Minutes of ETUG Meeting - 22nd May 2025 at 19:00hrs
Held in the D Block Ground Floor Room 3 of the Enfield Civic Centre
Chair’s Welcome
Chair Ray Knight welcomed everyone to the meeting
Apologies
Members present: John Prior, John Williams, Dave Cockle, Faye Medcalf, Peter Smith, Sean Cirillo, Cllr Peter Fallart and Guest Speaker Chris Cole.
Apologies received from Peter Jeffrey, Lindsay Rawlings and Phillip Ridley
Presentation by Chris Cole
Buses:
Bus Network Updates in Enfield:
There are no updates to provide on Superloop at present. We continue to work with LB Enfield to agree on a set of bus network proposals for the Meridian Water development, which will go to public consultation once the agreement with the borough is reached.
Route 456’s Sunday Frequency Increase:
Tendering for the new contract for route 456 is ongoing; TfL cannot confirm any changes until the tendering process is complete.
Rerouting the 456 clockwise at North Middlesex Hospital:
As stated in our previous response, this suggestion is not feasible due to the existing standing arrangements of route 456 at North Middlesex Hospital, with the stand on the north side of Bridport.
Route 377’s Sunday Service:
Passenger data from Monday to Saturday on route 377 was used to infer new trips that would be generated by the introduction of a Sunday service. This modelling indicated that the demand on Sundays would not justify
The introduction of a Sunday service on route 377.
JJW: Raised a lack of timetabling for the 456 at NMH.
Introducing a new Superloop parallel to the West Anglia Main Line:
The Upper Lea Valley Transport Study is over 12 years old and, as such, is outdated. TfL has since investigated the possibility of introducing a bus route between the north of the borough and Tottenham Hale Station, running via the A1055. These investigations showed this would not be an economically viable route for several reasons:
- The fact that it would parallel rail services, which provide a much quicker journey time between the same locations.
- The lack of frontages along long sections of the A1055 means the required passenger demand would not be generated to sustain the route.
- The comprehensive existing bus network in the area, which connects housing developments to local centres and opportunities for onward
Chingford connections:
Ponders End is well connected via high-frequency bus route 191 (6 buses per hour) to Enfield Town. It also has National Rail links to Tottenham Hale and Central London. No direct bus link currently exists between Ponders End and Chingford Mount. TfL has no current plans to introduce a direct route between the two areas. Passengers can still make the journey by changing buses—e.g., take route 313 and switch to route 97 or 215 at Kings Head Hill. Connectivity is limited by reservoirs, which reduce road link options between North Enfield and North Waltham Forest. TfL reviews the bus network regularly and may reconsider if demand and a strong business case support it in future.
Rail:
Additional Trains for the Weaver Line:
We do not plan to do any further business case analysis on the case for enhanced peak services on the Weaver line in the
immediate future. We will keep the demand and crowding position on the route under review and will consider undertaking such a business case as and when it becomes apparent that additional capacity is required. Production of a business case does not guarantee that funding for enhancements will be provided, given the competition for such investment.
Increasing the frequency of the Weaver Line:
Our operator ARL is currently undertaking further work on the 3+3 timetable proposal, examining how it could be incorporated. Within the new timetable structure that will be introduced in December 2025. This work is due to report in the Autumn, and will allow us to judge the feasibility of the proposal in more detail, as well as its cost and the value it offers. We can then consider whether it is viable for implementation and the potential timescales for this.
Silver Street Benches:
No funding, open to S106 funding to provide enhancements.
Hertford Loop Frequency Increase:
On off-peak services, it will depend on a couple of factors, including Government funding approval and an assessment towards the end of this year of driver availability, but we are developing a business case for potential introduction from December 2026.
Step-Free Access for Palmers Green:
The scheme is still in the design stage due to space constraints around the station, with buildings very close to the platforms. More information is expected to be available in the coming months. Although many Access for All schemes have been completed nationwide, Palmers Green has proven more difficult.
PS: Is step-free on the radar?
CC: It will cost £5 million, not funded, but keeps pursuing and ensuring it's within TfL’s radar.
JJW: Raised how Silver Street Station is a long walk distance.
CC: New crossings should be implemented in July.
RK: Raised on the poor service on the Weaver Line, withdrawal of the pocket timetable, Network Rail engineering works, meaning services stopping at 10:00 PM without communicating and retiming trains for White Heart Lane events without notifying in advance. New timetable posters did not show time arrivals instead of minutes.
CC: Promising an Arriva Overground Spokesman for the next meeting.
SC: Raised on Network Rail, not responding
CC: GA was the proposer who decided on Meridian Water
CC: Ponders End Loop not happening due to a poor business case. No other proposals at this time. Funding may be used elsewhere for transport improvements at Meridian Water.
DC: Palmers Green, I don't understand why the ramps aren't being reinstated as they used to be.
SC: Raised on Hail & Ride conversion updates.
CC: To forward a response tomorrow (23/05/2025).
RK: Raised on a new bus lane for Church Street, Edmonton, for the W8 bus route.
CC: Approved funding for bus priority studies at Station Road (New Southgate), Lea Valley Road, Southgate Circus, A110 (Southbury Road), and Carterhatch Lane.
RK: Raised on Road Work delays.
CC: TfL studied that the light timings for 75% of the routes are wrong and are commissioning someone to coordinate timings to mitigate delays on bus routes.
RK: Thanked Chris Cole for attending
4. Matters arising from the previous meeting
JP: Hidden the private ETUG Facebook Group
RK: Have you attempted to contact Enfield Dispatch?
SC: Will try and contact them by the next meeting.
RK: Progress on hybrid meetings?
CPF: Noted that the meeting rooms are not fully hybrid, meaning a combined in-person and remote meeting may not work.
SC: Forwarded the idea of possibly hosting one of the meetings annually online. The committee will discuss this option and will decide by the next meeting.
5. Train Operating Companies
Greater Anglia: 94.2% on-time and 1.5% Cancellation
London Overground: 93.5% on-time and 4.2% Cancellations
C. Great Northern: 90.1% on-time and 3.1% Cancellations
D. Thameslink: 93.8% on-time and 6.25% Cancellations
E. London Underground:
New trains have arrived for the Piccadilly Line
An unofficial test run has been conducted with the new trains with a run from Ruislip Siblings to Northfields depot, taking place overnight a few months back.
Upgrade works are still taking place for the new Piccadilly Line trains on the rails primarily.
London Underground are continuing to install 5G signalling across the network with the latest taking place on the Northern Line between Stockwell and Bahlam.
FM: Attended a talk on Piccadilly Line upgrades in Acton Works. The possible introduction of trains by the end of 2025.
6. Updates on Bus Services
Bus Performance Stats:
A. High-Frequency Routes:
Route 251: 0.59
Route 184: 0.94
Route 125: 1.07
Route W8: 1.08
Route 318: 1.20
Route 251 is the best-performing high-frequency route in Enfield over the last three periods.
B. Low-Frequency Routes:
Route 382: 87.33% on-time
Route 384: 82.37% on-time
Route 456: 78.24% on-time
Route 491: 76.57% on-time
Route 299: 75.60% on-time
Route 382 is the best-performing low-frequency route in Enfield over the last three periods.
RK: Raised on curtailments of bus services
SC: Response 33% of the services are required to continue to do the full run of the route, regardless of whether the service is delayed or buses are bunching together. 66% of the service can be curtailed to mitigate delays within the service.
JP: Raised, why can’t the 456 terminate inside the hospital alongside the 491 and the 318 routes?
SC: Responded, stand space isn't available, hence why it terminates outside the hospital on Bridport Road.
7. Transport Accesibility
FM: Help Points, Gate Lines, and Radio lines for support, aid onboarding transport, signs to better aid navigation, and guidance on accessible transport in London.
SC: Asked if there were any proposals from the group.
FM: Answered the proposal to make step-free access at all stations, the current strategy is to have them break them into chunks of implementation in each financial year.
Secretary to add to tracker: To enquire about repairing lifts and toilets on stations and staff availability.
8. ETUG Website and Subscription
Total of 459 Views on the website over the three months.
A total of 59.6% on average for email open rates.
ETUG continues to retain a total of 46 members, including the committee.
9. A.O.B
ETUG has agreed to create a new WhatsApp group chat for the wider ETUG members. This move aims to improve communication and inclusivity. SC will create the chat next week.
RK: Added to implement rules and conduct for the group chat.
FM: Announced the Ward Forum Winchmore Hill, 30th May, Quackers, Church Hill Meeting House.
RK: The ETUG Meeting date on November 21st is to be changed under request.
Ray Knight ended the meeting by thanking everyone for attending.
Next Meeting August 21st 2025
