Month: March 2025

M40 northbound within J11 | Northbound | Road Works

The M40 northbound between junctions J10 and J11 . Lane Closures : Lanes 2 and 3 will be closed. Reason : Barrier repairs are planned. Status : Pending. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 21:00 and 06:00 from 31 March 2025 to 5 April 2025. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 21:00 and 06:00 from 7 April 2025 to 12 April 2025. Lanes Closed : There will be two of three lanes closed.

M40 southbound between J11 and J10 | Southbound | Road Works

The M40 southbound between junctions J12 and J10 . Lane Closures : Lanes 2 and 3 will be closed. Reason : Barrier repairs are planned. Status : Pending. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 21:00 and 06:00 from 31 March 2025 to 5 April 2025. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 21:00 and 06:00 from 7 April 2025 to 12 April 2025. Lanes Closed : There will be two of three lanes closed.

M40 southbound between J11 and J10 | Southbound | Road Works

M40 southbound between junctions J11 and J10 . Lane Closures : Lane one will be closed. Reason : Roadside drains works are planned. Status : Pending. Schedule : Expect disruption everyday between 08:00 and 17:00 from 4 April 2025 to 17 April 2025. Lanes Closed : There will be one of three lanes closed.

M40 northbound between J8A and J9 | Northbound | Road WorksThe M40 northbound between junctions J8A and J9 . Reason : Horticultural works are planned. Status : Pending. Schedule : From 19:00 on 4 April 2025 to 23:59 on 8 April 2025.

 (taken from the national highways website)

• Scheme will create new pedestrian crossings, a protected cycling route and improvements to bus lanes in the area

• Construction programme planned to minimise disruption for local residents and businesses as much as possible, but there will be impact at times

• TfL launching a dedicated travel advice page closer to the start of these works. 
• Roads in the surrounding area expected to be busier than usual, TfL encouraging Londoners to consider alternative transport options.

• Ensuring that people can walk, cycle and use public transport is vital to the capital’s economy and to improving everyone’s safety, health and wellbeing

Transport for London (TfL) is due to begin construction work this summer on a major new scheme to make A23 Streatham Hill safer and better for residents and those visiting the area.  The scheme, developed in close partnership with Lambeth Council, will create new pedestrian crossings, a protected cycling route and improvements to bus lanes in the area.

Ensuring that everyone can travel safely and sustainably is important to the health and wellbeing of people in neighbourhoods and communities across the capital. This includes being able to access local high streets, shops and other businesses and amenities easily and affordably. Currently, roads in the area do not make it easy or attractive to walk or catch the bus. TfL also needs to protect bus journey times on this important corridor to enable more people to benefit from London’s affordable network of bus services. The scheme will make it easier to cross busy roads, offer protected space for people to cycle and provide continuous bus lanes with fewer obstructions. The work will be undertaken in five main stages and is due to be completed by spring 2027.

The latest collision analysis for the area shows that 72 collisions took place in the 36-month period up to 31 October 2024, resulting in injuries to 75 people. TfL is determined to eliminate death and serious injury on the transport network as part of its Vision Zero goal.

TfL held a consultation into its plans for the A23 Streatham Hill, with 70 per cent of respondents stating that the changes would make it easier or safer to walk and 83 per cent saying the same about cycling.

TfL will begin construction work in summer on changes between Sternhold Avenue and Holmewood Road including:

• Making walking safer and easier by building two new pedestrian crossings and moving existing crossings to places where people want to cross
• New protected cycle lanes to make cycling safer on this important cycling corridor, including over the busy South Circular road
• New protected cycle lanes to make cycling safer on this important cycling corridor, including over the busy South Circular road
• Improvements to bus lanes by removing parking and loading bays, making it easier for buses to travel
• Changing some access to local side roads including restrictions and closures. This will improve road safety on the A23 and minimise vehicle movements across the protected cycle lane, reducing danger to people cycling
• Making public spaces more attractive for everyone, including by planting new trees and landscaping, as well as sustainable drainage to reduce the risk of flooding
• New traffic signals at the Telford Avenue junction, outside Brixton Bus Garage.
• TfL has planned its construction programme to minimise disruption for local residents and businesses as much as possible, including maintaining traffic flow and avoiding night working where possible. TfL will continue to monitor roads during the works and implement signal strategies to relieve congestion and assist the bus network. TfL will also work closely with bus operators to minimise any impacts on bus services as much as possible and 24/7 bus garage access will be maintained. TfL will be working closely with Lambeth Council to monitor and address any impacts on local side roads and the surrounding road network. Side road closures will be staggered to avoid multiple impacts to residents. All loading and parking will be facilitated on borough roads to prevent additional congestion to the A23. A TfL public liaison officer will also consult with local businesses about bespoke loading arrangements as needed. A comprehensive customer communications campaign will be put in place to ensure customers are aware of these works and their impacts and are equipped with comprehensive travel advice and information. TfL will also be launching a dedicated travel advice page closer to the start of these works.

(taken from the TfL Website)

Dear Member,

The Port of Dover has issued essential guidance for coach operators travelling during the Easter period to ensure smooth processing and minimise delays. To manage high volumes of traffic, coaches must not arrive at the Port more than three hours before their designated sailing time.  Any coach arriving earlier than this will be turned away.

On Friday 4th April and Friday 18th April, all coaches must first proceed to the designated Coach Processing Facility at Dover’s Cruise Terminal before heading to the Ferry Terminal.  Upon arrival, a sequencing process will be in place, and coaches will be issued a number.  Any coach that arrives at the Ferry Terminal without this number will be required to leave.

The Cruise Terminal is located at postcode CT17 9DQ and can also be found using What3Words: ///column.table.honestly.

To ensure a smooth passage through Border Control, all passengers, including school groups, must have their passports open and ready for inspection.  Bags of passports will not be accepted.  Operators should also ensure that onboard toilet facilities have been emptied before arriving at the Port and that there is sufficient food and water available for passengers in case of delays.

Please familiarise yourself with the attached guidance, and for further information visit Easter Half Term Travel Information

250312 Letter updating members regarding Regular and Special Regular Protocol (UKCOA)

Dear Member,

UK-based coach operators running international services will see changes come into effect from 1 April 2025 as the Regular and Special Regular (RSR) Protocol replaces existing arrangements under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).  These updates primarily impact timetabled coach services and those carrying specific groups, such as school transport.

The RSR Protocol largely replicates the temporary TCA provisions, ensuring continued access for UK operators to the EU and beyond.  From April, UK operators will be able to run authorised RSR services to countries such as Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Moldova, and Ukraine, in addition to EU member states.  While this transition is expected to be smooth, operators should be aware of the revised authorisation process through the DVSA (for GB-based operators) and the DVA (for Northern Ireland operators).

For services between Northern Ireland and Ireland, specific provisions will remain under the TCA. These include allowances for cabotage within Ireland for RSR services, transit rights for journeys passing through Ireland to reach Northern Ireland, and occasional services picking up and setting down passengers in Ireland.

Cabotage rules are also changing.  From 1 April, EU operators will no longer be allowed to conduct cabotage operations in the UK.  Similarly, UK operators remain restricted from undertaking cabotage in the EU, meaning services must start or end in the UK.

For operators running occasional services, no changes are expected, and existing requirements for Interbus Journey Forms or TCA Transit Forms will continue. However, non-liberalised occasional services (those not covered by Interbus or the TCA) will still require separate authorisation through the DVSA.

The DfT has confirmed that existing RSR authorisations issued under the TCA will remain valid for their approved duration.

Full details of the changes are attached in the notification sent to the UKCOA by DfT.

M4 Prince of Wales Bridge

We’re carrying out resurfacing and repairs on the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge from summer 2024 to autumn 2025. For more information, please visit our dedicated webpage.

If we’re planning to close either of the bridges in the next seven days, you’ll find further details below. For other closures on the network, including the approaches to the bridges, please visit our daily closures page. 

(taken from the National Highways website)

As operators will be aware we have had a number of issues this week with the works at Finchley Road station impacting both the bus lane and coach stop CL. We have now had clarification from the contactor on how the works will progress:

Until Sunday 23 March 2025

• Coach stop CL will remain open, bus stop FL is closed

Monday 24 March until Thursday 17 April 2025

• Coach stop CL is closed, coaches should use bus stop FL immediate ahead
• To Note: Bus stop FK (Waitrose) is also closed so all buses and coaches will be using bus stop FL. Coaches MUST NOT wait time at stop FL and keep dwell times to an absolute minimum.

Friday 18 April until Wednesday 23 April 2025

• Coach stop CL is closed, coaches should use bus stop FL immediate ahead
• To Note the rear of stop FL will be partially suspended. . Coaches MUST NOT wait time at stop FL and keep dwell times to an absolute minimum.

From Monday 17 March until Sunday 25 May 2025 works will be taking place at Finchley Road Station northbound (between Cranfield Gardens and the O2 Centre, for UKPN works. These will have lane restrictions throughout the period with the closure of the nearside bus lane and will involve stop closures (including coach  stop CL). 

08:00 17 March until 18:00 23 April 2025

Contractor’s working on behalf of UKPN will be carrying out extensive cabling works, these works will be carried out under lane restrictions. Bus stop 16153 (FL) and Coach Stop (CL) BP4403 will be suspended while these works take place.

Special instructions for all coaches only

During these works bus stop FL is to be used for boarding and alighting until works at stop CL are finished. Coaches MUST NOT wait time at this stop and keep dwell times to an absolute minimum.

08:00 24 April until18:00 23 May 2025

works will be carried out under lane restrictions on Finchley Road and a banned left turn from Finchley Road into Blackburn Road. Bus stop16153 (FL) on Finchley Road will also be suspended.

This is a reminder to all operators that the bus stand on Elizabeth Bridge is only to be used by the following services only:

• National Express: Luton Airport services
• National Express: Stansted Airport services

Other operators will be told to move on. This instruction can come from either National Express staff managing the services detailed above or TfL Officials.