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Due to a rather drastic drop in passenger numbers, some major changes could be in the pipeline for some pivotal London bus routes. Transport for London has recently revealed its prospective plans and is now asking Londoners to put their two cents in on the proposals via the ‘Have Your Say‘ platform.
The changes have been proposed in a bid to improve the reliability of current bus services and better match the current passenger demand. Transport for London is also trying to limit the number of bus routes that overlap with each other.
Which London bus routes could be affected?
The six services set to see significant changes coming their way (wow, try saying that after a couple of pints) are:
- 19 (currently runs between Finsbury Park and Battersea Bridge)
- 38 (currently runs between Victoria Bus Station and Clapton Pond)
- 259 (currently runs between Edmonton Green and King’s Cross)
- 349 (currently runs between Stamford Hill and Ponders End)
- 424 (currently runs between Putney Heath and Fulham)
- 279 (currently runs between Waltham Cross and Manor House)
Photo by Olga Lioncat, via Pexels What are the proposed changes to these routes? Route 19
Route 19 is one of London’s most iconic bus routes, having been ferrying folk around the capital city for almost 120 years. TfL is proposing that the this route now be extended to Victoria Station after it reaches Hyde Park Corner, thus cutting out the sections that runs to Battersea Bridge via the likes of Knightsbridge, Sloane Square, and the King’s Road. The frequency of the number 19 would also be increased from every 15 minutes to every 12 minutes on Sunday mornings.
Route 38
The number 38 is the 15th busiest bus route in the capital and shares a fair bit of its route with the number 19. TfL have proposed for the route to terminate at Holborn instead of Victoria and for frequency to decrease from every 6 minutes to every 10 minutes on Saturdays and from every 7-8 minutes to every 12 minutes on Sundays (and early mornings and evenings)
Route 259
This route would be altered to run between Ponders End and the Nag’s Head in Holloway, thus getting rid of a direct link to King’s Cross. This is in a bid to reduce overlapping services on Caledonian Road.
Credit: Sergii Figurnyi, Shutterstock Route 349
This particular bus route overlaps with a fair few other services, TfL’s proposal involves scrapping this route altogether.
Route 424
Due to congestion on Putney High Street, the proposed plans would see this route restructured to run between Putney Heath and Upper Richmond Road (instead of the current route to Fulham). A new route would potentially be created to operate between Putney Bridge and Fulham, but this route would not run particularly frequently.
Route 279
This route is the 8th busiest bus route in the city but is still in the running to be altered in TfL’s plans. The amended route would be terminate at Stamford Hill instead of Manor House.