Piccadilly Line Stop for Turnham Green
Campaigners celebrate news that full service to be introduced when line is upgraded
After decades of lobbying campaigners are celebrating after it was announced this Wednesday (18th December) that Turnham Green is to be a permanent stop on the Piccadilly line.
The announcement was made by Boris Johnson following a consultation which received one of the largest ever responses to any held by Transport for London (TfL). Also a petition organised by local MP Mary Macleod raised over 4,000 signatures.
The date of the introduction of the stop in Chiswick is uncertain as the Mayor has made a commitment to make the change when the Piccadilly line is upgraded and there are still question marks over the funding and timing of this upgrade. At this stage it is believed that the upgrade of stock on the line may begin in 2017 with the first new train coming into service by 2021 and the project completed by 2023.
A Piccadilly line train speeds through Turnham Green
Efforts have already begun to firm up the timetable for the introduction of a full service. Following the announcement Mary Macleod wrote to Boris Johnson and TfL asking them to confirm the date that the Piccadilly line upgrade will take place and push for more Piccadilly line trains to stop at Turnham Green station during off-peak hours between now and the upgrade’s completion.
The Mayor’s announcement came during this morning’s Question Time at City Hall. Key announcements today were:
1. A 24-hour tube service, including Turnham Green, at weekends from 2015.
2. A new fleet of District Line trains in 2016.
3. Faster and more frequent services due to signalling upgrades from 2018.
4. Stopping throughout the day at Turnham Green as soon as the line has been upgraded.
Mary Macleod said, ‘Stopping the Piccadilly line at Turnham Green station throughout the day will make a huge difference to the lives of local people and businesses. On behalf of Chiswick residents, I have pushed hard on this issue for a long time and I am absolutely delighted that the Mayor and TfL have finally granted our wishes. I look forward to hearing from the Mayor in the New Year on the timetable for the Piccadilly line upgrade and when we can expect his announcement to take effect’.
Earlier this year, Mayor of London, Boris Johnson said: “I want to congratulate Mary for her tireless and determined campaigning for her constituents in Chiswick to have more trains stopping at Turnham Green station.”
Mary Macleod lobbies Boris Johnson over Turnham Green tube
Councillor Gary Malcolm said: “The Liberal Democrats have campaigned for ten years to get this good news for residents. It may not be happening straight away but we will be counting down until the tubes stop all day at Turnham Green station. Thank you to all the residents who completed the consultation forms on this subject or filled in our petitions. A nice end to the year!”
Southfield Ward Lib Dems with Caroline Pidgeon of the GLA march for Turnham Green stop
Angie Bray, MP for the Ealing and Central Acton constituency said, "This is a great success for the local campaign, which generated one of the biggest consultation responses TfL had ever seen. Obviously we will have to wait while the line is upgraded, but I am hoping that we can still persuade Boris to introduce some improvements sooner than that, allowing more trains to stop outside peak hours and at weekends would be a good start."
Although Mary Macleod was thrilled that campaigning by her and local residents has paid off, she was quick to stress that she will continue to press the Mayor of London and TfL to stop Piccadilly line trains at Turnham Green Station during off-peak times between now and the completion of the Piccadilly line upgrade and Angie Bray pledged to help her in that effort.
She added: ‘Very few Piccadilly line trains stop at Turnham Green under the current arrangements. I would like TfL to start stopping Piccadilly line trains at the station at non-peak times in the short-term until the Piccadilly line upgrade is complete. I will continue to urge the Mayor and TfL on this issue.’
December 21, 2013