Yet another bus cut for south east London revealed by TfL
The latest in an ever growing list of bus cuts across south east London has been announced by TfL with frequencies on the 484 route set to be reduced.
The link between Lewisham and Camberwell via Brockley, East Dulwich and Denmark Hill stations currently roperates every 10 minutes in the peak and 12 minutes during the day. It’s going down to every 15 minutes from Saturday 21 March.
It’s a route that connects various town centres, a number of stations, new housing and major hospitals.
This latest reduction continues a steady stream of service reductions seen in recent months. Routes which have seen reductions in services including the 486, 51, 178, 386 and 291.
Cuts
While TfL bus passenger numbers are far from healthy across the capital TfL are focusing cuts on routes serving major new housing developments which offer the potantial to turn the tide of decline, of which this is yet another example.
Lewisham is a major area of housing growth yet has seen a number of routes reduced. Areas like Kidbrooke with 5,000 new homes have also seen cuts to the 178 linking to the Elizabeth line.
Just this week Greenwich Council were talking about how more blocks are welcoming new residents. Were TfL aware this was happening? Cutting services mere weeks before new homes complete?
You’d think they’d know that their Places for London development arm are also building over the road – and hundreds more homes are due.
Hospitals
There’s also the public service element of serving hospitals which you may expect is a fundamental expectation of a publicly owned bus network. The 484 bus is a key link to Kings College and the Maudseley hospitals.
Recent cuts on many routes were made linking to Queen Elizabeth hospital in Woolwich.
Superloop
While cutting routes such as the 178, 486 or 484 TfL have also fully axed the 472 then implemented the high frequency and limited stop SL11. Yet it doesn’t serve many areas of new residential development.
It’s barely being used at busy times particuarly at the east of the route as it sails by new homes, schools and colleges while remaining routes are becoming overwhelmed.
The SL11 is running every six minutes and sailing past busy areas while lower frequency routes are beyond capacity.
This week I experienced it yet again as with the 472 route gone fewer buses are stopping beside hundreds of new homes in south Thamesmead, Plumstead and Charlton. That’s compounded by schools seeing fewer buses stop outside.
On one occasion this week I was on a packed 177 that became so busy at school finishing time it couldn’t pick people up through Plumstead while SL11’s – running every six minutes – were carrying air as they overtook us with dozens waiting. It was simlar in the opposite direction.
I bailed at Woolwich to get off a rammed 177 and onto a SL11 with a grand total of five people on the whole bus. The 177 I left was chocker. The 177s and 180s in the opposite direction were also packed.
On the SL11 through Charlton it was a similar story as our empty bus sailed past the Royal Greenwich school with many waiting. A 180 was so full some couldn’t board so departed leaving a dozen behind. This isn’t unusual now.
That’s also in an area with 1,000 homes underway.
Good idea, bad implentation
As stated in recent posts covering this issue the SL11 is far from a bad idea. I benefit from it. A faster bus is great. But having it run at such high frequency every six minutes while skipping areas beside schools, a new college and thousands of new homes – yet still calling at quieter bus stops – is an extremely odd move with TfL seemingly unaware of much housing growth.
TfL have also still never explained why this is the only SL11 route in the whole of London that saw an existing route fully cut. Not revised but fully axed.
Greenwich Council also supported it which shows how on the ball they are.
A retained 472 with some alterations to its route serving new homes or new destinations would have made a lot of sense so that it didn’t merely duplicate the SL11. Perhaps at a 12-minute frequency while the SL11 ran every 10-12 minutes.
As an example, it could have diverted in west Thamesmead back onto the route it formerly took via Nathan Way stopping beside the newly built Lombard Square. A development of almost two thousand homes.
In fact when taking a look at that development in recent days for an upcoming post I saw an old 472 bus timetables are still in situ years after the route was altered, which sort of sums TfL up at the moment when it comes to buses. Outdated information at stops and apparently little knowledge of housing changes.
At the western end it could have headed to Lewisham bringing back the faster link from Charlton lost when the 180 switched. Lewisham is a popular destination and will soon gain a cinema.
As it is TfL have apparently screwed up badly if my journeys are any guide aided and abetted by Greenwich Council. All routes take time to bed in but this looked odd from the start with little regard to major developments and changes now underway. It’s not improved.
It was possibly an attempt to speed up trips from north Thamesmead yet Peabody havn’t built a single new homes in north Thamesmead. Meanwhile where new homes are rising in south Thamesmeads buses are cut linking them to the Elizabeth line.
And with this 484 cut service reductions go on in areas of major housing growth. With many actions now on buses one wonders if Tfl have lost the plot and lack knowledge of what’s happening.
Yes, buses are in real trouble with falling ridership but what they’re doing seems likely to enhance that decline rather than arrest it.
Outrageous what is the matter with Sadiq Khan Labour Mayor For London and Labour Councillors, MP,s and GLA Members who all back cuts to local bus services. If ifvthry chose to stay silent and do not oppose the cuts they are allowing the cuts to bus services.
Route 286 Gteenwich Cutty Sark to Sidcup Quuen Mary’s Hospital is diue to see its frequency cut from every 10 minutes to every 15 minutes from July 2026. Meaning a cut of two buses an hour. The majority of the bus service cuts serve Hospitals routes 178 291 386 and 486 serve Queen Elizabeth Hospitals. Routes 229 and 286 serve Queen Mary’s Hospital and route 484 serves King College Hospital.
We need to get rid of the Labour Mayor For London, Labour Councillors and MP’s London. These bus cuts cause real hardship for local residents and staff patients and visitors who use these routex to reach Hospital for their appointments.
If they arrive late for an appointment due to being late due to tbe bus being late or cut they are not seen etc.
Parking at Hospitals is very expensive with. very limited parking spaces. Many patients receive parking tickets despite paying at machines. Hospital parking charges are a scam to be brutally honest.
At a time tbe Mayor, Government, TFL Councillors want us to all walk cycle anc use public transport more. Cutting local bus services are not the way to go about this. Especially as the local population continues to grow as residents move in to new developments.
So I tbink Labour have had their time in London as people want to see real change and a stop to all the cuts to bus services which also have a major affect on the elderly, disabled, school children and many families who rely on local bus services to go about the daily lives and cannot afford cars and taxis.
Here here Graham well said.
Let’s show them we will not put up with these cuts to our bus services and other public services. Both Local Authorities amd Mayor For London have asked for an increase in Council Taxes witb thevMayor Of London wanting a larger share.
A time to show the shambles that are Labour enough is enough and show them the door at the Local Elections in May 2026.
To me Labour have been shown to be ageist anti disabled and anti Motorist forcing motorists to pay more to be on the road with various madcap schemes like ULEZ, LTN,s etc which are only money making schemes for City Hall and Local Authorities..
However, i do agree we need safer School streets and more speed cameras to catch the few idiots on the road who think the rules of the road do not apply to them.
I cannot disagree with either of the previous two post. We do need to stop the cuts to local bus setvices and other public services..
With regard to bus cuts superloop have there place for passengers doing longer journeys but they are not tbe answer to replace local bus routez like the 472 which was axed in January 2026 despite protest against cutting the service..
100% agree. We have to stop cuts to our bus services we rely heavily on to get around..
The fact the Mayor of London/TFL has cut so many bus routes serving Hospitals stinks to be blunt. Route 486 also serves the busy North Greenwich Station for the Jubilee Line and 02 Arena as well as Queen Elizabeth Hospital..
So cutting these services is beyond belief and will affect hundreds of passengers including NHS staff who work at our local hospitals.
So if there is a time for change it has to be now.
Thankyou for this detailed explanation about various bus services . Sounds like TfL are making changes to services in ignorance of where the current demand is for buses and the likely future demand. Whom do they consult before making these changes ? The local council , bus users ? Both I assume but then go onto ignore those views. TfL have a duty to be aware of new developments and plan ahead accordingly. Just as they should be aware of the need to meet demand on existing routes serving hospitals, schools and other key institutions .
Yet these reductions in current service levels on well used routes give the opposite impression .
TfL is run by Labour’s Deputy Mayor for Transport , would have assumed that Labour run Greenwich Council would have more influence with him.
They generally consult no one with service reductions. With bigger changes they do (then ignore the suggestions much of the time) eg in the case of the SL11 they did consult and Greenwich council actually supported the cut of the 472. Just one single councillor from any party raised any issue (Jo van den Broek – Labour Charlton) to her credit. She raised the issue of fewer buses serving schools and 1,000 new homes (and more to come). The council leadership seemed to have no clue that would result. In Bexley borough both Labour and Tories did raise issues around the 472 removal and subsequent fewer buses serving areas such as 800+ homes in south Thamesmead.
A major part of the problem is the franchising system whuch works on the badis that the person at TfL knows best and specifies routes and frequencies. Like most bureaucracies it fails to deliver. Private operators looking to provide a service and make a profit are unlikely to want to miss out on all these new opportunities to collect fares. Yet the London system, dedpite its obvious failings is now being adopted in other major cities. It is time fir a re-think.
You would have thought so Kathy but Labour Councillors and MP”s back these cuts and back The Mayor of London and his Dupty Mayor and won’t stand up to him for their constituents.
I have not seen any consultations on the TFL website for tbe frequency reductions on these routes or the routes that have recently seen cuts to their frequencies including routes 51 178 229 291 386 and 486. I cannot find any current consultations for the frequency reductions for routes 286 and 484. Sadly I think these frequency cuts are the tip of the iceberg with many more routes due to see frequencies cut over the coming months.
They do not listen to people ot esults of consultations when they do them.
TFL or the Mayor and Deputy Mayor have no forward planning for new developments growing demand for a growing population in London. More people ate relying on local bus services to get to Hospitals due to poor parking and expensive parking charges.
There is simply no excuse for the bus services to have their frequencies cut.
The Mayor Of London has been chipping away at London’s bus services since he first became Mayor back in 2015/2016.
We have seen routes completed axed, routes curtailed and frequency cuts..
Which is far from ideal for busy capital city. Outer London are taking the brunt of the bus service cuts with South East London being hit particularly hard by the Mayor/TFL.
The cuts to bus services need to stop and service cuts restored to previous frequency levels.
Thamrsmead as juzt been announced o. BBC News this morning (23/03/26) as one of the 10 Government’s new Towns providing thousands of more new homes. So we need to see major investment in amenities and infrastructure. Including improvinng local bus services to serve these new homes and provides links to other areas of South East London and Kent as well as into Central London. To meet the Government’s, Mayor of London, TFL and Local Authorities vision for people to walk. cycle and use public transport more with many new developments being largely car free with reduced car parking spaces.
With North Thamesmead becoming one of the new towns announced by the Government. We will definitely need to see major investment in new amenities and infrastructure to cope with increased demand. Thousands of new homes in thd area are already under construction.
With regard to public transport TFL could start by bringing back the 472 Abbey Wood to North Greenwich Station will have possible extension to Greenwich Town Centre and Lewisham to reinstate the lost link when route 180 was re-routed to North Greenwich Station.
They can then stop reducing frequencies on existing bus routes including thev286 anf 484 and restore frequencies to their previous frequency levels on routes 51 178 229 291 386 and 486. We have to stop cuts to bus services and start planning new services to.meet an ever growing demand across South East London and London as a whole.
With Peabody in the mix I wouldn’t expect a single home to rise in north Thamesmead for 5-10 years.
Just look how poorly they’re doing in south Thamesmead and Abbey Wood seconds from the Liz line, Thameslink and SE Metro (which offers far better transport links at 20x trains an hour all over London and beyond compared to the DLR)
I could not agree with you more John.when it comes to Peabody. They sit on development sites for years before even thinking about starting construction.
While tne need for more housing continues to grow on a daily basis.
Oh look another bus route affected by TfL’s proposal to add more and more Superloop bus routes. Or is it to be reduced.
Are TfL cutting back on some bus routes across London because of not enough people are using the buses. Or is it because of the cost of running a bus service and the price of fuel has gone up. Because of what’s going on with the Middle East and fuel prices are going up everyday and every week all year round.
It’s because the price of running buses is rapidly rising mainly because of 20mph speed limits, cycle lanes and LTNs, plus Labour’s raid on business’s national insurance contributions. Price of fuel is a factor but the middle east crisis is a short term issue and not relevant (yet, anyway).
I could not agree with you more John.when it comes to Peabody. They sit on development sites for years before even thinking about starting construction.
While tne need for more housing continues to grow on a daily basis.
Another South Eadt London bus route is to see a frequency reduction. Route 320 Catford to Biggin Hill Valley via Downham and Bromley.
Tbis is not the way to encourage people to ditch their cars and walk cycle and use public. Transport more.
We must fight to stop these cuts to.our local.bus services. We need more local bus services not more superloop routes
Many of which are lightly used throughout the day with many buses running near empty especially outside of the peak hours.
.