A list of proposed bus service changes, several of which would affect Palmers Green, was presented to Transport for London a year ago, but to date there has been no indication that any of the proposals will be implemented. A public meeting on 22nd January may shed some light on the situation.
The Enfield Bus Review
In early 2012 Enfield Council initiated a review of bus services within the borough which eventually resulted in a report outlining a comprehensive package of route changes designed to meet a series of objectives (eg easier access to hospitals) without requiring any increase in operating costs. However, more than a year after the publication of these recommendations, it is unclear whether Transport for London (TfL) has looked seriously at the proposals and what the likelihood is that any of them will be implemented.
The Enfield Bus Review was the outcome of collaboration between the Council's Public Transport Consultative Group (PTCG) and a voluntary body, the Enfield Transport Users Group (ETUG). Several public meetings were held. The core team carrying out the work (the "Three Busketeers") included a mathematician and a bus expert. Their completed report was forwarded to TfL, who, it appears, have been very tardy in responding. At a meeting held in December 2014 to discuss improved services to and from the North Middlesex Hospital there was reportedly no indication that TfL had given the Review's recommendations any serious consideration.
ETUG are hoping that at the special meeting that they have arranged on 22nd December TfL will be more forthcoming.
The Review parameters
The objectives of the Bus Review were:
- improved access to hospitals
- services that would reflect Enfield Council's plans for regenerating certain areas (eg Meridian Water)
- better services for secondary schools
- improving servioes to certain identified areas with particularly poor accessibility
- taking account of planned level crossing closures
- improving access to retail parks and industrial estates
- improving interchanges with rail and tube stations.
These objectives were to be met without any increase in the total number of buses required.
Proposed changes affecting Palmers Green and nearby areas
- Route 329 to continue as far as Chase Farm Hospital (along the W8 route). However, its frequency would be reduced. However, between Palmers Green and Winchmore Hill this would offset by changes to the 141
- Route 141 to continue past the North Circular and through Palmers Green as far as Station Road, Winchmore Hill
- Route 125 to continue southwards in Winchmore Hill as far as Sainsburys
- Route W6 to use double-deck buses and to run past Edmonton Green as far as Picketts Lock (Lea Valley Leisure Centre)
- Route W4 to be extended eastwards at its northern end via Silver Street to the North Middlesex Hospital
- Route 298 would not run south of Southgate Station (Southgate-Arnos Grove-Turnpike Lane section deleted)
- Route 299 would not run north of Southgate Station (Southgate-Oakwood-Cockfosters section deleted)
- Route 399 would be extended southwards to Southgate Station. It would replace the 299's Southgate-Oakwood-Cockfosters section then continue to Hadley Wood.
- Route W9 would be discontinued. Between Southgate Station and Winchmore Hill Green it would be replaced by a much extended W10. The Highlands Village-Chase Farm section would be replaced by a much extended 377.
- Route 377 would run Barnet Hospital-Oakwood-Grange Park-Enfield Town-Chase Farm Hospital.
- Route 232 would use double-deck buses
- Route W10 (currently an infrequent service between Enfield Town and Crews Hill) would be transformed into a regular service running Arnos Grove-Southgate-Fox Lane-Hoppers Road-Winchmore Hill Green-Winchmore Hill Broadway-Enfield Town-Baker Street-Forty Hall-Capel Manor-Crews Hill (serving both the garden centres and the housing estate).
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