Proposed changes to bus services in Hounslow, Ealing and Twickenham

Overview

Update - 18 March 2016

We received 758 responses to the consultation. 748 responses were from members of the public and ten were from stakeholders. We also received a petition from residents of Amhurst Gardens and Alton Close. Thanks to all those who provided their views.

From 28 May 2016, we will introduce the following service improvements:

• Route E8 will be extended from Brentford High Street, to Hounslow Bell Corner via the A315 London Road through Isleworth. The route will no longer serve Commerce Road. Buses will all be double deck (currently both single and double deck buses operate on this route).
• Route 110 will no longer run between Hounslow bus station and West Middlesex University Hospital. It will be extended from Twickenham to West Middlesex University Hospital via Twickenham Road. It will no longer serve York Street and Arragon Road.
• School route 635 will no longer run between Hounslow bus station and Brentford County Court. It will continue to run between Hounslow bus station and St Paul’s School in Sunbury. The extension of route E8 will provide sufficient capacity between Hounslow and Brentford.

We have deferred making a decision on the proposed changes to route H28 as well as the part of route E8 which was proposed to serve Twickenham Road, West Middlesex University Hospital and Amhurst Gardens. We will have further discussions with the London Borough of Hounslow about these proposed changes.

To view the full consultation report and our responses to issues raised, please click on the links below:

Please click here to view the Consultation report for routes E8,110, H28 and 635 (PDF)

Please click here to view our Response to Issues raised Report (PDF)

Details of the consultation can be found below.

Update ends

The London bus network is kept under regular review. As part of this, we develop proposals for changes to services.

We have reviewed bus services in Hounslow, Ealing and Twickenham. Demand continues to grow in these areas and with further development planned at Hounslow and Brentford town centres, additional services are required along the A315 London Road. Changes to healthcare services have increased demand for direct links from Ealing to West Middlesex University Hospital. Crossrail services will start serving Ealing Broadway, West Ealing and Hanwell stations by 2019. As a result we expect demand to grow on route E8 along with the need for new links to these stations.

What we proposed?

As a result of this review we have developed a number of proposals and asked for your views.

In summary:

• Route E8 would be extended from Brentford High Street, to Hounslow Bell Corner, via West Middlesex University Hospital. Buses on the route would all be double deck (currently both single and double deck buses operate on this route). It would no longer serve Commerce Road.
• Route 110 would no longer run between Hounslow bus station and West Middlesex University Hospital. It would be extended from Twickenham to West Middlesex University Hospital via Twickenham Road. It would no longer serve York Street and Arragon Road.
• Route H28 would no longer serve Wood Lane, Amhurst Gardens
  and Twickenham Road. It would be rerouted between Jersey Road and Osterley Tesco via Syon Lane and extended to serve Brentford County Court.
• School route 635 would no longer run between Hounslow bus station
  and Brentford County Court. It would continue to run between Hounslow bus station and St. Paul’s School in Sunbury. The extension of route E8 would provide sufficient capacity.
   

There will be no changes to bus routes 235, 237 and 267, but if the proposed changes go ahead, they would provide additional bus services along London Road and Twickenham Road

Councillor Tony Louki, Hounslow Council arranged a meeting for residents to discuss the changes at the Thistleworth Tennis Club, 129 Ridgeway Road North, Osterley, TW7 5LX on Wednesday 9 December 2015 11.30 to 13.00.

Detailed proposals

Bus route E8

Proposed changes to bus stops in Amhurst Gardens

Bus route 110

Bus route H28

Route E8

We proposed to extend the route from Brentford High Street to Hounslow town centre. This would provide a new direct link between Ealing and Hounslow town centres and provide more buses between Brentford, West Middlesex University Hospital and Hounslow. It would also link West Middlesex University Hospital, Isleworth and Hounslow with Ealing, Boston Manor station (for the Piccadilly line) and planned Crossrail services from 2019.

Towards Hounslow, buses would operate along the current route to Brentford High Street. They would no longer serve Commerce Road, but instead serve London Road then continue along Twickenham Road, Amhurst Gardens, London Road, Hounslow High Street, Hanworth Road, Grove Road and Lampton Road where they would stand. They would return using Steve Biko Way, Grove Road and then the same roads as above.

Click here for a larger version of the above diagram (PDF)

Route E8 would be converted to a double deck service (currently both single and double deck buses operate on this route), to help resolve crowding on this route.

Changes to bus stops would be required in Amhurst Road. We wrote separately to all households on this road seeking their views.

Route E8 would continue to run every eight minutes Mondays to Saturdays daytimes, and every ten minutes Sundays and all evenings.

Map of the proposed E8 extension

Click here for a larger version of the above map (JPEG)

Proposed changes to bus stops in Amhurst Gardens

The proposals would mean that a double-deck bus, route E8, operates along Amhurst Road instead of the single deck H28. 

Running buses on Amhurst Gardens would allow route E8 to serve West Middlesex University Hospital and provide additional bus capacity on A315 London Road between Brentford and Hounslow. It is not possible for route E8 to use St John’s Road due to a bridge that is too low for double-deck buses to fit underneath.

Three trees would need to be removed and replacement trees planted.

We proposed to remove the existing westbound bus stops on Amhurst Gardens and make a new westbound stop outside the Rising Sun pub car park. The existing eastbound bus stop would be upgraded to be fully accessible, with new road markings. No vehicle crossovers would need to be changed.

Click here to view a map of the proposed changes to stops in Amhurst Gardens

Click here to view a copy of the letter sent to residents in Amhurst Gardens and Alton Close

Route 110

We proposed to change route 110 and how it serves West Middlesex University Hospital. The route would no longer run between Hounslow bus station and West Middlesex University Hospital via the A315 London Road, as the proposed extension of route E8 would provide this journey option but with a more frequent service. Route 110 would start at Hounslow bus station running to Twickenham as now, from where it would be extended to West Middlesex University Hospital via Twickenham Road. This would provide passengers with an additional service to the hospital from the Twickenham and Isleworth areas.

Click here for a larger version of the above diagram (PDF)

Towards West Middlesex University Hospital, buses would follow the current route via A310 London Road then continue via Twickenham Road to their current stand at West Middlesex University Hospital. Buses would return using the same roads. They would no longer run to the current stand at Arragon Road.

Buses would continue to run every 20 minutes Mondays to Saturdays, and every 30 minutes all evenings and Sundays.

Map of proposed withdrawal between Hounslow and West Middlesex University Hospital and extension from Twickenham to West Middlesex University Hospital

Click here for a larger version of the above map (JPEG)

Route H28

We proposed to reroute this service between Jersey Road and Osterley, Tesco, via Syon Lane and extend it to Brentford County Court.

Rerouting the H28 between Jersey Road and Osterley, Tesco via Syon Lane would provide a much more direct route between Hounslow town centre and Gillette Corner, where many commercial and retail premises are located and further development is planned. This would reduce journey times for many passengers. Withdrawing the route between Wood Lane and Twickenham Road would remove the requirement to use the Wood Lane level crossing that is a frequent source of delay (with up to eight trains per hour). The extended route E8 would maintain a service along Amhurst Gardens. Wood Lane would no longer be served by buses but there are bus stops on Jersey Road, Great West Road and London Road within 5 - 7 minutes’ walk for most passengers. Two new pairs of stops are proposed in Syon Lane near the junction with Stag Way, and at the Jersey Road junction with Syon Lane.

Route H28 would provide new journey options between Brentford High Street and the western end of the “Golden Mile” on the A4 Great West Road. The extended route would also provide new direct links between Brentford and Osterley, Tesco.

Click here for a larger version of the above diagram (PDF)

From Brentford County Court, buses would run via Back Lane, St Paul’s Road, Half Acre, A315 High Street/London Road, Syon Lane, the existing stop at Osterley, Tesco, Syon Lane and Jersey Road to the existing route towards Bulls Bridge, Tesco. Buses would run along the same roads in the opposite direction.

Route H28 would no longer serve Wood Lane and Amhurst Gardens.

Buses would continue to run every 20 minutes Mondays to Saturdays, and every 30 minutes all evenings and Sundays.

Map of proposed rerouteings and extension from Osterley to Brentford

Click here for a larger version of the above map (JPEG)
Map correct on 9 November 2015

This consultation is part of the process which fulfils the requirement for TfL to consult under Section 183 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999.

Depending on the views expressed during this consultation, we plan to implement the changes during the spring of 2016.