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Southwark warns TfL that it risks disenfranchising vulnerable residents

26 November 2018

Southwark Council has asked TfL to reconsider its proposed plans to slash South London’s bus services. The council has campaigned to save the eight services that are currently threatened with cancellation and early termination. The council is concerned that an essential service and a cost effective link to family, friends, shops and work, is being taken away from people in Southwark. It asks for a transparent and informed conversation about how the borough’s current, medium and long term transport needs will be met.

Many proposed changes to Southwark’s bus routes threaten to sever convenient and direct links from the south of the borough into central London. For example, passengers of the number 40 bus from Dulwich are facing an added change at Elephant and Castle, as TfL diverts their service away from its current central location. This, and other services that are facing early termination, will restrict our residents’ ability to travel directly to a wide range of destinations, this is of particular concern to those who are mobility impaired, especially wheelchair users.

Additionally, increased demand for buses along the Old Kent Road, resulting from the planned delivery of 20,000 new homes, and 10,000 new jobs, has not been taken into account. The proposed reduction in the frequency and length of services along this route, such as that of the number 53 bus, show that TfL’s plans do not look to the future.

The council’s key concerns include:

  • people who have trouble with mobility and parents and carers with prams and pushchairs will be among the worst hit
  • people on lower incomes will be disproportionately affected by cuts to bus services
  • passengers of the 40, 45, 48, 53, 171, 172 and 388 buses, will be dropped well short of their central London destinations
  • Southwark is the scene of much change and development, that will see increased demand for bus services
  • the evidence base that TfL is using to justify its proposed cuts does not look to the future
  • the RV1 is TfL’s only emissions and step free bus on this route; cancelling it will remove a vital link for the local community

Cllr Richard Livingstone, Cabinet Member for environment, transport management and air quality, said: “TfL’s plans for our local buses are short sighted at best. I hope that City Hall will consider our response to their central London Bus Service Review and ensure that any changes to the services that many people in Southwark depend on, take into account real and growing demand and offer access to safe, affordable, efficient and accessible routes.
 
“Southwark Council appeals to TfL to review its plans and start putting south London’s most vulnerable people first.”

Page last updated: 19 July 2023

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