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Your favourite London bus route could look a little different over the coming month. Thanks to a big drop in the number of people using London’s buses since the pandemic, TfL has proposed major cuts and alterations to some of the city’s busiest routes.
The transport operator says that its plans would ‘improve reliability of both routes and better match current demand capacity’ and it has asked for opinions from members of the public.
‘Feedback is hugely important to us,’ TfL said. ‘We encourage everyone to respond to the consultations that are currently open. This will help inform future decisions, and enable us to create bus services that benefit everyone, where the right service levels are provided to support areas of growing demand.’
Besides depleted passenger numbers, TfL is also trying to minimise the number of services that overlap with one another. The proposals include shortening routes in north and west London, though there are plans to introduce a couple of new routes to make up for the cuts. Here’s everything we know.
Which London bus routes could be cut?
The routes at risk of getting the chop include the 259 between Edmonton Green and King’s Cross, the 279 between Waltham Cross and Manor House, the 349 between Ponders End and Stamford Hill, the 19 between Finsbury Park and Battersea Bridge (made famous by the Dire Straits song ‘Wild West End’), the 424 between Putney Heath and Fulham and the 38 between Clapton Pond and Victoria Bus Station.
What are TfL’s proposals?
Routes 19 and 38
For route 19, TfL proposes getting rid of the section between Battersea and Hyde Park corner and extending it to serve Victoria station instead. TfL would also increase the 19’s frequency on Sunday early mornings from every 15 minutes to every 12 minutes. TfL says it would introduce a new separate route between Mildmay Park, Dove Road and Battersea Bridge.
As for the 38 (which shares part of its route with 19 and is the 15th busiest bus route in the city), it would terminate at Holborn rather than Victoria and only run every 10 minutes on Saturdays (rather than every six minutes). The public can have their say on the future of buses 19 and 38 here until January 23. Night bus routes would stay the same.
TfL said: ‘Route 38 runs in two overlapping legs which no longer match the demand patterns due to a significant decrease in demand at Victoria and between Hackney and Essex Road.
‘Route 19 is unreliable, and the busiest section is around Islington Green.’
Route 259
The 259, which runs through north London to King’s Cross, would be restructured to run between Ponders End and the Nag’s Head in Holloway, reducing duplication with other bus routes on Caledonian Road. However, this would cut a direct link to King’s Cross.
Route 349
TfL says that the 349 ‘overlaps significantly with other services’ and wants to axe it completely to better match ‘levels of service with passenger demand’.
Route 279
Despite carrying 9.7 million passengers in 2024/25 and being the eighth busiest bus route in the city, TfL wants to change bus 279 to redirect it away from Seven Sisters Road and have it terminate at Stamford Hill instead of Manor House. This would remove a link to the Piccadilly line at Manor House station.
Route 424
The 424 currently runs between Putney Heath and Fulham but, due to congestion on Putney High Street, TfL proposes restructuring it to run between Putney Heath and Upper Richmond Road instead. It also proposes creating a new route (numbered 454) to operate between Putney Bridge station and Fulham, but that would only run every 30 or 45 minutes.
How have people reacted to the proposals?
Campaigner worry that the cuts and alterations to local bus routes will disrupt the routines of people who rely on them to get home or to work. AgeUK has expressed concern over older Londoners and disabled people who will be more negatively affected if more bus changes are added to their journeys.
Caroline Russell, leader of the Green party on the London Assembly and an Islington councillor, said: ‘The proposed reduction in service frequency is what concerns me most as longer waits could discourage people from using buses altogether.’
A spokesperson for passenger watchdog London TravelWatch said: ‘London TravelWatch understands the need to review different routes on the bus network to make the most effective use of resources, and we expect TfL to put savings back into the network to meet demand in those areas that most need it.
‘When TfL consults on changes to bus routes, we always highlight any concerns we have that might have a detrimental impact on passengers. This includes asking TfL to make sure it minimises the need for people to have to change buses where routes are altered – particularly at night – or at least provide the easiest way for passengers to change between buses where this is unavoidable.
‘We will continue to monitor changes to London’s bus routes, and urge TfL to make sure they engage with passengers to put their needs first.’
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