HC Deb 29 March 1994 vol 240 cc715-8W
Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the ministerial statement of March concerning closure of Fenchurch Street station for seven weeks in the summer,Official Report, column 1220, what alternative services, or what recommended means, will be available to passengers wishing (a) to use the London, Tilbury and Southend line to and from Limehouse station and (b) to interchange at that station to and from stations on the docklands light railway.

Mr. Freeman

Fenchurch Street and Limehouse stations on the London, Tilbury and Southend line will be closed from 22 July to 12 September. I understand that, during the closure, LT and S passengers wishing to travel from Limehouse into the City of London will be able to do so using the docklands light railway. Passengers wishing to transfer to the docklands light railway will be able to change to the London Underground District line at Barking and then to the docklands light railway at Bow Road—Bow Church. LT and S services terminating at Liverpool Street will call at Stratford where there is also an interchange with the docklands light railway.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the ministerial statement of 17 March concerning the seven week closure of Fenchurch Street station this summer,Official Report, column 1220, over what period of time the re-signalling and track re-laying programme, costing £83 million, could be accomplished on the basis of withdrawal of all trains between Barking and Fenchurch Street on weekends only from 21.00 hours on Friday until 06.00 hours on Monday; and what withdrawal of services, other than those already announced, he expects east of Barking in this respect during the remainder of 1994 and in 1995.

Mr. Freeman

It is impossible to undertake the required resignalling work between Fenchurch Street and Barking at weekends and at night in a safe manner. It involves the complete removal of the tracks into Fenchurch Street.

The full scheme will involve a programme of works in 1995 both east and west of Barking. LT and S management cannot predict at present what further changes to the service may be necessary before the resignalling scheme is complete.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the ministerial statement of 17 March concerning closure of Fenchurch Street station for seven weeks this summer,Official Report, column 1220, how many passengers travel (a) to Fenchurch Street from Barking via West Ham on the London, Tilbury line between 07.00 hours and 10.00 hours on a normal weekday morning and (b) westbound on the District line to central London via West Ham on that line between 07.00 hours and 10.00 hours on a weekday morning in August; how many in (a) above are expected, during closure of the line from Barking to Fenchurch Street, to add to those travelling as in (b) above; how many are expected to travel by trains direct from Barking to Liverpool Street; what is the planned capacity provided over those times; how many additional passengers are expected on services on the Great Eastern line between Southend and Stratford; and what is his estimate on the reduction in demand in (a) above from 22 July to 9 September this year.

Mr. Freeman

The information requested is as follows:

  1. (a) Approximately 3,000 passengers join trains at Barking for Fenchurch Street station on the London, Tilbury and Southend line—LT and S—between 07.00 and 10.00 hours on a weekday morning in August. Many of these have changed from the District line.
  2. This information is not available in the form requested. London Underground says that, in spring 1990, the latest period for which figures are available, 30,500 people each weekday travelled westbound on the District and Hammersmith and City lines between Plaistow and West Ham during the morning peak.

During the closure of Fenchurch Street station, several alternative travel options for LT and S passengers will be available: to change at Barking on to the London Underground District line, to travel to Liverpool Street on the London, Tilbury and Southend line or to travel to Liverpool Street on the Great Eastern line. It is not possible to predict precisely which options passengers will choose. However, extensive research is being undertaken to forecast traffic flows and the likely level of passengers who will transfer at Barking. London, Tilbury and Southend management will consult the Southend Rail Travellers Association before publishing a temporary timetable at the end of April.

Planned capacity is as follows: There will be approximately 960 seats every 12 minutes from the Southend Borough West, Benfleet, Pitsea and Basildon to Liverpool Street. There will be 620 seats every 12 minutes from Southend Borough calling at all stations to Balking. There will be 620 seats every 12 minutes from Pitsea to Barking via Tilbury.

There is usually a 13 per cent. seasonal reduction in passenger numbers in July and August, but owing to the closure it is expected that this will increase to 20 or 30 percent.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the ministerial statement of 17 March concerning the closure of Fenchurch Street station for seven weeks this summer,Official Report, column 1220, how many additional trains will be run by London Underground between Upminster or Barking and central London during weekday mornings and evening peak hours—between 07.00 hours and 10.00 hours and 16.00 hours and 19.00—during those weeks; and what number and proportion of timetabled trains outside those periods on those days, and on Saturdays and Sundays, respectively, will be run direct from Barking into and out of Liverpool Street station.

Mr. Norris

The eastern section of London Underground's District line already operates at full capacity during the peak periods, leaving no possibility of additional services during the seven weeks' closure of Fenchurch Street station. The frequency of peak hour services from Barking on the Hammersmith and City line will double from four to eight trains per hour, when London Underground Ltd. introduces new timetables in May. LUL has no plans to run Hammersmith and City line services to or from Barking outside peak hours.

Mr. Spearing

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the additional bus services planned by the management of the London, Tilbury and Southend line and management between stations on that line and Great Eastern stations; and how many additional trains will be run at peak hours during that period from either Southend or Shenfield into Liverpool Street station.

Mr. Freeman

Fenchurch Street station will be closed for seven weeks during the summer. London, Tilbury and Southend line management are working closely with local user groups to determine the best use of bus services between LT and S stations and nearby alternatives on the Great Eastern line. They are examining routes between Laindon and Billericay, Basildon and Wickford and the Leigh area to Rayleigh. LT and S management believe that many passengers will make their way to Southend Victoria, Prittlewell and Rayleigh where they will be able to travel to Liverpool Street on the Great Eastern line.

Two trains an hour from Southend Victoria via Shenfield will be strengthened from eight to 12 cars to provide additional capacity. Colchester trains will call additionally at Romford where a short branch line connects the Great Eastern with the LT and S at Upminster.

Owing to limited track and platform capacity it will not be possible to run additional trains into Liverpool Street.