Minutes of ETUG Meeting - 20th May 2026 at 19:00hrs
Held in the D Block Ground Floor Room 3 of the Enfield Civic Centre
Chair’s Welcome
Chair Dave Cockle welcomed everyone to the meeting
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
Presentation by Chris Cole, Head of Strategic Transport and Strategy for Enfield Council
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
Updates from Train Operating Companies
London Overground
95.21% of services arrived on time with 2.69% cancellations
Greater Anglia
94.31% of services arrived on time with 0.27% cancellations
GTR (Great Northern & Thameslink)
Great Northern
85.4% of services arrived on time with 3.0% cancellations
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
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.
Updates on Bus Services
Bus Performance Stats
High Frequency Routes
Route 251: 0.5900
Route 125: 0.9833
Route 192: 1.1300
Route 34: 1.1700
Route W6: 1.2667
II. Low Frequency Routes
Route 382: 83.2033%
Route W9: 79.3700%
Route 317: 78.6167%
Route 231: 78.1367%
Route 384: 77.6700%
B. Network and Service Updates
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.
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
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.
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AOB
NO AOB
Dave Cockle ended the meeting by thanking everyone for attending.
Next Meeting 20th August 2026
