8th
November 2005
Metroline’s
Route 260 bus improves waiting times thanks to Community
FlowSafe project
ComfortDelGro
subsidiary and leading London bus operator Metroline,
today
announced the positive impact that a local community
project
is having on their 260 bus route.
The
quality of life for Harlesden residents and the surrounding
community is taking a step
in the right
direction as a coalition between local and national
organisations goes from strength to strength. Among
the indicators of success so far is that bus waiting
times have been significantly reduced on Metroline
route 260 since congestion has decreased.
Illegal
and dangerous parking in Harlesden has repeatedly
been identified by local people as blight
on their
daily lives. But the local emergency services,
local bus operator Metroline, various council
departments and Living Streets (a national charity),
are tackling
the issue and are committed to building on their
success.
Bus
times on Route 260 went from being 23 minutes late
to only 2 minutes late during a roadshow
in September.
During the roadshow parking attendants, police
officers and town centre wardens talked to
local drivers about
the impact of double parking and parking illegally
near pedestrian crossings.
More
significantly, FlowSafe is having a lasting impact
which was not
anticipated so soon after
the roadshow.
Without additional enforcement action, route
260 is running a much improved service and
has eradicated
the long waiting times for passengers by
up to 15 minutes,
owing to the decrease in illegal parking
and congestion.
In
addition to Metroline, emergency vehicles are also
noticing the difference. Park Royal
and Willesden
fire
fighters have seen a decrease in attendance
times when Harlesden motorists adhere to
parking regulations
and
park with consideration. A 60 second delay
to the Fire Brigade could mean a life lost
to fire.
The
FlowSafe partners are now working to further improve
the situation. Brent Council
is looking
into proposals
to change the alignment of the car parking
bays on Craven Park Road, outside Blue
Mountain, to
give greater
clearance for cars entering and exiting
the bays. Currently congestion regularly
occurs
when vehicles
are manoeuvring
in this area.
To
find out more about Flowsafe an open session will
be held on the morning of
15th November,
on Craven
Park Road.
-
Ends -
Notes
to Editors: - Press
launch and photo/filming opportunities: 11 am Tuesday
15th November, Craven Park Road, Harlesden,
NW10.
-
Flowsafe partners: Living Streets, Harlesden Safer
Neighbourhoods, London Fire Brigade,
Metroline, London Borough of Brent – town centre warden scheme,
parking control, regeneration and
transportation strategy departments.
- Each and every organisation has a vested interest in
reducing dangerous and illegal
parking in Harlesden to improve the quality of life for the community.
-
Metroline is one of the top five London-based bus companies,
currently running 13.5% of the
capital’s bus
services under contract to Transport
for London.
- Metroline carries 250 million passengers every year,
operates 96 routes, covers over
37.5 million journey miles each year, employs almost 3700 people and runs
a fleet of over 1,200 buses in
North, West and Central London and South Hertfordshire.
- Metroline is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Singapore
based ComfortDelGro Corporation
Limited, which is the world's second largest listed land transport company.Enquiries:
For
further enquiries please contact:
Simon Barnett, Walkability Officer, Living Streets
020 7820 1010 Simon.Barnett@livingstreets.org.uk
Nicola Vincent, Head of Communications,
Metroline 020 8218 8831 |
