TfL Ref: 4374-1718

Thank you for your email received by us on 3 February 2018 asking for information about a bus route proposal from Enfield Town to North Middlesex Hospital

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 some of the information you require. You asked for:

Details of proposed new bus route Enfield Town to North Middlesex Hospital

At the last Public Transport Consultative Group (PTCG) meeting with Enfield Council it was reported that a new bus service to North Middlesex Hospital via Winchmore Hill was being proposed. No details were given.

Could you please provide all the documentation you have on this proposal including:-

The business case/plan.
The proposed route.
The timetable/frequency of the service.
The bus stop proposed at North Middx hospital.

The reason for this request now is that the bus 491, the only bus which actually goes into the hospital from Enfield is being is being reduced in frequency and with longer journey times.

This proposal was based on a review of access to health services by bus in the London Borough of Enfield that took place in 2014. Our aim was to make access to hospitals in the borough easier, after it was found that this was a significant issue for residents.

We undertook a comprehensive review of hospital access in 2005, and the NHS implemented a study in 2012 that looked into the travel impact of proposed clinical changes - their reorganisation came into effect in late 2013. The Enfield Transport Users Group (ETUG) therefore proposed major alterations to the bus network.

Transport for London looked into where Enfield residents travel to and from to receive healthcare, and to what extent the bus network matches those travel patterns. Another key area we examined was the number of people using the bus to access each hospital, and if this has changed following the aforementioned reorganisation.

I can advise that the scheme referenced in your request is one that proposed extending bus route W10 from Enfield Town to North Middlesex Hospital via Winchmore Hill, and increasing frequency to two buses per hour from Monday to Saturdays. However, we are currently not in a position to deliver this scheme due to savings which we must achieve as outlined in the current TfL Business Plan. This can be viewed at: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/business-plan.

As the outlined proposals have not moved forward at this time we hold no further information in this regard, therefore you may wish to contact Enfield Council for further information via: https://new.enfield.gov.uk/contact-us/ask-for-council-information/

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
Information Governance
Transport For London