Sunday, February 24, 2008
JOINED UP THINKING ??
After a recent meeting in London, which involved travelling to Old Street, Cllr.John Beanse writes:
At a time when there is growing awareness of the need to promote public transport, it seems extraordinary that one valuable link for Waltham Forest passengers travelling into London still remains totally absent from most Underground maps.
I refer to the very convenient interchange – no stairs, escalators or passages – at Highbury and Islington. Just by getting off the Victoria line and walking across to the opposite platform, one can easily access trains to Essex Road, Old Street and Moorgate. This line (once appearing on the maps as part of the Northern line, then as “British Rail”) is no longer shown. The trains are First Capital from Hertfordshire.
When speaking to a representative of London Underground recently and stressing the merits of again showing this link, I had an absurd conversation when I was told this is “not an Underground line” and I was countering “It certainly is an under ground line!” - and I emphasised that it is also a very easy connection.
There seems to be a complete absence of joined up thinking here and a lack of vision to boost what should be a totally integrated transport system.
At a time when there is growing awareness of the need to promote public transport, it seems extraordinary that one valuable link for Waltham Forest passengers travelling into London still remains totally absent from most Underground maps.
I refer to the very convenient interchange – no stairs, escalators or passages – at Highbury and Islington. Just by getting off the Victoria line and walking across to the opposite platform, one can easily access trains to Essex Road, Old Street and Moorgate. This line (once appearing on the maps as part of the Northern line, then as “British Rail”) is no longer shown. The trains are First Capital from Hertfordshire.
When speaking to a representative of London Underground recently and stressing the merits of again showing this link, I had an absurd conversation when I was told this is “not an Underground line” and I was countering “It certainly is an under ground line!” - and I emphasised that it is also a very easy connection.
There seems to be a complete absence of joined up thinking here and a lack of vision to boost what should be a totally integrated transport system.
# posted by John Beanse @ 10:15 AM 
