Richmond Council has refused to back bus priority improvements for Superloop route SL7 unless Transport for London (TfL) agrees to add just one more bus stop in the borough.
The SL7, which runs between West Croydon and Heathrow, currently stops only once in Richmond borough, at Broad Street, Teddington. From there it travels five miles to Hatton Cross without stopping. That is the longest gap between stops anywhere on the route, and councillors say it leaves residents in other parts of the borough, particularly the Hamptons, with poor access to public transport.
The Transport and Air Quality Committee voted against adopting the recommendations for bus priority measures, which would have improved bus movements for TfL. Councillors felt the council could not prioritise officer time and resources on the improvements without TfL agreeing to address significant public transport accessibility issues in areas such as Hampton and Hampton Hill.
Councillor Bishop highlighted that Hampton Hill local centre is rated as having low public transport accessibility. A site on Uxbridge Road is rated as poor, with Fulwell Station a considerable walk away.
TfL’s position, however, has so far been firm. Officers had previously indicated that TfL’s informal response to requests for additional stops was that they are “highly unlikely” to be approved. TfL believes the borough’s current bus stop provision is adequate and that there are enough existing stops connecting to the SL7. One councillor said their understanding was that “Transport for London wants to keep the Superloop fast”.
The proposed bus priority improvements included introducing or extending kerb-side waiting and loading restrictions and improving a signal-controlled junction. A proposal was made to improve the efficiency of the Hampton Road, Park Road, High Street traffic signal junction.
Feasibility designs for waiting and loading kerb-side controls on A312 Uxbridge Road (Hampton) and A313 Park Road (Hampton Hill/Teddington) were proposed, as well as feasibility designs for waiting and loading kerb-side controls to improve bus movements around existing pedestrian refuges on A309 Park Road, Teddington. The widening of the footway on the Kingston-bound stop was also proposed, alongside complementary changes to waiting and loading restrictions on the south-west bound carriageway. Completion of detailed design and traffic surveys for the A311 High Street/A313 Hampton Rd/Park Rd signal-controlled junction was also part of the proposals.
Bus priority schemes can provide benefits to other road users and the environment. The council has a statutory duty to manage the highway network for the expeditious movement of traffic, including buses. Across London, the speed of buses continues to decline, which can make longer bus journeys unattractive. Well-designed bus priority schemes can significantly improve bus journey times, speeds, and reliability.
The council will make it clear that it will not pursue proposals unless TfL revisits its position on additional bus stops and will seek feedback from TfL on the concerns raised regarding bus stops.
