Council calls on TfL to find Olympia Line solution

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Council calls on TfL to find Olympia Line solution

Wednesday July 27, 2011

Controversial proposals to withdraw trains from the Olympia branch of the District Line on weekdays were debated at a public meeting yesterday evening.

Around 300 residents attended the meeting at Olympia’s Pillar Hall last night (July 26) to discuss Transport for London’s (TfL) plans to scale back services on the District Line to Olympia.

TfL wants to increase capacity on the Wimbledon branch of the District line by withdrawing weekdays services on the Olympia spur – which it argues is ‘underused’.

However, residents around Olympia are worried about the loss of their local service – especially as the station is the only one in the area that provides easy step-free disabled access.

Councillor Joe Carlebach, Hammersmith & Fulham (H&F) Council Cabinet Member for Community Care, represented the council at the meeting. He says: “The ball is in TfL’s court. Residents around Olympia have made their views crystal clear and the council is putting a series of questions and possible solutions forward and it is now up to TfL to respond. The improvements to the Wimbledon branch should not be delivered at the expense of people, particularly those with mobility problems, living around Olympia.”

The Olympia connection could become even more critical, to residents and visitors alike, as the current owner of Olympia Capital & Counties (Capco) has submitted plans to redevelop Earl's Court and intends to consolidate their existing conference and exhibition business at an enhanced Olympia venue.

The council is now calling on TfL to be transparent about the data they used about passenger numbers at Olympia. The council is also demanding to know:

  • Whether TfL will consider a compromise that sees the extra trains on the Wimbledon line stop and start at Putney Bridge allowing the worst parts of the Wimbledon Line to gain extra capacity while retaining the Olympia service
  • Whether the resignalling works scheduled to take place at the Earls Court bottleneck could be brought forward to allow the extra trains on the Wimbledon line as well as the retention of the Olympia service
  • Why, if it is technically possible that Olympia service can be retained for special events, the service cannot be retained the rest of the time
  • Whether the extra trains to Wimbledon cease when special events at Olympia are taking place
  • If Olympia is closed or downgraded what extra bus services, extra Overground trains and measures to ease local road congestion will be provided
  • If Olympia is closed or downgraded what enhancement of step free access will be offered to local residents as recompense

Cllr Carlebach continues: “The council is keen to protect the considerable investment that has been made in the Olympia site and prevent the loss of a critical transport link for local businesses and hard working residents travelling to and from work. We are also very concerned at the loss of one of the few step free underground stations in west London.

“We are equally keen for prompt action to be taken to remedy the terrible over crowding on the Wimbledon branch of the District line – which is unacceptable.

“We as a local authority have contributed a number of practical suggestions to assist TfL in finding an amicable solution to this issue and it is our hope that they will act on these."

To have your say on the District line proposals call TfL on 0845 330 9880.

» Send us your comments now

I was the Wimbledon user that L weale mentioned and the frustration of several thousand people trying to get home anyway they can is just manic. I sometimes use the Olympiaaa line myself if I need to be in that area but it''s infrequent service make it quicker to go to Hammersmith & get a bus. Surely making the Olympia line a better and more regular service off-peak would enable people needing step-free access with buggies, cases, wheelchairs etc to plan an easier journey into the West of London. The Wimbledon line is really only busy until about 9am and from 4:30 to 7pm. A service that allows all routes to be serviced with a good timetable would allow passengers to plan their routes. Buses are not a good option for wheelchair users at all I have witnessed many people being left at bus stops. I can''t remember the last time I saw a folded buggy on a bus even when they are empty. People just don''t do it anymore, maybe we need an education program on that TFL! The Olympia line didn''t seem to matter to me but I now realise that it actually matters to all passengers as overground, district line and mainline railways all join here so it''s an important connection point for many journeys.
From Wimbledon line user on 05/08/2011 at 12:23
As a regular user of the Olympia tube service I am hugely dismayed by the proposal. I am particularly disappointed by the fuzzy statistics used by TfL and am concerned that the many hundred thousand journeys on the Olympia tube line which are proposed to be displaced to West Brompton and the Overland service will make those services noticeably worse and not better.

We should pay attention to the Wimbledon line user, who came to say that Earls Court / Olympia / Clapham Junction / Wimbledon was a viable alternative when the Wimbledon line was down.

I look forward to TfL proposing ways of better use of the Olympia station, as a strategic hub for disabled people and a fast way to Westfield and the NW/SW of London on the Overland, to support transport for all of London rather than closing a valued service to a busy part of London.

I am grateful to Cllr Carlebach''s support and the other H&F Councillors who attended the public meeting.
From L Weale on 02/08/2011 at 12:48

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