A Positive View Of The Overground Takeover
On Sunday, the London Overground will take over some of the Lea Valley Lines, that are currently being run by Abellio Greater Anglia.
I am optimistic, but don’t take my word for it, read this article in the Guardian. Even the title is optimistic – Clean, reliable and integrated: all change for neglected rail services in London.
This is a typical extract from the article.
Peter Austin, LOROL’s managing director, admits: “Change won’t happen overnight. But we’re determined to bring it up to the same standard. We’ll apply the same model to those lines: first to last staffing, new uniform, cleaner stations.
Austin confesses to having had doubts about the Overground’s potential when it started: “When we first went to Shepherd’s Bush we couldn’t believe how big the station was, we thought it was overengineered – but now we’ve just helped TfL open up a second entrance there … the increase in passenger demand has been phenomenal.”
Similarly, he says, on first visit he was sceptical of the immediate prospects for Imperial Wharf, a new station in west London built in 2009. “It has transformed beyond all recognition and a new [rail] hub has been part of driving that.
“Would urban regeneration have happened without the railway? Probably. But as successful, probably not.”
I think you can say that Peter Austin has been realistic, but then that is an attitude that means passengers are prepared to give the Overground a chance.
The last statement about urban regeneration is definitely correct here in Dalston. There is still the odd problem, but no-one seems to fear coming home late at night on the Overground.
Let’s hope that the improvement continues.
My only worry for the Overground is will Transport for London be able to find the budget to improve the terrible fifteen and the others that I let off, as being not-too-bad.
But the Overground has one thing going for it, that a train operator like Abellio Greater Anglia doesn’t! And that is that the boroughs like Hackney are prepared to co-operate and contribute to station improvements, as Hackney are doing at Hackney Wick station.
No comments yet.
The Anonymous Widower 
Leave a comment