TfL Refs: 0694-2324/1057-2324
Thank you for your request received by us on 5 and 15 June and 4 July 2023 asking for information about the Elizabeth line network.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked:
Was Great Western in any way involved in the Elizabeth line timetabling decisions for Hanwell, West Ealing & Acton Mainline, and if so what was their input?
We can advise that through the industry timetable process, Network Rail facilitate discussions and agreements between all train operators to agree the best solution for passengers across the network.
In instances where decisions affected train operator, Great Western, they would have been included in the process. The Elizabeth line timetabling decisions for Hanwell, West Ealing and Acton Mainline would have started with a service level requirement set by TfL. Timetable options were then explored with Network Rail who facilitate the capacity allocation on the network. Where there were options for stopping patterns on services, these were reviewed by TfL and a decision made was dependant on a number of criteria including: best “fit” in the timetable structure, maintaining a regular pattern for the day, the number of passengers at the station and so on.
Was the Heathrow Express Operating Company in any way involved in the Elizabeth line timetabling decisions for Hanwell, West Ealing & Acton Mainline, and if so what was their input?
As per the response above, the Heathrow Express Operating Company would have been consulted through the industry timetable process. However, Heathrow Express operate a non-stopping service from Paddington to Heathrow on the main lines and do not interact with the Elizabeth line services except between Heathrow Tunnel Junction and Heathrow Terminal 5.
What impact do Heathrow Express trains have on the Elizabeth line timetable/frequency of trains to Hanwell, West Ealing and Acton Mainline?
Heathrow Express trains operate a regular 15 minute service. Elizabeth line trains are required to fit between Heathrow Express services at Heathrow Terminal 2/3 Station and Terminal 5. This has an impact on the frequency and pattern of services to/from Heathrow and hence at Hanwell, West Ealing and Acton Mainline.
Why do Southall and Ealing Broadway receive trains from both the Heathrow branch and Reading branch of the Elizabeth line, whereas others such as West Ealing do not?
A number of reasons will affect a service stopping pattern including: service journey time limits, the pattern of services throughout the hour, connecting with other transport modes (Ealing Broadway connects with the Central and District lines), as well as passenger numbers and so on.
Please note that the original timetable concept for Crossrail included trains stopping at Ealing Broadway and Southall in both the Heathrow and Maidenhead services.
Do Elizabeth line branches in east London (Zone 3-4) also have freight trains running on the line? If so, why don’t they affect the timetable for stations at that end of the line?
Although there are some trains that cross the running lines at Forest Gate Junction, the majority of freight trains in the east run on main lines. Elizabeth line trains run on electric lines, so the interactions between freight and the Elizabeth line trains are less.
Please could you provide the average daily passenger numbers for the month of March 2023 for the following stations on the Elizabeth line;
West Drayton
Hayes & Harlington
Southall
Hanwell
West Ealing
Ealing Broadway
Acton Mainline
Maryland
Forest Gate
Manor Park
Custom House
Woolwich
Please see the attached spreadsheet for the requested information. These passenger counts are based on the number of Oyster and contactless taps, rather than paper ticket usage as TfL does no collect such data from these stations.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
