Agenda item

Councillor Adam Langleben introduced his Member’s item.  He noted that the railway service was poor and he tabled additional information in support of the item.    He requested that the Committee consider additional points and therefore he invited the view of the Chairman and the Committee in order to support his Members Item.

The Chairman noted that Members Items facilitate the opportunity for a Committee to consider and discuss the intentions of a Members Item which should be in line with the Terms of Reference of the relevant Committee.   The Governance Officer noted that the Environment Committee did not have any substantive information available in order for the Committee to take a particular course of action in respect to Councillor Langleben’s request.  The Governance Officer also stated that the tabled information presented had not been viewed by Officer’s of the council prior to the meeting nor had the document be made publicly available or circulated to Members of the Committee.  The Committee were advised that the additional information submitted by Councillor Adam Langleben should not be considered.

Councillor Adam Langleben moved a motion which was seconded by Alan Schneiderman to agree to the points below.

·        Requested the Committee to write to the train operator, Govia Thameslink Railway, to demand improvements and to invite a representative to attend an Environment Committee meeting.

·        Requested the Committee to write to the Department of Transport urging them to speed up the planned transfer of London’s suburban rail services to Transport for London.

·        Requested the committee to resolve that the London Borough of Barnet are against all ticket office closures or reductions in operating hours of those services, and that the Chair of this committee and Leader of the Council will make these representations to Govia Thameslink Railway on behalf of the authority.

·        Requested the Committee to write to the Department for Transport, TfL and Govia Thameslink Railway to state this authority’s view that Cricklewood and Hendon Thameslink stations be upgraded at the earliest possible opportunity to allow for 12 car trains to stop and alight at the stations to secure their long term viability and to ensure the best possible service for the residents of our borough.

·        Requested the Committee to back the local campaign for Step Free Access at Mill Hill Broadway station by writing to the Secretary of State for Transport calling for Mill Hill Broadway to be added to the next list of works for step free access and also refer this to the planning department to secure any financial contributions for such access from the dozens of developers building in the borough who are currently being left off the hook by this borough.

·        Requested the Committee to write to Govia Thameslink Railway, copying in the Secretary of State for Transport and the Mayor of London stating that this committee believes that it is completely unacceptable for four car trains to be running and servicing stations in Barnet during peak hours of operation. Such operations reduce the productivity of London and does our city a disservice.

·        Requested that the London Borough of Barnet send a copy of these resolutions to the Department for Transport asking for penalties and fines to be issued against Govia Thameslink Railway should they fail to adequately resolve these issues.

Having been put to the vote the motion was lost.

The vote was recorded as follows:

-For 5

-Against 6

Resolved that:

1.    the Environment Committee noted the Governance Officers advice

2.    the Committee agreed to not support the request within the Members Items

3.    the Members Item was noted

The vote was recorded as follows:

-For 6

-Against 5