TfL propose axing the 415 bus between the Old Kent Road and Tulse Hill
A 415 bus heads along the Old Kent Road towards new builds at the Elephant & Castle. Construction on right is for a hotel
TfL have revealed a number of bus cuts and changes this week across London including axing the 415 route that runs from the Old Kent Road to the Elephant and castle then south to Tulse Hill via Brixton.
As noted in a consultation from TfL, the 415’s removal would be mitigated in part by extending the 333 from Elephant and Castle along the New Kent Road and terminating outside Tesco on the Old Kent Road, as the 415 currently does.
Given the 333 runs at a higher frequency than the 415 the total number of buses along the stretch between Elephant & Castle and that stretch of the Old Kent Road would increase.
TfL state that “demand on bus route 415 has dropped significantly since the pandemic, with the busiest section of the route between Tulse Hill and Brixton towards Old Kent Road (Tesco)”.
They claim that other routes have sufficient capacity post-withdrawal: “Bus routes 2 and 432 have sufficient capacity to meet demand should bus route 415 be withdrawn. This will be kept under review.”
TfL highlight that the Hopper fare allows transfer between buses at no additional cost for those now forced to change.
Declining ridership
Bus use across London continues to decline and reports before a TfL meeting last month didn’t present a happy picture when it came to usage.
They’d budgeted for a 0.4 per cent increase but in reality yet another fall is evident, with journeys down 1.2 per cent.
Compared to rail, Elizabeth line and the tube it’s the biggest fall, and the mode that already requires substantial cross-subsidy from other modes of transport.
The DLR has seen bigger falls but that’s down to constant weekend closures due to delays with new trains, as well as service cuts to keep older stock in service for longer.
Click here to to view the 415 and 333 bus route consultation and give your comments.
