Is London’s ULEZ Already Having An Affect On Train Travel?
Consider.
- There has been a lot of negative publicity about the ULEZ expansion, which starts on Tuesday, the 29th August, 2023.
- I doubt there are few people who will be affected by the expansion, who don’t know about it.
- I suspect many have calculated how much the ULEZ expansion will cost them.
I also suspect that some will have taken actions, which will have included.
- Bought a vehicle, that is ULEZ compliant to avoid the cost.
- Moving house or changing job may sound drastic, but the ULEZ expansion could be one of several reasons to make a large change to your lifestyle.
The easiest action, will be to increase their use of train travel, when they go inside the ULEZ.
Some may have already started to do this, so they know all the pitfalls before doing it seriously on a daily basis.
The Elizabeth Line
Over the last few months, I have written three posts about how busy the Western section of the Elizabeth Line can get.
- Very Busy Lizzie
- Elizabeth Line: Commuters Say Service ‘Not What Was Promised’
- So Many Cases On A Train!
I use the Elizabeth Line regularly and it seems to be getting even busier.
In May 2023, I wrote, these two posts.
- Elizabeth Line’s £29million Fares Bonanza As Passenger Numbers Hit New High
- Elizabeth Line Takes Fliers Away From Heathrow Express
Certainly, the Elizabeth Line is an undoubted success.
In the first of these linked posts, I suggest now might be the time to expand Elizabeth Line services.
Over the last week, I have made three trips to the outer reaches of the Metropolitan Line and I have been surprised at how busy the trains were.
Could it be that travellers are changing their routes before the ULEZ expansion kicks in?
New Trains And More Parkway Stations
Greater Anglia have replaced their commuter trains with new Class 720 trains and are building a new parkway station at Beaulieu Park.
This looks to me, that Beaulieu Park could be a ULEZ avoider.
Will other train companies use a similar strategy to attract more passengers?
Heathrow Is In The Expanded ULEZ
This page on the Heathrow web site is entitled London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, Or ULEZ, Is Expanding To Encompass All Of Greater London, Including Heathrow Airport, From The 29 August 2023.
The Heathrow page is very informative and I suggest you read it, if you are taking a vehicle near Heathrow.
But the ULEZ will surely drive some Heathrow workers and travellers to use public transport, even if they live far from the ULEZ.
Conclusion
I suspect that more travellers will use the trains because of the ULEZ.
The Anonymous Widower 
Indeed Heathrow has some new bus routes to the west (courtesy of Reading Buses).
The more surprising of which is the 730/731 express buses linking Basingstoke and Frimley to the airport
Comment by MilesT | August 28, 2023 |
Thanks for that!
A couple of years ago, I was talking to a guy from South Western at Staines station, who said that an early train was needed to Heathrow, as the buses were inadequate.
That was before ULEZ was announced.
I’m doing a bit of research on Lizzie Line traffic and how ULEZ is changing it.
Comment by AnonW | August 29, 2023 |
I’m sure more bus/coach services like that from Basingstoke and Guildford to Heathrow will be welcomed by many however given they are reliant on the free flow of the roads I doubt we can rely on their punctuality.
I would also question whether they have the versatility to serve Airport workers who not only work in the central area and terminals 4 and 5 but in aircraft maintenance areas and at South Side Cargo Area.
BTW looking at Heathrow Airport’s Journey Planner this morning I note that neither bus service is recognised. I might accept a delay in highlighting the Basingstoke service but the Guildford bus has been running for more than a year.
Heathrow must do better.
Comment by fammorris | August 29, 2023 |
It took a while for 730/731 to be recognised by traveline.info, google, bustimes.org etc; the updates weren’t posted until just before/after service went live (so no advance planning possible….)
Amusingly Reading buses own website doesn’t fully recognise the service (there are news/blog posts on the bus company site findable via usual search engines)
(730/731 is actually one route, one vehicle, single seat travel possible, two numbers for legal reasons apparently.
Most of the Basingstoke to Frimley leg is on the M3 at express speed, the Hatch at Old Basing being the start of the express section. A bit of a miss though is the bus transits through Hook on its way to the M3 but does not stop or go via the centre of Hook when it reasonably could do, and there are some office parks there that would generate some additional traffic, also could support intermodal via rail)
Comment by MilesT | August 29, 2023 |
There is now a link on the Reading Buses home page to the new 730/731 service to Heathrow. The service isn’t actually operated by Reading Buses but by a sister company Newbury & District.
Comment by JohnC | August 30, 2023 |
I further note concessionary passes are accepted, so technically I could now travel direct to Basingstoke using my Freedom Pass.
Comment by JohnC | August 30, 2023 |