Commuters could soon lose one of their regular bus services altogether, after Transport for London unveiled proposals to overhaul three routes across the capital.
The plans, which are now open for public comment, cover the C3, the 74 and the 430. The most dramatic change on the table is the possible withdrawal of the C3, which currently runs between Clapham Junction station and the Tesco on Warwick Road in Earl’s Court.
Under the shake-up, the 74 would be reshaped to take over parts of the C3’s old territory. The revised 74 would run between Baker Street and Clapham Junction, covering sections of south-west London previously served by the C3. The trade-off is that the stretch of the 74 between Putney and Earl’s Court would disappear from the map.
What it means for passengers
For regular users, the proposals are a mixed bag. Anyone who relies on the C3 between Clapham Junction and Earl’s Court would lose their direct bus if the route is withdrawn — a blow for shoppers, school runs and anyone who uses the link to the superstore on Warwick Road. TfL’s answer is that the re-routed 74 would pick up parts of the corridor, so some journeys would still be possible on a revised service.
There is better news on frequency. TfL wants to run the 74 more often, proposing a bus every 12 minutes on Sunday mornings instead of the current 20-minute gap — a change that would cut waiting times considerably for weekend travellers. Night bus users can relax: the N74 would carry on exactly as now.
The third route in the package, the 430, escapes cuts entirely. Linking the V&A in South Kensington with Minstead Gardens in Roehampton, it would keep its full length while gaining a more frequent timetable, with a 12-minute interval promised on every day of the week.
TfL says the thinking behind the shake-up is to simplify services across central and inner London, replacing a larger number of lower-frequency routes with fewer, more frequent and more reliable ones.
A familiar story for London’s bus network
This is far from the first time the capital’s bus map has been redrawn. TfL reviews its network regularly to match services with demand, and 2026 has already seen a string of changes: six routes were altered in January, another 13 were shortened in March, and in July two north London services were earmarked for possible withdrawal. Hackney’s council has already urged TfL to think again over separate bus cuts in its borough, where a consultation recently closed.
How the consultation works
None of the changes are final yet — and that is where passengers come in. When TfL proposes bus changes, it opens a public consultation and invites anyone affected to share their views, whether they ride the routes every day or only occasionally. Responses are then weighed up alongside passenger numbers and running costs before a final decision is made.
The current consultation runs until Monday, 16 November, and TfL has stressed that public feedback will play an important part in shaping the final outcome. Anyone with a view on the C3, 74 or 430 can take part through TfL’s consultation pages before the deadline.
It has already been a turbulent few weeks for passengers on the capital’s roads. A burst water main recently forced a Superloop bus to divert near a Chislehurst school, while rail commuters endured chaos at Waterloo after a police incident shut the Woking to Basingstoke line.
For now, the C3, 74 and 430 proposals remain exactly that — proposals. But with one route facing the axe and two more in line for a revamp, regular passengers may want to make their voices heard before 16 November.
