A recent study released by the Centre for London on June 6th uncovered striking differences in transportation patterns between Inner and Outer London.
The report reveals that residents of Outer London are heavily reliant on private cars, using them for a staggering 38% of their journeys, while those in Inner London rely on cars for only 19% of their trips.
The study underscores the crucial role of rail transport for suburban residents. However, the lack of adequate investment in rail services leaves individuals with no choice but to turn to their cars.
This poses significant challenges to London’s ambitious goal of achieving Net Zero emissions and exacerbates the transportation issues arising from expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) boundaries.
To tackle these pressing challenges and provide sustainable mobility alternatives, an urgent need is to enhance access to reliable and eco-friendly public transport options.
By increasing investment in rail services and expanding the reach of public transportation networks, we can empower individuals in Outer London to make greener choices while ensuring their transportation needs are met effectively.
This approach addresses the Net Zero challenge and fosters a more equitable and inclusive transport system for all Londoners. A copy of the report can be read at the Centre for London website.
Rob Cook, Policy Director at the Railway Industry Association, said: “This report shows that if we are serious about helping the 5.4 million people living in outer London get out of their cars and move to greener transport options, then we need urgent investment in London’s railways.
Rail is already one of the greenest forms of transport, contributing just 1.4% of transport emissions despite carrying 10% of all journey kilometres and accounting for under 1% of all UK emissions. Encouraging more people onto our trains will help us achieve Net Zero and help with the Mayor’s ambitions of improving air quality in the capital.
The Railway Industry Association (RIA) welcomes the report’s recommendation that the Department for Transport should work with Transport for London to improve the reliability, speed and frequency of services in outer London. By providing a more reliable service, it will become a better option for commuters and encourage them out of their cars and onto the railways.”
Responses
The point is of course true and probably always has been in living memory though North London line and Barking to Gospel Oak provision are both much better than under British Rail. To solve the conundrum who is going to pay?
Also from a Devon senior prospective provision is wonderful in London however, and even express bus perimeter routes are slowly being (re)provided in the metropolis while in strong decline here.
Most noticeably for my age group the TfL 60+ Oyster Pass allows free travel on buses, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and most National Rail services in London. We in the English non-metropolitan provinces get buses only with time restrictions (09:30 here) plus Sheffield trams with no rail provision at all and this only from age 67.
Just as important as inner and outer London is the disparity between North and South. The Southern Railway saw itself as primarily a commuter network not an integrated provider of public transport. When I first came to London in the 1970’s Southern Region didn’t even provide a map and there were no destinations on the front of trains, just a number. There was absolutely no ticket integration with London Transport not even with other regions of British Rail !
The government owned South Eastern network offers a disgracefully bad service in inner London and urgently needs to be taken over by the Overground.
I live in Zone 5 and my local railway station is operated by GTR with a 30 minute off-peak service.
For a journey which does not involve central london then the car is the most practical alternative.
I can only travel into central London from the routes on offer, not sideways, so a motor vehicle fulfills my transport needs, even though buses and trains cost me nothing.
Central London, however is a different ball game with 40 trains an hour and the roads unusable to to traffic jams and no availble parking, so the car is not the best option.
Give me 20 trains an hour and routes both North, East, South and West then the train would be a viable option.