Lambeth Council has formally challenged Transport for London’s plan to scrap the 415 bus route, urging the Mayor and TfL to reconsider.
The council will submit a formal response to TfL’s consultation, opposing the withdrawal of the route, which runs between Tulse Hill and the Old Kent Road. The public consultation closes on Sunday, 15 November.
The 415 bus route runs between Tulse Hill and Old Kent Road, serving Brixton, Camberwell and Elephant and Castle.
TfL is proposing to withdraw route 415 entirely and extend route 333 from Elephant & Castle to Tulse Hill via Camberwell and Brixton, with buses every seven to eight minutes during the day. A new night service, the N333, would run every 20 minutes, and the 333 would run every 10 minutes in the evenings and on Sundays.
A TfL spokesperson said: “We are proposing to withdraw route 415 and extend route 333 from Elephant & Castle to Tulse Hill via Camberwell and Brixton. This would maintain connections between Tulse Hill, Brixton and Elephant & Castle, with buses every seven to eight minutes during the day. We are consulting on these proposals until 15 November and encourage anyone affected to share their views.”
TfL says demand on the 415 has dropped significantly since the pandemic, and the proposal is designed to address excess capacity, simplify the network and reduce operating costs on the Elephant & Castle, Brixton and Tulse Hill corridors. It says bus routes 2 and 432 have sufficient capacity to meet demand should the 415 be withdrawn, and that most passengers would have a direct alternative or need only one change.
Passengers travelling on to Old Kent Road would change at Elephant & Castle onto routes 1, 4, 68, 168, 172, 176, 188, 363, 453 or night routes, with no extra fare if the change is made within the hour under the Hopper fare.
Lambeth Council’s Deputy Leader, Councillor Ciara Alleyne, said: “The 415 is a vital route for Tulse Hill residents and we urge TfL to reconsider proposals to withdraw it from service. Thousands of people, many on lower incomes, rely on the 415 and removing it would make their journeys longer and more difficult.
“I’m particularly concerned about the impact on elderly, disabled and young families. The 2 and 432 are often packed by the time they reach Tulse Hill at peak times, which will create a real accessibility issue for those who need a seat. Under these proposals, thousands of people will face longer ‘split’ journeys requiring a change of bus. In Brixton, this will add congestion to the high-street, where pavements are incredibly busy already.
“We share TfL and the Mayor’s ambitions to speed up bus journey times and make services more reliable. Supported by TfL funding, we’ve recently published plans to speed up buses on six main road corridors. Withdrawing the 415 would set that back and make bus travel less attractive.
“We hope the Mayor and TfL will listen to local residents and bring forward alternative proposals that keep our communities connected.”
The council said the 415 was a ‘lifeline’ for many residents, particularly older people, disabled passengers and families with young children, and that removing the route would force thousands of people to make longer journeys, often requiring a change of bus in Brixton.
The council also says those travelling on to Elephant and Castle and Old Kent Road from Brixton would travel 20 per cent further, as the 333 passes through Stockwell rather than continuing directly along Brixton Road.
The council will submit a detailed technical response to the consultation and will also be writing to local MPs and Lambeth’s London Assembly Member to raise the issue with the Mayor and TfL.
Anyone affected can share their views on TfL’s consultation page for the withdrawal of route 415 and changes to route 333 before it closes on 15 November.
It is the latest in a series of bus changes across the capital — south east London bus routes faced cuts and changes under earlier TfL plans, while MPs have urged the Mayor to fix a Sutton school bus route leaving pupils stranded.
