, which was confirmed in Network
Rail’s Strategic Business Plan published in January 2013. The station, which is
located near some of the most deprived wards in Hackney; is served by a
number of high-frequency bus routes including the 48, 55, and 56 and will
improve transport accessibility for the growing residential area and visitor
attractions along Lea Bridge Road to access employment opportunities in
Stratford and the wider Lower Lea Valley and Docklands area. Interchanges will
also be possible at Tottenham Hale offering further possibilities to access
destinations in the Upper Lea Valley area such as the Meridian Water and
Northumberland Park developments. As with the Crossrail stations, Hackney
will work with LB Waltham Forest, Network Rail and TfL to ensure that
improvements to existing pedestrian and cycle routes (with reference to LB
Waltham Forest’s recently successful Mini-Holland bid) and infrastructure are
secured as part of the implementation process.
PT2: Lea Bridge Station
Hackney will work with LB Waltham Forest Council, Network Rail and TfL to
ensure that improvements to pedestrian, cycling and bus routes between
the station and Hackney are secured.
West Anglia Main Line three-tracking (by 2019)
5.12 A related project includes the £72 million commitment outlined by Network Rail
in the Business Plan to relieve overcrowding and absorbing the additional
forecast growth on the West Anglia main line by delivering the infrastructure
required to increase the frequency of Lea Valley line services to Stratford to
four trains per hour. An additional benefit to this will be the opportunity to
increase services at Clapton station by enabling a direct rail service from
Clapton to Tottenham Hale and the Lea Valley Line in addition to the existing
Chingford – Liverpool Street route.
32Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan
5.13 The North London Strategic Alliance was recently successful in securing £25
million from the Growing Places Fund for rail upgrades to provide extra services
at Northumberland Park and Tottenham Hale, improving rail links between
Stratford, the Upper Lee Valley and beyond, including Stansted Airport. The
funding will enable the construction of an additional track between the re-
opened Lea Bridge station and Angel Road which will have the benefit of
doubling the amount of trains serving Lea Bridge station to 4 per hour. The
scheme is expected to complement additional station upgrades at Angel Road
and support the Meridian Water and Northumberland Park developments as
part of the wider regeneration of the Upper Lea Valley Opportunity Area. These
greater capacity and commuter rail service improvements will enable our
resident’s greater access to employment opportunities at Stratford and the
Upper Lea Valley.
PT3: Clapton to Tottenham Hale service improvements
Hackney will work with Network Rail and TfL to ensure that three-tracking
the West Anglia Main Line results in frequency and connectivity
improvements for Hackney residents. In particular we want to see a direct
service between Clapton and Tottenham Hale and the Lea Valley Line in
addition to the existing Liverpool Street – Chingford service.
Devolution of West Anglia Line suburban services to the Mayor of London
and TfL
5.14 In the June 2013 Comprehensive Spending Review the Chancellor of the
Exchequer announced that by 2015, Transport for London will take over
running suburban train services and stations on the West Anglia line between
Liverpool Street and Cheshunt, Chingford and Enfield Town. This means all
West Anglia Line services stopping in Hackney and all stations in Hackney will
be managed and run by TfL and the Mayor of London by mid-2015. Hackney
will work in partnership with the Mayor and TfL to secure urgently needed
improvements to stations and trains on the West Anglia Line in the borough.
These are expected to include, but not limited to;
- Fully staffed stations during operation hours from 31st May 2015
- Ticket gates at all Hackney stations by 2017
33You can also read
