On the 8th of November, some of our ETUG committee members attended the Public Transport Consultative Group meeting organized by the Waltham Forest council designed to provide a forum for all residents and interest groups relating to public transport within the borough.
The main topics discussed in the meeting were bus and rail relating matters to the borough. Attended ETUG committee members raised two main issues including the lack of services on the 313 bus route in the late evenings claiming it frequently runs during the day but does not seem to be in the late evenings.
The other raised issue was a lack of bus connections to Picketts Lock center from the Chingford and Walthamstow areas. There is a recent proposal for a new Wave Park which could be London's first if built and goes ahead creating up to 400 new jobs. Bus connections are limited to the site currently with only one bus service serving Picketts Lock and we see an opportunity is presented for improved bus connections to the site, especially from the Chingford and Walthamstow areas. We've requested the forum if a business case can be developed with options explored on how it can be implemented using possible funding from the s106 agreement with the planning application.
A representative from Network Rail also attended the meeting and presented a study the organization is conducting with options to achieve a Chingford to Stratford rail link via Walthamstow Central by restoring the Hall Farm Curve. If this is implemented, the service will run 2tph though it is only indicative meaning it's not guaranteed it will be the planned service pattern. It's been suggested it will be an extended service from the North London Line as there are operational restrictions for terminating trains on platforms 11 and 12 at Stratford station.
More information about the proposed Wave Park at Pickett's Lock can be found here: https://www.leevalleypark.org.uk/the-wave
A masterplan developed in the past for Picketts Lock outlines an option for a Wave Park to be developed on pages 12 to 15: https://www.enfield.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/4949/exd74-picketts-lock-outline-masterplan-scenarios-report-2011-planning.pdf
