On 20 May 2005 01:34:22 -0700, "lonelytraveller"
wrote:

One of the things I find strange about the tube is that they hardly
ever (i.e. everywhere except holborn) seem to attempt to correct the
lack of interchange between lines which cross each other (e.g. West
Ruislip), so that you don't need to make ridiculous journeys to get
between them. I have constructed a list of these, and wonder whether
any plans are in the pipeline to correct the problem, or ever have
been.

If you stop and think about it for a moment it is possible to get
between the vast majority of tube stations with one change. Admittedly
these interchanges are in the centre of town but the tube is essentially
a radial transport network not an orbital one. That's what buses, some
rail lines, DLR and trams are for. The Tube is not the totality of
London's transport network and never, ever will be.

Walthamstow - With a small extension to the victoria line, it would
meet the central line near woodford, making the journey to/from
Walthamstow from/to the east much simpler, rather than needing to go
via oxford circus (ignoring buses/private transport), which is a bit
silly.

Why would anyone want this extension to be built? The Victoria Line
overrun tunnels just about reach Wood Street and Woodford is much higher
up than Wood Street is. Even if you were to continue in Tunnel the
construction costs would be huge and the benefit incredibly marginal.
Anyone want a station at Waterworks Corner or in the middle of Epping
Forest?

The true test is what level of demand is there for buses between
Woodford or possibly South Woodford. The number 20 runs to Woodford
every 15 minutes and is rarely packed out. The W12 minibus runs every 20
minutes to South Woodford and is reasonably well patronised but the
vehicles are small. If there is no justification for very frequent bus
links then there can never a case for a deep tube extension.

Now between Walthamstow / Chingford and say Stratford or Canning Town
for interchange to Docklands - yes please build a few metres of track on
an old alignment to connect the Chingford Line to the Lea Valley Line
and please provide a service over that link. That would genuinely
improve connectivity in East London and take traffic off the roads.

I harbour secret dreams of DLR extending up the Lea Valley and taking
over the Chingford Line so the much needed extra stations at Forest
Road, Fulbourne Rd and Chingford Hatch could be built and we'd have a
really effective rail corridor up to Chingford that served the community
rather than whizzing past it. I accept that commuters into the City
would howl if they lost their direct train link but I can dream :-)

West Ruislip - Connecting this station up to a new station on the
metropolitan would mean that you could make the connection to Uxbridge
quite easily, rather than needing to use local transport instead, or
having to go via acton, which is ridiculous.

What is ridiculous about catching a bus? - they are part of London's
integrated transport network.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!