Cuts planned to 436 and 453 bus routes [UPDATED]
The London Assembly LibDems believe the Mayor Johnson is planning significant cuts to the capacity of the 436 and 453 bus routes that run through Peckham, New Cross and, in the case of the 436, Brockley. As the Mayor seeks to bolster his re-election (and ultimately Prime Ministerial) credentials by suggesting he can implement painless cuts while getting rid of the efficient bendy buses, it's vital that the impact of budget cuts to front line services and the populist anti-bendy campaign is properly understood.
A statement released by the LibDems today says:
Two key bus routes which run from Lewisham, through Southwark, Lambeth and into Westminster are set to become far more crowded, predicts Caroline Pidgeon, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly transport spokesperson.
The Mayor and Transport for London are now planning huge changes to the timetable for the 436 and 453 bus routes, when new buses replace the current bendy buses.
Through detailed research Caroline Pidgeon has revealed that the new bus routes will cause a serious reduction in bus capacity ie. the number of people who can sit, or safely stand on a bus) on the 436 bus route of:
180 places per hour on weekdays, at peak time every morning
145 places per hour on weekdays, at peak time every evening
280 places per hour in the weekday bus services during the rest of the day
On Saturdays and Sundays the situation is even worse on the 436 bus route, with reductions of 280 places per hour during the day on Saturdays and 175 places during the day on Sundays.
Similar reductions in bus capacity will take place on the 453 bus route throughout almost every part of the day. For example, during Saturdays there will be a reduction in capacity of 280 places per hour during the day on this bus route. A similar reduction in hourly capacity will take place during the week. Only on Friday and Saturday nights and during the weekday peak time is there a very small increase in capacity.
Caroline Pidgeon commenting on these proposals from Boris Johnson and Transport for London said:
“If the Mayor wants to quickly get rid of every bendy bus route in London that is one thing. However he has no right to reduce bus capacity and increase overcrowding on these key bus routes.
UPDATE: BBC London's Transport Correspondent Tom Edwards has posted to alert us to the fact that he's reported on the story today. You can watch the piece, which is bang-on (nice juxtaposition of the story with Boris' conference speech yesterday) via his blog.
