Hackney Transport Strategy - 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan - Hackney Council

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Hackney Transport Strategy - 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan - Hackney Council
2015-2025
                                                                        Strategy

                     Public Transport Plan
                                                                        Hackney Transport
Produced by Hackney Design, Communications & Print • February 2016 • PJ62051
Hackney Transport Strategy - 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan - Hackney Council
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
Hackney Transport Strategy - 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan - Hackney Council
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
Hackney Transport Strategy - 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan - Hackney Council
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 - Hackney Council
Hackney Transport Strategy - 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan - Hackney Council
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
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Hackney Transport Strategy - 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan - Hackney Council
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.

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Hackney Transport Strategy - 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan - Hackney Council
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:

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Hackney Transport Strategy - 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan - Hackney Council
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

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Hackney Transport Strategy - 2015-2025 Public Transport Plan - Hackney Council
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.

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Hackney 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.

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Hackney 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.

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Hackney 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.

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Hackney 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.

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Hackney 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.

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Hackney 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.

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Hackney 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

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Hackney 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.

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Hackney 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).

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Hackney 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.

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Hackney 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).

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Hackney 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,

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Hackney 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

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Hackney 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;

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Hackney 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

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Hackney 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

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Hackney 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

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Hackney 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

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Hackney 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

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Hackney 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.

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Hackney 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:

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Hackney 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

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Hackney 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

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Hackney 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.

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Hackney Transport Strategy 2015-2025                    Public Transport Plan

Figure 5: Existing rail network in and around Hackney

Source: Hackney Council, LIP2, 2011

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Hackney 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.

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Hackney 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.

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Hackney 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

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