Access 4 All

New emphasis on accessibility  

Transport for London uses a definition of accessibility, which relates only to disability, not the broader definition used by the Department for Transport. Improving access for everyone is neglected. This could be achieved by ensuring that jobs, services and amenities are located near where people live and can be reached by a choice of transport including walking, cycling and local buses. The London Plan should be amended to promote accessibility and travel choice more effectively at the London, sub regional and borough levels. Guidance should be given and accessibility planning should be mandatory for the boroughs.  

Local Development Frameworks should be required to cover sustainable transport and land use planning issues.   

·        Providing information to sell sustainable transport. Despite recent improvements, TfL could still act more effectively as a central resource.  

·        Promoting sustainable transport policies by, for example: Producing information that can be used to ‘sell’ transport measures, such as bus lanes and cycling facilities, to borough members and the public.  

·        Rewarding boroughs with extra funding for pursuing sustainable transport programmes.  

Changing travel behaviour 

·        Resources for Travel Demand Management in TfL have recently been substantially increased.  

·        TfL is also carrying out a pilot study in support of Government policy to introduce national road-user charging.  

·        More can still be done, including: 

·        Requiring more use of workplace and residential travel plans in addition to school travel plans. 

·        Reducing maximum parking standards in the London Plan. 

·        Reconsidering the use of a levy on workplace parking, which would cut car commuting and generate transport income for the boroughs? 

A new flexible approach to public transport. 

Providing new capacity in London’s public transport system is mainly  TfL’s responsibility. A more flexible approach to public transport in outer London is needed, which could include:  

A review of existing bus routes, and running new services to meet demand created by travel plans. Introducing more ‘demand responsive’ transport in areas where there is insufficient demand for conventional bus services. Using a combination of bus and tram technology, such as ultra-light rail, to meet the need for high quality, energy efficient public transport. 

More ambitious targets for traffic levels. 

The GLA and TfL should adopt a target of reducing traffic to 2000 levels and later cutting it by a further 15 per cent. One way of achieving this would be a London-wide road-user charging scheme. 

Accessibility for All