Minutes of ETUG Meeting - 20th August 2026 at 19:00hrs Held in the D Block, Ground Floor, Room 1 of the Enfield Civic Centre

Minutes of ETUG Meeting - 20th August 2026  at 19:00hrs 

Held in the D Block, Ground Floor, Room 1 of the Enfield Civic Centre

1. Chair’s Welcome 

Ray Knight welcomed everyone to the meeting

  

2. Apologies

Members Present: Ray Knight, Dave Cockle, Sean Cirillo, Faye Medcalf, John Prior, Peter Jeffrey and Cllr Peter Fallart

Apologies: Chris Cole 

3. Matters arising from previous meeting held on the 20th May 2026

DC: Raised a bus shelter enquiry on Slades Hill Stop P; TfL decided to not replace the bus shelter due to low demand for the bus stop

4. Updates from Train Operating Companies 

I. Greater Anglia 

88.04% of services arrived on time, with 2.82% of services cancelled

II. London Overground (Weaver Line)

94.4% of services arrived on time, with 0.4% of services cancelled

III. Great Northern & Thameslink (Welwyn Garden City to Sevenoaks)

88.4% of services arrived on time, with 5.8% of services cancelled for Great Northern Services.

86.6% of services arrived on time, with 3.9% of services cancelled for Thameslink Services

IV. London Underground 

1. Piccadilly Line Closures 

The email from Transport for London regarding the Piccadilly Line upgrade and maintenance highlights the following service disruptions:

• No service between Cockfosters and Uxbridge:

• Tuesday, August 18 – Thursday, August 20.

• Tuesday, August 25 – Thursday, August 27.

• Eastbound service disruption at Caledonian Road: No stops between Friday, August 21 and Monday, August 24.

• Weekend service adjustments:

• Friday, August 21: No Night Tube service on the entire line.

• Saturday, August 22 (until 14:00): No service between Hyde Park Corner and Acton Town.

These works are to allow testing and upgraded works on the Piccadilly Line taking place.

2. Oakwood Station Car Park

The rear car park at Oakwood Tube station will be closed starting Monday, September 28, 2026, with an expected reopening date by the end of 2030. The closure is necessary to support essential construction work at the Cockfosters depot, which is part of the ongoing Piccadilly line upgrade. The front car park at Oakwood will remain open, though with a limited number of spaces. 

SC: Asked whether the 4tph Great Northern Metro enhancement will include late-evening service? 

FM: Announced the DfT taking over Great Northern from May 31st 

RK: Raised problems with Oakwood Station Front Car Park, struggling to read signage 

RL: Also raised an issue with the Seven Sisters escalator out of order on the Northbound platform. 

DC: Dave Cockle raised wrong announcements at Seven Sisters and Edmonton Green for National Rail

RK: Raised that there are no paper timetables across the Weaver Line and a lack of a proper shelter northbound at Silver Street

5. Updates on Bus Services

I. Meridian Water Bus Changes 

TfL will proceed with the planned adjustments to routes 192, 341, 444, 476, and W8. These changes include service extensions, rerouting, and restructuring to accommodate future passenger demand. Implementation will occur in phases aligned with the ongoing delivery of local housing and infrastructure.

II. Bus 259, 279 and 349 bus changes

Transport for London (TfL) has published the consultation report regarding proposed changes to bus routes 259, 279, and 349. Following a review of the feedback received, TfL has decided to proceed with the following changes:1

• Service Changes: Route 349 will be withdrawn, while routes 259 and 279 will be adjusted to better align with current travel demand.

• Improvements: Based on feedback, TfL has improved interchange options at Holloway and increased the early morning frequency for route 259.

• Goal: These adjustments aim to address rising operating costs while maintaining a reliable network and providing necessary connections, despite some changes to journey patterns.

• Timeline: The changes are scheduled to be introduced on 5 September 2026.

III. Proposed changes to Routes 67 and 149

TfL are proposing to change the routing of bus route 149 and to withdraw route 67.

The northern terminus of route 149 would change from Edmonton Green to Wood Green. It would still terminate as it does now at London Bridge at its southern end.

If the changes were to be introduced, subject to the outcome of consultation, the frequency of route 149 would also change.

On bus route 149 (Wood Green - London Bridge), it would:

• Decrease the weekday peak frequencies from a bus every seven minutes to a bus every eight minutes
  
  

• This would represent a frequency increase on the section currently covered by route 67 (Wood Green to Stamford Hill) and a frequency decrease for the section between Stamford Hill and London Bridge

V. Flibco Service Changes

Flibco Coach services have amended their service; rather than running every 45 minutes, services will be reduced to once every hourly with the service also no longer running 24 hours a day. The last service from Stansted Airport will depart at 10:00 PM, and the last bus from Enfield will depart at 10:50 PM. The first buses, however, will depart from Enfield at 02:55 AM and from Stansted at 05:00 AM. These changes are due to operational reasons; without specific reasons for the reasons for reductions, we don't know if this will be temporary or permanent. 

VI. Bus Strikes

Strikes by over 1,500 Arriva North London bus drivers have been suspended following negotiations between the company and Unite the union. The key details are:

• Reason for suspension: Strike action, which was scheduled to continue through Friday, 21 August, has been halted to allow members to vote on a new deal concerning working conditions.123

• The dispute: Drivers at eight garages—Barking, Edmonton, Enfield, Greys, Palmers Green, Stamford Hill, Tottenham, and Wood Green—had walked out on 14 and 18 August in protest over working conditions during hot weather, specifically demanding more effective air conditioning in buses, as well as addressing issues regarding alleged bullying.123

• Next steps: Unite members are currently balloting on the new offer. If members reject the offer, the union has indicated that strike action will resume on Tuesday, 25 August

RK: Raised a lack of consistent information for maps and timetables displayed at bus stops

6. Transport Accessibility 

FM: Has received contact to set up a community service. To aim at aiding vulnerable users. 

FM: Raised that the proposals for the new service weren’t adequate or questioned why she was asked to add what could make the proposals better.

The committee advised Faye to suggest that the person who contacted Faye contact Enfield Council for contacts or consultations.

7. ETUG’s Website & Subscription

1. ETUG’s Website 

Total of 1.64k views in the last 3 months

2. ETUG’s Subscription

3 new members have been gained since the last meeting, bringing the total number to 49 members from 46

8. A.O.B

DC: Went to Hertford to find that TfL are consulting with the community on developing new names if TfL were to take over the Great Northern Metro services; options are the Palace Line, the Country Line and the Mayfly Line; these are not official as of yet but could potentially end up with the lines.

DC: Added that there is an option for TfL to contract Great Northern to run the metro, which may be a cheaper option than TfL directly taking over the service entirely. In particular, taking over the Great Northern routes will have impacts at Hornsey Depot and driver rotations with regional services.

FM: Raised on the Southgate Masterplan works involving getting rid of the circus.

ETUG has pledged to try and invite Cllr Maria Alexandrou and MP Feryle Clark to the next meeting on the 24th November

DC: Announced new signage for the Superloop at New Southgate Station, improving wayfinding from Superloop to National Rail Services

Ray Knight ended the meeting by thanking everyone for attending 

Next Meeting 24th November 2026

Minutes of ETUG Meeting - 20th May 2026 at 19:00hrs Held in the D Block Ground Floor Room 3 of the Enfield Civic Centre

 Minutes of ETUG Meeting - 20th May 2026  at 19:00hrs 

Held in the D Block Ground Floor Room 3 of the Enfield Civic Centre

1. Chair’s Welcome 

Chair Dave Cockle welcomed everyone to the meeting

2. Apologies

Members Present: Dave Cockle, Sean Cirillo, Faye Medcalf, Peter Jeffrey and John Prior 

Apologies Received: Peter Smith, Ray Knight, Lindsay Raqlings and Cllr Peter Fallart

3. Presentation by Chris Cole, Head of Strategic Transport and Strategy for Enfield Council

1. Bus Network Reviews in Enfield

There are no updates to provide on Superloop at present. 

Consultation on planned changes for Meridian Water took place between 12 January and 23 February 2026. Responses are in the process of being analysed. TfL expect to publish a decision in summer 2026.

Sunday frequency on route 456 has recently been increased from 1 to 2 buses per hour.

2. Bus network enhancements for new Crews Hill development (5,500 homes)

Long-Term Scale: Because Crews Hill is slated for massive, "New Town-scale" growth, the planning process will take years rather than months. Early work must focus on governance, gathering evidence, and high-level strategic planning.

Transport Details Take Time: Decisions on specific bus routes, frequencies, stops, and interchange designs can only be confirmed after the broader masterplan, access strategies, and funding models are fully tested.

No Immediate Public Consultation: Because of this long timeline, there will be no public consultations or detailed discussions regarding specific bus proposals for several years.

Current Focus: Early engagement will remain strictly high-level, focusing only on establishing general transport principles. Detailed plans and formal consultations will only happen once funding, scope, and deliverability are firmly locked in.

3. Hail & Ride conversions in Enfield (Unfinished conversions on the 456, 377 and W9 bus routes)

Hail & Ride conversion is not included within the 2026/27 programme. The previously identified conversion schemes have been paused and are not currently being progressed.

Any decision to restart this work would be considered as part of a future programme, subject to borough/TfL prioritisation, funding availability and deliverability.

4. Route 125 Early Morning Service Alignment 

TfL are currently investigating this matter and will provide an update in due course. Please note that extending bus service start times often incurs prohibitive costs

5. London Overground Weaver Line Peak Services 

Peak Capacity Constraints: A consistent 3 tph (trains per hour) service to Cheshunt cannot run all day because peak hours require 8-car train formations. The extra journey time and distance to Cheshunt mean there are not enough physical trains available during these busy periods.

Off-Peak Feasibility: The 3+3 pattern is possible during off-peak times because services run as shorter 4-car formations, which frees up enough trains to cover the entire route.

The Problem with a Consistent 4+2 Service: Keeping a uniform 4+2 pattern all day to maintain consistency is rejected. It would cause an uneven, clumpy service on the busy core section south of Edmonton Green, where the branches merge. A 3+3 pattern creates much more even, reliable gaps between trains.

Partial Improvements Matter: Even if a 3 tph service to Cheshunt can only run off-peak, it is still a vital improvement over the current setup, especially given local growth and constant passenger demand for better frequencies.

Risk of Planning Delays: All development work so far has been designed around the off-peak 3+3 model. Switching the goal to a 4+2 service now would force planners to restart from scratch, causing a major and undesirable delay to any service upgrades.

6. GTR Welwyn Thameslink All-Day Expansion & Spacing 

May 2026 Timetable Changes: There are no major changes to Great Northern services on the Moorgate–Hertford North–Stevenage line or the London–Welwyn Garden City line. The only notable change this month is one extra evening peak stop at Hitchin on a King's Cross to Cambridge service.

Hertford North Line Future Upgrades: Plans are in motion to improve services on the Hertford North line later this year, with full details to be released once confirmed.

Welwyn Garden City Line Status: No significant service changes are planned for the London to Welwyn Garden City local stopping services for this coming December (2026).

Peak Service Intervals: Moorgate services on the Welwyn branch already run at roughly even 15-minute intervals during peak times. However, the King’s Cross stopping services and peak Thameslink services to/from Sevenoaks are scheduled much closer together.

The East Coast Main Line Constraint: The current timetable (introduced in December 2025) was co-designed by all operators on the route to balance high traffic demands. Because trains cannot be scheduled in isolation, even spacing ("clock-face" intervals) isn't always possible.

No December Changes for Specific Routes: There are no plans to adjust the timings of the King’s Cross stopping services or the peak Sevenoaks Thameslink services this December, though passenger feedback will be kept on file for future revisions.

Benefits of the Dec 2025 Timetable: The major timetable overhaul from last December has successfully increased overall capacity while improving punctuality and reliability across the network.

7. Onboard Wi-Fi reliability on the Great Northern

• How Train Wi-Fi Works: Great Northern trains on the Moorgate route use onboard 4G SIM cards to create a Wi-Fi hotspot for passengers.

• Signal Limitations: Because the system relies entirely on standard mobile data, it suffers from the same signal drops and coverage gaps as a regular smartphone.

• The Tunnel "Dead Spot": The tight underground tunnel section between Essex Road and Old Street blocks mobile signals, which causes the Wi-Fi connection to drop when the train is moving between these stations.

• The Long-Term Solution (Project Reach): To fix network dead spots, the rail industry is working with Network Rail on "Project Reach." This initiative is laying 1,000 kilometres of ultrafast fibre-optic cable across the national network, including the East Coast Route, to improve passenger connectivity permanently.

8. Rollout of 4G/5G Mobile Connectivity in Piccadilly & Victoria Line Tunnels Serving Enfield Borough

The Northern sections of both the Victoria line and the Piccadilly line are expected to have mobile coverage by the end of 2026.  

Again, with the Metropolitan line, we hope to deliver the stations and tunnels from Highbury & Islington up to Walthamstow Central, ready for coverage by the end of 2026

I: Lack of consultation with ETUG on Enfield Council transport initiatives

ETUG should be on the Enfield Consultation List of Enfield Climate 

DC: Asked if the installation of bus stops is TfL-enforced or by the local Council? 

CC: Answered that TfL directs the council to install bus stops and will provide the council with funding.

SC: Asking if the temporary bus stops can be installed whilst awaiting the installation of flag-poled bus stops

CC: Isn't aware of the process but will have a meeting with TfL to raise this matter

DC: Two years since trains pulled out of Seven Sisters, still announcing National Rail for Edmonton Green

CC: Recommends sending an email on that matter to him

DC: Raised on long wait in restoring bus shelters

CC: Recommends noting on chasing bus shelters in certain locations. 

DC: Notes manifestos out of the Enfield Town campaign by the Conservative Party to take out bus lanes from Enfield Town

SC: Asked Chris Cole about the latest Flibco Coach service from Enfield Town to Stansted Airport

CC: Was only informed shortly before the new coach service was introduced, and he was surprised by the note that there was no prior consultation with the council or with the public before introducing the service.

DC: Thanked Chris Cole for attending 

4. Matters arising from the previous meeting held on 17th Febuary 2026

DC: Noted that the Sevenoaks Thameslink services plan to run all day was an aspiration and will continue to run in the peaks only from December 2026.

5. Updates from Train Operating Companies

1. London Overground

95.21% of services arrived on time with 2.69% cancellations

2. Greater Anglia 

94.31% of services arrived on time with 0.27% cancellations

3. GTR (Great Northern & Thameslink)

1. Great Northern 

85.4% of services arrived on time with 3.0% cancellations 

2. Thameslink

93.0% of services arrived on time with 1.1% cancellations

DC: Noted that there has been improved signage for Superloop at New Southgate 

DC: Calls for a National Rail Sign at New Southgate Station from the Western Entrance by the Superloop bus stops

4. London Underground 

• Continuing upgrades to the Piccadilly Line in preparation for the new rolling stock, which is aimed at being introduced next year.

• Engineering works are taking place across the line in preparation for the introduction of new trains. 

• Mobile signalling on both Piccadilly and Victoria lines aims to be implemented on the northern sections later this year. 

PJ: Raised on installing steel piles at Crews Hill. 

6. Updates on Bus Services 

1. Bus Performance Stats 

1. High Frequency Routes

1. Route 251: 0.5900

2. Route 125: 0.9833 

3. Route 192: 1.1300

4. Route 34: 1.1700

5. Route W6: 1.2667 

   II.    Low Frequency Routes

1. Route 382: 83.2033%

2. Route W9: 79.3700%

3. Route 317: 78.6167%

4. Route 231: 78.1367%

5. Route 384: 77.6700%

B. Network and Service Updates 

1. New Flibco Coach Service linking to Stansted Airport 

• The News: Luxembourg-based coach operator Flibco has launched a major new direct airport coach service connecting Enfield with London Stansted Airport.

• Enfield Relevance: Stansted Airport’s Surface Access Strategy Manager, Steve Mills, explicitly confirmed that this rollout expands key airport coach services for both Finsbury Park and Enfield. It provides residents across the borough with a cheaper, greener, and direct alternative to driving or taking private cars up the A10/M11 corridor or the Stanstead Express. 

• Service Details: Services will run every 45 minutes, 24 hours a day. The route will pick up and drop off at Enfield Town Station Stop L., with a 45-minute journey to the airport.

• Strategic Context: This aligns with the Department for Transport’s "Better Connected" strategy under Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, aimed at improving public transport access to major hubs. Stansted currently leads major UK airports with nearly 50% of passengers arriving via bus, coach, or rail, and this route is designed to protect and build on that share.

2. London Wide Weekend Hopper Bus and Tram Promotion 

• The News: Mayor Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) have announced a major summer fare overhaul called the "Weekend Hopper."

• The Offer: Between July 25 and August 31, 2026, passengers will be able to make unlimited journeys on London’s bus and tram networks over the weekend while paying for just a single fare.

• Enfield Relevance: While local services will not feature the specialised "hopping frog" bus wraps (which are being limited to central landmark routes 23, 49, and 295), this offer applies to all TfL bus routes across Enfield. It will significantly lower travel costs for local families and residents navigating the borough or travelling into central London on weekends during the school summer holidays.

• Financial & Fares Context: The standard 1-hour Hopper fare is currently frozen at £1.75 until July 5, and City Hall is actively exploring options to extend that £1.75 price freeze through the rest of the summer. This weekend trial is being funded by a £20 million TfL fares innovation allocation from City Hall's budget to boost passenger numbers, following a previous £24 million Friday off-peak rail trial in 2024.

PJ: Raised on Golf Ride roads need resurfacing, and electric buses are causing damage to the roads and houses

FM: Thames Water to have works on Slades Hill from 18th May to 2nd June

PJ: Asked about the performance stats for the 456 bus route? 

SC: Route 456: 65.2667% of services arrived on time

JP: Raised on the reliability of the W6 bus route.

JP: Raised buses not stopping at Meridian Water Tesco during closures. No temporary bus stops.

FM: Raised on changeovers at Millfields for the 456 and the lack of drivers available.

SC to add this to the ETUG Tracker

7. Updates on Transport Accessibility 

FM: The updated Enfield Transport Strategy should be published soon, and is considering whether the Meridian Water development will feature an accessible curb for bus services.

8.  ETUG’s Website and Subscription

1. ETUG’s Website 

• 1.34k views in the last 3 months

2. ETUG’s Subscription

• 4 new members have been gained over the last 3 months, bringing our total member list to 50, including the comintee. 

• Average open rate of 58.1% over the last 3 months.

9. AOB

NO AOB

Dave Cockle ended the meeting by thanking everyone for attending.

Next Meeting 20th August 2026