Hackney Council has called on Transport for London to scrap proposed Hackney bus cuts across the east London borough, warning that the changes would erode service quality and hit the most vulnerable residents hardest.
The council says it has told TfL to rethink proposed changes affecting routes 42, 67, 149, 106, 253 and 254, and has raised concerns about what it describes as the cumulative effect of ongoing reductions to bus services across Hackney.
According to the council, the cumulative impact of the cuts amounts to a significant decline in service quality, and the proposals would disproportionately affect lower-income households, women and Global Majority communities.
What the Hackney bus cuts would mean
TfL is consulting on three packages of changes covering the six routes:
- Route 42: the route would terminate south of Tower Bridge, severing its existing north-south link between Shoreditch and south London.
- Routes 67 and 149: route 67 would be withdrawn altogether, while route 149 would be restructured — a change the council says would provide some replacement links but reduce frequency on parts of the existing 149.
- Routes 106, 253 and 254: route 254 would be withdrawn, route 106 would be extended to Aldgate, and frequencies would be increased on routes 106 and 253, excluding the 253 night bus.
The council says it is particularly concerned about the proposed withdrawal of route 254, which it says would leave the 106 as the only direct service on parts of the Whitechapel to Hackney corridor.
Superloop alternative
Rather than withdrawing the 254, Hackney Council is proposing an alternative: that the route should become the first inner London Superloop route — a faster express bus service in the borough with fewer stops.
Superloop is TfL’s network of express bus routes designed to improve links across outer London with limited stops. Bringing a Superloop service into inner London for the first time would mark a new departure for the scheme.
Cllr Jacob Cable, the council’s Cabinet Member for Climate, Clean Air, Energy and Transport, said:
“We are calling on TfL to protect our vital bus network from further cuts. This council is pushing for a reliable, high-quality bus network, that supports the borough’s growth and ensures people can get around easily and affordably.
“We have introduced measures across Hackney to support and improve bus services, like our bus gates in Church Street, Stoke Newington, and Amhurst Road, and we maintain the highest coverage of bus lanes in London to help buses move efficiently.
“We encourage residents to join us in telling TfL what they think about the proposed cuts.”
Consultation closes on Sunday
TfL’s public consultations on the three packages of changes are open until Sunday 20 September. Residents can have their say through the individual consultation pages for changes to routes 67 and 149, route 42, and changes to routes 106, 253 and 254 on the TfL website.
The council’s intervention comes as TfL continues to review its bus network across the capital, balancing demand with the cost of running services. Hackney argues, however, that the borough has already borne its share of reductions, and that further cuts would undermine its own investment in bus priority measures.
TfL has not yet confirmed when a final decision on the proposed changes will be announced.
Reporting based on Hackney Council News.
