Passengers using the overground’s North London line serving South Acton and Acton Central could face disruption by strike action as TfL is determined to press ahead with plans to introduce one-man operations on the line, while the union is strongly opposed.

The new trains are fitted with equipment to enable the driver to see when it is safe to move off and leaving the safety decision to the driver would also shave seconds off the dwell time at each station. The line is one of the few in London that relies on guards; London Underground removed them 30 years ago, but the rail union says it will fight the move.

Bob Crow’s union might also be upset by the Mayor’s statement last month that the new rolling stock for the Piccadilly line will be driverless trains. However replacement of trains on the Piccadilly line is not scheduled for some years.

The District line will have new air conditioned trains entering service within the year. The trains, similar to those on the Metropolitan line will have inward-facing seating along the length of the carriages which are “open ended” to form one continuous carriage.

Route 482 was introduced to link Southall to Terminal 5 but its rather circuitous route makes it unpopular with those seeking work at the terminal. Now that route is up for review by London Buses and a more direct route, using the M4, is one of many suggestions for consideration. If adopted this would be the first trial of a suburban express bus service promised by the mayor in his 2008 manifesto.

The Heathrow Express will continue after Crossrail begins services to Heathrow, but for how long? The Express will be only eight minutes quicker than Crossrail, will terminate at Paddington and will attract a higher fare. In the meantime a new acronym has entered the links to Heathrow vocabulary, “WRAtH”. The go-ahead, in principle, has been given for a western spur rail link from just east of Langley station to Terminal 5 where two empty platforms await it. The likely route will be contained in a tunnel but the starting points of the service have yet to be decided. Could the service then take over the Heathrow Express slots and run into Paddington?

With more hybrid vehicles joining the fleet, London Buses have asked operators to consider residents trying to sleep at night and use, wherever possible, the quieter hybrid vehicles. London United are one of the first to comply by operating the 94 night service with these vehicles. However they do not yet foresee the imminent introduction of the Boris Bus into the borough. Nor can we expect the return of the very silent trolley bus to London’s streets.

 

With so much engineering work on the railway into Paddington between now and the start of Crossrail, First Great Western see no point introducing a Sunday service at either West Ealing or Hanwell. But Crossrail say they are not bound by FGW’s decision and could well operate a seven days a week service. Ealing Passenger Transport Users Group will certainly keep up the pressure to make sure they do.

Proposals for the new Ealing Broadway station should be available on the ealing.gov.uk website. They show the cluster of shops restricting access through the booking hall will go and a wider gateline installed. Maximum use of natural light has been incorporated and the many floor levels replaced by a wide, step-free atrium. Access from the booking hall to the platforms is not so well defined and there remains a discussion about lift capacity.

 

Plans for the other four Crossrail stations in the borough will be rolled out over the next few months and with the possible exception of Hanwell will, say Crossrail, be fully DDA accessible. The public will have eight weeks to add their comments once the draft is published.