Oyster card top-ups & season tickets withdrawn at Wimbledon Station

Wimbledon’s Liberal Democrats and London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon have been asking questions about South West Train’s decision to withdraw the availability of Oyster card top-ups and season tickets at Wimbledon Station ticket office.

Clearing litter from footbridge over railway at Merton Hall Road

A Dundonald Lib Dem Focus Team litter pick in December saw them collect two bin-liners of rubbish and litter on Merton Hall Road, including from the footbridge over the railway.

The team have also been trying to get Merton Council to fix the lights on the footbridge since early 2013.

Focus Team member Anthony Fairclough said:

“The lack of light on the footbridge is potentially a safety issue. It shouldn’t be so difficult for anyone to get the Council just to take some action, or even to respond about an issue they’re concerned about.”

Mayor rules out a part-time workers’ Travelcard

Last week at Mayor’s Question Time, Boris refused to consider the merits of a Travelcard for part-time workers.

Following questioning from Caroline Pidgeon, the Mayor, who is chair of Transport for London, gave a clear cut reply that he had ruled out any further consideration of the proposal. His stance led to criticisms even from Conservative Assembly Members.

London’s Mayor and part-time season tickets

Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly have challenged Boris to introduce part-time travelcard covering all forms of transport across the capital, following Transport Minister Norman Baker’s annoucement that a trial of the part-time tickets will soon start on a busy London commuter line.

Boris said in March that he was considering such a scheme.

Lots of people work part-time, but the current weekly and monthly travelcards are rigidly based around a conventional five day week. A part-time travelcard would make travel more affordable for people who work part-time as well as encouraging more flexible working and travel times.

The bridge at Wimbledon Chase is being repainted!

Wimbledon Chase bridge being repainted August 2013

AFTER confirming to us in February that the bridge at Wimbledon Chase Station would be repainted this year, work has eventually begun.

We’re really pleased that this is happening, especially given our 2 year campaign to get Network Rail to paint out the worst aspects of the graffiti on the bridge that was eventually successful in 2011. That campaign, which included letters to Network Rail’s chief executive, set the ball rolling on getting them to repaint the whole bridge.

Network Rail have told us that they hope to have the works completed by the end of September.

The State of the railway bridge at Wimbeldon Chase was one of our original “six to fix”.

There’s a potted history of our 2 year campaign here.

South West Train’s July customer update

Just received South West Train’s latest Customer update – below.

Since our last Customer Update we’ve been working hard to improve your railway experience in every way possible. During April and May we delivered one of the best punctuality rates in the country, invested heavily in major improvement schemes and reduced incident recovery time by 11%.  You can read all about the improvements and ongoing work we’re doing here.

TfL receive plans for new Tramlink route through Morden

On May 23, Lib Dem-run Sutton Council proposed a new tram route through Morden with the publication of an ‘economic benefits prospectus’.

The prospectus considers how the tram extension would support economic development and regeneration objectives across the borough and attempts to evaluate the potential benefits, including job creation and journey time savings.

The proposed route would see five stops in Merton. Plans show the route would divert at the Morden Road stop, travel south running alongside Morden Hall Park, then follow St Helier Avenue travelling towards the Rosehill Roundabout.

Attending the launch of the report, Lib Dem transport minister Norman Baker emphasised that he fully supported light rail:

it is one of the cleanest and greenest forms of transport. With the right scheme in the right place, it has the potential to encourage people out of their cars and on to public transport.

The Wimbledon Guardian reported it here.

A copy of the prospectus is here.

Wimbledon Chase railway bridge will be repainted … pink (or maybe, “reddish”) [updated]

Following on from the announcement that the railway bridge at Wimbledon Chase will be repainted, a spokesperson for Network Rail confirmed to us:

I have been advised that this bridge will be painted as agreed by the council. To my knowledge this is due to be painted pink – please do not be alarmed as I have been informed that it will not be an eye sore and that it is a nice colour!

Let us know what you think!

UPDATE: On Tues 4 June, after asking further questions about this, we received the following message from Network Rail:

I appreciate [residents’] concerns however we are running out of time and discussing colours would only prolong this which I hope you understand. I have been advised that the bridge will be painted it’s original colour which I believe is reddish as this has faded. We have been working closely with the council to agree this.

The nature of these works is a significant amount of money as such hope the residents are aware of this.

So maybe not so pink after all.

Part-time Travelcard campaign finally gets a hearing

London’s Mayor has just written to Caroline Pidgeon, Lib Dem London Assembly Member confirming that Transport for London is considering “part time Travelcards”. This is a Travelcard that is only valid at certain times during the week – to assist those who only work part-time and for whom a full Travelcard is largely wasted.

Part-time Travelcards was one of the ideas in the Lib Dems’ 5 point plan to make travel more affordable, which they launched in 2012.

We’ll keep you posted of any developments.

About time: Wimbledon Chase Railway bridge to be repainted

London Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon & the Wimbledon team celebrate bridge success in 2011.

Network Rail recently confirmed to Dundonald Liberal Democrats that

Repainting of Wimbledon Chase – I am pleased to confirm that painting of this bridge is due to take place this financial year (2013/2014), unfortunately I am unable to provide a confirmed date at this stage.

We’re really pleased – especially given our 2 year campaign to get them to paint out the worst aspects of the graffiti on the bridge that was eventually successful in 2011. That’s obviously set the ball rolling on getting them to sort out the whole bridge.

There should be a straightforward way for members of the public to report these kind of problems and then timely action from those who’re responsible. You shouldn’t need to be a transport expert, or oddly persistent, to get rubbish and graffiti removed near where you live, just because it happens to be on railway land or structures.

Update – here is a potted history of the 2 year campaign to get the graffiti painted out.