Another TfL bus cut hitting south east London
Another bus cut is set to hit south east London as the 54 will see fewer buses each hour from this weekend.
The route operates from Woolwich to Elmers End via Charlton, Blackheath and Lewisham. Currently six buses run each hour during daytime which will be cut back to five.
Not the biggest change but it’s another example of TfL’s continual chipping away at bus service frequency.
Buses in London have been struggling for some years with reduced ridership and slower journeys.
In the recent past TfL have embarked on numerous cuts including the complete removal of the 472 bus from Abbey Wood to North Greenwich, despite it serving thousands of homes under construction.
While the bus network struggles TfL often seems unaware of new housing which offers the chance to aid ridership. One recent example was cutting buses in Kidbrooke despite 5,000 homes now being built.
That matches the 472 cut which ensures thousands of new homes in Thamesmead, Plumstead, Woolwich, Charlton and Greenwich are seeing fewer service just as new homes are occupied.
In south Thamesmead for example, where 800 homes have or are being built, TfL cut the 472 and reduced buses on the 229.
Oddly they’ve increased some frequencies on routes such as the B11 which ar eof less use to new housing developments.
TfL’s bus management seems to be in panic mode cutting where they can regardless of the reality on the ground.
I get some routes are probably overbussed but chopping certain routes immediately before loads of new housing is finished has all the hallmarks of a management that is not in tune to what is happening, not able to capitalise on potential to grow the business. It reflects badly in TfL and ultimately the Mayor who is in charge. He can go on about his dad being a bus driver decades ago. Marvellous. How about some better management now?
Wouldn’t make any difference come by 7th May when everyone is voting just get the current Mayor of London out of office and to replace him with a new Mayor of London. London needs a new mayor who should retain all of London buses that have been cut or axed or replaced by the Superloop.
The elections on May 7 are local council elections . The London Mayoral and Assembly election is in May 2028.
We ate seeing far to many bus routes beint cut with many more routes in the pipe line for frequency cuts.
Roure 54 Woolwich to Elmers End via Charlton Blackheath Lewisham Catford and Beckenham is a very busy route which always has a good loadings of passengers on board..
The Labour Mayor of London and TFL have cut so many bus routes with many of them serviing hospitals which staff patients and visitors rely on.
A lot of people rely on their local bus routes to get to work school shoppjng appointments and to visit friends and family.
So much for TFL. encouraging peool to walk cycle and use public transport more. Remember these cuts to bus services are normally backed by local councillors and MP”s and other stakeholders and interested parties.
The message that needs to be sent to TFL is hands off our local bus services.
We want to see our bus services improved not cut.
100% agree witb you. Restore previous frequencies to bus routes that had there frequencies cut.
Reintroduce routes that was axed like routes 10 48 1l8 168 414 472 to name just a few off the top of my head. But many mote routes have been axed since Sadiq Khan became the Labour Mayor of London.
London needs its bus services across thd whole of Greater London.
Do the message to the Mayor Of London and TFL is stop cutting our bus setvices.
TFL needs to stop cutting bus services or axing bus routes just because they want to introduce more Superloop routes across Greater London. I think it’s unfair to see lots more local bus services to be cut or axed that TfL wants to save more money.
Cutting of bus routes is a problem, of course – however the B11 route was critically over crowded. Relating it to this issue as an implied cause or contributor is short sighted.
Since the opening of the Elizabeth line, the rush hour services to/from Abbey Wood have regularly been unable to cope with demand, leaving people stranded at bus stops waiting 20-30 minutes for the next service.
Whats odd and may be bad move is the transport secretary for department of transport i.e Heidi alexia lives in Lewisham the area 54 also service was lewisham east mp for many years was even deputy mayor for mayor of london while. Wounder if be a u turn after they learn that. We can only hope
We ate seeing far to many bus routes beint cut with many more routes in the pipe line for frequency cuts.
Roure 54 Woolwich to Elmers End via Charlton Blackheath Lewisham Catford and Beckenham is a very busy route which always has a good loadings of passengers on board..
The Labour Mayor of London and TFL have cut so many bus routes with many of them serviing hospitals which staff patients and visitors rely on.
A lot of people rely on their local bus routes to get to work school shoppjng appointments and to visit friends and family.
So much for TFL. encouraging peool to walk cycle and use public transport more. Remember these cuts to bus services are normally backed by local councillors and MP”s and other stakeholders and interested parties.
The message that needs to be sent to TFL is hands off our local bus services.
We want to see our bus services improved not cut.
100% agree witb you. Restore previous frequencies to bus routes that had there frequencies cut.
Reintroduce routes that was axed like routes 10 48 1l8 168 414 472 to name just a few off the top of my head. But many mote routes have been axed since Sadiq Khan became the Labour Mayor of London.
London needs its bus services across the whole of Greater London.
Do the message to the Mayor Of London and TFL is stop cutting our bus setvices.
Please remember bus service cuts will continue unless we stand up and say to the Mayor of Lindon, TFL, lical councillors and our MP”s and say enough is enough. Hands off our bus services
A lot of the cuts to our bus setvices have been fully backed by Labour Councillors and MP’s as they will not go against their Labour Mayor Of London Mr Sadiq Khan.
Just has they all back the introduction and expansion of the ULEZ scheme.
The b11 is important. Why should buses only be prioritised because of the fact of new builds. They are in my eyes. The b11 has been an awful route for many years. This report is biast in my view