Most proposed changes to routes in the area no longer taking place

The Number 74 bus on Putney Bridge

November 28, 2022

There has been widespread welcome for an announcement by TfL that most of the planned cuts in bus services it had planned will no longer take place.

In the borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, the C3, 14, 72 and 74 buses have been saved, as have the night buses N27 and N74 – and the N72 will still serve Hammersmith

TfL has also withdrawn proposed changes to routes 27, 283, 328 and 430.

The 11 will still run from Fulham, with no changes to stops locally. It will terminate at Waterloo instead of Liverpool Street, replacing the 507.

In total, TfL received 21,528 responses to their consultation and representations were made by both the council and Chelsea and Fulham MP Greg Hands.

Local groups who also campaigned to save the borough’s buses included the H&F Youth Council, Age UK H&F, the Fulham Society, the Hammersmith Society, Fulham Good Neighbours, Fulham Cross Academy, H&F Chamber of Commerce, the Hammersmith BID and HFCyclists.

In July, H&F Council made a detailed, objection to TfL, itemising the impact on residents of proposed cuts to individual bus routes.

Cllr Ben Coleman, Deputy Leader of H&F Council, said: “Congratulations to all those borough residents and local groups who campaigned with the council against the government-imposed cuts to local bus routes. This is a great result.”

Greg Hands said, “This is a real moment for power to the people! The consultation report highlighted the huge, combined petition from me, Nickie Aiken MP, Felicity Buchan MP and local GLA Member Tony Devenish AM which had reached over 10,000 signatures! Our strongly supported petition clearly made a massive difference.

“In total, the consultation received a staggering 21,528 responses and the bus route which attracted the most public comments was the number 14 – which is already London’s slowest route under Khan – it received a total of 2,732 comments. The voices of the local community have been heard, so thank you to the public for your support!”

Number 72 bus on Hammersmith Broadway

There are still some local services that will change including route 23 which will no longer serve Hammersmith bus station. The council says it will continue to lobby against this change. Greg Hands says he will continue to campaign against proposed changes to routes 11, 211 and N11 which would no longer go East-West through the centre, but instead routed south of the River.

Greg Hands is still concerned about the future of the number 11

He added, “This will see an end of the iconic number 11 bus route to Liverpool Street – this has great tradition and is one of London’s most important routes. It also offers a vital route for commuters from my constituency into Central London and it has been a key part of the fabric of Chelsea and Fulham for more than 100 years.

"The 211 and the N11 also serve strategic locations and local services in my constituency such as Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and Charing Cross Hospital. We want to see the routes unchanged.

"Join me in the fight to save the 11, 211 and N11 bus routes by signing my new petition to keep these beloved buses on the same routes and the existing frequencies.”

Extra funding obtained by TfL allowed it to reconsider the proposed cuts and it now says it will focus on improving bus services in outer London in anticipation of the introduction of the extension to the ULEZ.