A few weeks ago, I listened to an interview by Devon Peacock on AM980 radio with London City Councillor, Jesse Helmer. Mr. Helmer is one of the majority of new faces on City Council after the 2014 election when London voters tossed out almost all of the incumbent Councillors. One of the many Committees, Agencies, Boards and Commissions, and other Organizations Mr. Helmer is part of is the London Transit Commission, and the London Transit Commission Long Term Growth Report Working Group. This is what the interview was about.
Mr. Helmer rides public transit, and this apparently was seen by Mr. Peacock as a qualification to be a Member of the London Transit Commission, and the London Transit Commission Long Term Growth Report Working Group. I do not understand why. I can ride the bus too, and I did so for many years, but that does not mean I am qualified for those positions.
During the telephone interview, Mr. Helmer sounded distracted, or uninterested, to me, and annoying sounds, like he was eating, or sniffling, could be heard coming from him while the interviewer asked questions. Some of those questions were, what is wrong with London Transit? and how to make it better?
The answers Mr, Helmer gave was the issue of over crowding on some bus routes, and some confusing bus schedules. The solution Mr. Helmer gave for these problems was more tax money for the London Transit Commission.
Overcrowding is a problem on some bus routes, and so is confusing schedules, but that is not all.
London's historic and current ridership growth to service growth ratio has helped keep London in the lead when compared to its peer group, but has also led to an increase in service quality issues:
27% increase in the number of times buses have reported full loads
Actual load counts for weekday service on a system-wide basis exceeding seated capacity for all time periods by 25% to 64% (with the exception of Early AM)
54% increase in service quality complaints (includes schedule adherence, overcrowding, missed passengers and transfer connection) Such performance can be expected to result in a decline in ridership if improvements are not made.
The following chart shows service performance complaints have trended upward since 2010, averaging approximately five complaints per every 100,000 riders. The most significant complaints have been schedule adherence (late) and missed passengers (full load). These two areas of complaint account for 43% of service complaints.
London had a private transit system for 75 years before the City bought it in 1950 for $1 million (about $21 million in 2014 money).
(Click here for a detailed history of London transit)
Operating Overview
The City of London’s 2014 Approved Tax Supported Budget for Transportation Services is $61.4 million representing a $1.0 million or 1.8% increase from rates and $4.2 million increase in cost associated with servicing an expanding/growing City. Outlined below is a breakdown of the 7 services that make up the City of London’s Transportation Services Program.
Parking: Parking = 5.0%
Public Transit: Conventional - Specialized = 42.5%
Roadways: Roadway Maintenance - Roadway Planning & Design - Snow Control - Traffic Control & Lighting = 62.5%
The best solution for London Transit Commission is to privatize it, and not to throw more tax money at it.
© Trevor Dailey
Audio: Just Right, 133 – Public transit and essential services / Unions and strikes