Forum Topic

Personal Travel Solutions Service

As advertised recently on this site:Transport for London is funding a project in Hounslow Borough to help residents find quicker, cheaper and easier ways to travel.  A team of trained advisors based at the Civic Centre is offering one to one personal consultations to help you find easier ways to travel.  To book an appointment, call 020 8583 5270 or email ptp@sdgworld.net

Chris Calvi-Freeman ● 6211d11 Comments

Going back to the subject that started this thread, I find the Tfl site quite useful and though  sometimes use other sites for journey planning, I get annoyed with the latter because they don't seem to acknowledge the public transport user. IT is true that Tfl sites often seem to offer walk-two buses-walk-tube combos and similar, but you can specify that you want the fewest changes rather than the fastest journey.It would be good if the National Rail Enquiries site could link with public transport sites at each end of the journey, so that one can plan not only the inter-city trip but also the start and final legs of a trip (I do a lot of this kind of trip planning at work). Overall I think Tfl has been a force for good. On the other hand the London bus companies should be taken out and shot (My particualr current bugbear is the "We are holding this bus at this stop for a few minutes in order to better regulate the service" when the bus is only a mile from its destination and has 100 passengers on board ansxious to make a connection).

Dan Filson ● 6209d

Wouldn't it be interesting to know how many people have tried to find an alternative - and what journeys they were trying to make?  Unless people give feedback who is going to know?

Philippa Bond ● 6209d

Fair points, I may need to wait for that supper green car to become viable.

Dave Hughes ● 6210d

Fair points Dave.While there have been significant improvements to bus services running from many places to Heathrow (T123, T4, T5), public transport does indeed tend to thin out west of Heathrow and I am sure there are many potential journeys to the industrial estates that are not adequately catered for by bus.  This is mainly due to the relatively sparse nature of settlement here.  It’s not feasible to expect that every journey in greater London can be catered for by public transport, but sometimes car sharing or cycling can be an option.  Electric cars for short journeys may be another option in a few years.Logging off now...

Chris Calvi-Freeman ● 6210d

I seem to find myself agreeing with Vanesa, the biggets problem one of which I have raised again and again when I was Cllr the provision of transport to the airport is woefull for people working on the airport as there is nothing conecting Poyle to Heston, transport somehow needs to have circular routes to help people to the trading estates around the airport, for somebody from feltham it takes nearly 1 and 1/2 hours to get to heston and nearly 2 hours to get to Poyle for a 20 min car journey forget using a bike unless you have a death wish..use a scooter and become crippled like me..There is no serious will to look at getting workers to the multi trading estates surrounding the airport, some of the problem has to do with boundries, but there is need to get people to the trading estates as it these places that supply the airport and maintain the airport as a leading internationl frt Hub.

Dave Hughes ● 6210d

FranThe advisers will come (by public transport) to people’s homes or workplaces, or the interviews can be conducted at the Civic Centre, whichever suits the clients.  Some of the process is motivational interviewing  - getting people into the mindset of at least considering using public transport, or trying cycling, or walking shorter distances when they might otherwise just automatically resort to their cars.Various ethnic and socio-economic groups have different attitudes towards sustainable travel and personalised transport planning (PTP) allows for a tailored approach that addresses individuals’ concerns, real and imagined. There are wider societal and economic benefits when individuals switch to sustainable modes of travel - i.e. fewer cars on the road (reducing delays to business drivers etc), lower levels of greenhouse gases (etc), lower levels of obesity in society (which is otherwise a cost to society through the NHS), etc etc. I presume you are not opposed to any promotion of public transport or cycling.  This is simply carefully targeted promotion of these modes, which will hopefully receive better results than the shotgun TV approach.Philippa - yes, there is a feedback form on the TfL website.  Please see above regarding the PTP way of working  - it’s not necessarily about mapping a public transport journey for everyone, especially those for whom public transport may not be a commuting option, however almost everyone could walk, cycle or use public transport in place of at least some of their car journeys. 

Chris Calvi-Freeman ● 6210d

Is there a way of giving feedback on the TfL website?I can see how it would be fun to get them to come into an office and give them lots car journeys to find alternatives for.  Now who fancies going to work by boat for a change?

Philippa Bond ● 6210d

Myself and numerous people I know who have used the route planner on TFL web site have all commented that the majority of the time it gives you longer routes entailing more buses than using other similar route finder web sites... maybe the TFL web site route planner is designed to cost us more money travelling....Why do we have to make an appointment to go to the Civic Centre to pick up maps and brochures when they can be picked up at bus stations, train stations and maps and timetables are displayed at all stations and bus stops,or as the marority of poeople do, download maps and timetables off the internet. 'Not everyone has access to the web of course' why then should those people go to the Civic Centre so the advisers 'can tell their clients about the TFL website and other useful sites'  a bit pointless I feel.Fran

Fran Naughton ● 6210d

Yes, the advisers provide maps and brochures and tell their clients about the TfL website and other useful sites.  Not everyone has access to the web of course but the percentage who do is increasing.

Chris Calvi-Freeman ● 6210d

Will it be advertising the Transport for London website and how you can find out for yourself and get email notifications of travel problems?

Philippa Bond ● 6210d

The first thing that springs to mind is what a waste of taxpayers money yet again by TFL. All this is already online, give us strength.

Vanessa Smith ● 6211d