Airports / Buses /
City Tram / Congestion Charging
Scheme / Cross River Tram /
Crossrail / East London
Line extensions / Partnerships /
Station improvements / Thameslink
programme
The City’s position as the world’s leading international
financial and business centre is highly dependent upon good public
transport accessibility. Over 320,000 people commute to the City
each weekday and around 90% of them use public transport. City
businesses also place a high value on good international transport
links.
The City of London is situated at the heart of London’s
extensive public transport system. It is served directly by 7
Underground lines, 13 tube stations and 7 mainline stations; the
major rail termini at London Bridge and Waterloo are nearby.
Frequent commuter rail services operate throughout London and the
wider South East region providing access to the City from all
points of the compass. The City is also served by 38 high frequency
bus routes and 24 night bus routes providing access throughout
central London and beyond. To complete this unique level of
accessibility, the City is served by the Docklands Light Railway,
various commuter coach services and river boat services which
operate from piers at Blackfriars, London Bridge and Tower
Hill.
The City is also linked by rail to all of London’s airports and
high-speed Eurostar international rail services operate from the
nearby St Pancras station. The City is well served by the current
range of transport services but the City Corporation is not
complacent and recognises the need for increased transport capacity
and better reliability to improve conditions for existing
travellers and to cater for projected future growth in City
employment. The role of the Strategic Transportation Team is
therefore to actively promote and procure further transport
improvements in partnership with other organisations including
Transport for London, Network Rail and other boroughs in order to
strengthen the City’s accessibility. A number of key projects which
the City Corporation has supported are now coming to fruition
including the Crossrail, Thameslink and East London Line rail
schemes and other schemes are in the pipeline such as the Cross
River Tram and various station improvement schemes.
Airports
International travel is important for many City businesses. A
survey of City businesses indicated that 70% consider easy access
to an airport as critical to their operations. The City of London
has direct rail access to four airports. London City airport can be
accessed by a direct DLR service from Bank, in just 22 minutes.
Gatwick and Luton are served directly from the City by First
Capital Connect services from Blackfriars, City Thameslink and
Farringdon. These rail links will be improved under the
Thameslink Programme of upgrades. Stansted
Express services operate from Liverpool Street station. There is
not currently a direct rail service to Heathrow, but the airport is
easily accessed via the Piccadilly tube line, the Heathrow Express
or Heathrow Connect services from Paddington. One of the benefits
of the Crossrail scheme would be direct
rail access from the City to Heathrow. The City of London is
actively campaigning for this railway to be built.
Buses
The City of London works closely with London Buses to ensure
that services to the Square Mile are adequate in terms of capacity,
reliability and accessibility. The City of London is the Central
Sector Leader for the London Bus Priority Network (LBPN) and works
in partnership with all of the local authorities and Transport for
London(TfL). The LBPN aims to improve bus journey times, encourage
greater journey time reliability and improve the accessibility of
bus stops across London. The City of London is also responsible for
the Route 38 Corridor Management Project, which is implementing
more intensive bus priority measures on this pilot route.
In the short term, London’s buses can provide the capacity
needed to alleviate the overcrowding on the underground and some
mainline rail services. The City of London is working with the
various partners involved in the LBPN to improve the journey
experience of travelling by bus for both our residents and our
workers.
City Tram
The final stage of a study into a City Tram was completed in
Spring 2004. The study demonstrates that the preferred route
linking Battersea and Kennington in the South with Islington and
Hackney in the north via London Bridge and Liverpool Street has
high potential ridership and a positive benefit cost ratio.
Download the proposed route of the City Tram (85kb)
The City Tram would provide much needed public transport
capacity to cater for employment growth in the City and relieve
overcrowding on the Underground. There are also benefits from
linking regeneration areas with City employment and major rail
stations.
It is possible that the City Tram could be part of a wider
network by linking up with other proposed trams. Whilst the initial
results of the feasibility study are very promising, a considerable
amount of technical work will be necessary to develop a full
business case.
Congestion Charging Scheme
The Mayor of London introduced a Congestion Charging scheme for
Central London in 2003. The City of London supports the principle
of the scheme, which is run by Transport for London. By law, all
money raised from congestion charging is allocated for London's
transport facilities.
A
map of the zone is available from the Transport for London
website.
Anyone (except those exempt or discounted) driving or parking a
vehicle on public roads in this area between 7.00am and 6.00pm,
Monday to Friday has to pay a daily charge of £8. Discounts and
exemptions are available to certain people (including residents and
blue / orange disabled badge holders) providing they register. The
Congestion Charging website has further details of congestion
charge exemptions and discounts and a full list of those eligible.
The Congestion Charging zone was extended further west to include
Kensington and Chelsea in February 2007.
Please note, the City of London is unable to answer
queries relating to the Congestion Charge.
The official Congestion Charging website has more details of the
scheme and how to pay the charge. Alternatively, you can ring
0845 900 1234 for further information.
Cross River Tram
The City of London is a member of the Cross River Partnership
which is promoting the “Cross River Tram” project. This service
will dramatically improve travel on a north-south axis in central
London. The concept being developed is for a high quality public
transport link, running from northern termini at Camden and King’s
Cross / St. Pancras, via a common core section between Euston and
Waterloo, to southern termini at Peckham and Brixton. The Mayor of
London has given his support to the project and the scheme is
currently being designed in more detail. Consultation on route
options took place in 2006 with a view to applying for Transport
and Works Act powers in 2009. The system could be running by
2016.
Crossrail
This is a proposal for a new East-West railway under central
London. The scheme will provide a major increase in rail capacity
and ease the current crowding on the London rail network.
Click
here for the latest City of London position on Crossrail
East London Line extensions
The City of London supports the scheme to extend the East London
Line to Dalston and Highbury and Islington in the North and West
Croydon and Crystal Palace in the South. Although it will skirt the
boundary of the 'Square Mile', the City of London supports this
project for the regeneration and new access benefits it will bring
to our neighbouring boroughs and the northern part of the City. The
City of London also supports “Phase 2” of the extension programme,
which would connect to Clapham Junction, completing an orbital rail
network around London. This element of the scheme has yet to
receive funding. The East London Line Group is chaired by Deputy
Archie Galloway, who is an elected Member for the City of London.
More information on this scheme is available from the
Transport for London website.
Partnerships
The Strategic Transportation Team in the Department of Planning
and Transportation works with many partners to improve transport
provision both across London and to the Square Mile from elsewhere.
The City of London is a partner in the Thames Gateway London
Partnership; the East London Line Group; and, the West Anglia
Routes Group. It works with Transport for London, Network Rail,
London Underground, London Buses and train operating companies as
opportunities arise.
The Local Strategic Partnership for the Square Mile,
The City Together, oversees the development of its Community
Strategy. Working to meet the transport objectives set out in this,
the Strategic Transportation Team hosts the City Together Transport
Sub-group. This brings together transport providers, transport
authorities, transport users and other stakeholders in transport to
discuss transport issues of relevance to the City and to provide
input into the City of London. If you are interested in the work of
this group please email us at
plans@cityoflondon.gov.uk.
Please note that, in order to maintain a balance of interests in
the group, places occasionally have to be limited.
See also transportation publications
Station improvements
The City of London Corporation encourages transport providers to
improve their stations and there are several exciting proposals for
the near future.
The existing Cannon Street station buildings were erected in the
1960s and 1970s, and considerable congestion now occurs during peak
periods. Passenger usage is expected to increase by 22% over the
next 10 years, so passenger access and circulation needs to be
improved. As part of the office redevelopment above the station,
the opportunity is being taken to upgrade both the National Rail
and Underground stations. In addition to substantially improving
passenger movement and providing more capacity for the future, the
new station will be brighter and have modern facilities including
new retail areas and a new ticket office. The Underground station
entrances and ticket hall will also be substantially improved. The
station will remain open throughout the construction period and
train services should be unaffected. This £21 million project is
due to be completed in summer 2010.
The scheme will also offer step-free access to all platforms
except for the east-bound District line platform. However, the
planning permission for a property across the road from the station
includes a condition that will enable London Underground to also
provide step-free access to the east-bound services.
Backfriars station is also due to be remodelled, lengthening the
platforms to accommodate longer trains and extending the station
canopy over the bridge, providing an additional station entrance on
the South Bank. Blackfriars Underground station will also be
rebuilt with wider platforms. In future there will be a single
entrance for the two stations and there will be escalator and lift
access to all platforms. The whole station will be brighter with
modern facilities. These improvements are part of the Thameslink
Programme.
Looking further ahead, discussions are underway to improve Bank
station and the Crossrail project would enhance Liverpool Street
and Farringdon stations. It is also hoped that a second entrance to
Aldgate station can be provided, along with a remodelled bus
station, as part of the redevelopment of that site.
Thameslink programme
This project will upgrade the existing services on the
Thameslink route (operated by First Capital Connect to allow more
frequent, 12-car trains and will add new destinations to the
service. The scheme is very important for the future growth of the
City as it will provide a substantial increase in capacity and will
help to relieve overcrowding on the Northern Line and other rail
routes. The project includes the rebuilding and modernisation of
Blackfriars, London Bridge and Farringdon stations. The works will
require the permanent closure of the Moorgate branch and the
temporary closure of Blackfriars Underground station for two years,
but these disadvantages are more than offset by the overall
benefits of the scheme.
This scheme now has all the necessary planning permissions and
powers and the Government approved funding in July 2007. Network
Rail intends to commence works in the central area in early 2009,
allowing the operation of 12-car trains by 2011, in time for the
Olympics. By 2015, improvements at London Bridge and elsewhere on
the network will enable the operation of more frequent trains and
link Blackfriars and City Thameslink to additional destinations
such as Cambridge, Kings Lynn and Peterborough.
More information on this scheme is available from
Network
Rail.