Transport for London (TfL) is set to alter the W12, W13, and W14 routes, which all run through the borough. Campaigners say the move would leave less mobile residents ‘housebound’ and ‘stranded’, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter

Transport for London (TfL) has been urged to halt plans to change its bus routes for the sake of vulnerable residents.

The transport body intends to scrap one bus route and alter three others around Walthamstow, Wanstead and Woodford in September.

Amendments will be made to the W12, W13 and W14 services in an effort to “simplify” the service and “improve accessibility” to Whipps Cross Hospital, TfL says. The 549, which goes between South Woodford and Loughton tube stations, will no longer run.

But campaigners say it would leave less mobile residents “housebound” and “stranded”.

Lucille Grant, 85, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) she would no longer be able to travel around east London if the changes were introduced.

She said: “They don’t seem to have considered people like me – people who rely on the buses. Disabled people, those going to work, families with young children. It’s ludicrous what they’re doing.”

She added: “I won’t be able to go shopping unless I pay for a taxi. That won’t be cheap, and I can’t rely on my friends to take me here, there and everywhere.

“I’ve told all my friends I’m just going to become a hermit.”

She said it also made it difficult to use London’s public transport, which is a priority for the Mayor of London as Londoners are generally encouraged to avoid using cars in a bid to improve air quality.

The full changes involve restructuring the W12 to operate between Coppermill Lane and Woodford Bridge via Church Hill Road. It would run every 15 minutes, rather than every 30.

Meanwhile, the W13 will be extended to the Asda in Leyton. The W14 will instead run between Loughton Station and Whipps Cross Interchange, functioning as the replacement for the 549.

Liz Martins, organiser of the ‘Save Local Buses & Routes For Local Residents’ campaign, said the changes will “severely impact people’s lives”.

Speaking at a meeting of Redbridge Council’s external scrutiny committee last night (2nd September), she said: “The majority of residents are very concerned. Please do not do this.”

Fellow campaigner Donna Mizzi said the scheme must be “immediately halted” to prevent any further “fear and distress” among residents.

A representative for TfL said senior officers would review the scheme and its impact as a result of the concerns raised. He added: “Once we’ve completed that review, we will discuss it with Redbridge officers before we make a decision.”

Concerns were also raised that the W14 will no longer go straight to Whipps Cross, but instead drop passengers off roughly a quarter-mile away. It will also run less frequently, with services every hour instead of every half-hour.

The TfL representative said he understood people would then walk to the hospital, or wait for the connecting W12 to finish their journey.

TfL held a six-week long consultation and all 863 recorded responses had been taken on board, its representative said.

TfL also apologised for not meeting with the campaign group, blaming restrictions surrounding the July election, but said their concerns “had been heard”.

Some 157 respondents said the proposals “discriminated against the elderly, disabled, vulnerable and less mobile,” while 103 were concerned about the lower frequency of services and the “loss of direct connections”. A further 59 were worried it would take longer or be more difficult to get to Whipps Cross.

According to TfL, 69 people showed “general support” for the proposals.

Its representative added: “We consider and take into account every response we receive, but we cannot please everybody.

“Some people will benefit and, unfortunately, other people won’t. But that doesn’t mean we’ve not taken people’s views into account.”

A trio of Waltham Forest councillors have expressed disappointment in TfL, saying they had raised “important and legitimate concerns” with the organisation about the “real challenges to safely navigating the narrower, largely pedestrianised streets around Walthamstow Village.”

The three Hoe Street ward representatives – Miriam Mirwitch, Andrew Dixon and deputy leader Ahsan Khan – said these issues had not been referred to in the consultation, which was “frustrating”.

Clyde Loakes, the co-deputy leader of Waltham Forest Council, said: “We have received contact from residents regarding TfL’s decision to change the route of the W12 bus. The council’s position was clear in our consultation response – we couldn’t support an increase to four larger buses an hour being routed through the highly pedestrianised Orford Road and the narrow residential streets that it leads to.

“Hoe Street ward councillors suggested a compromise to TfL during the consultation in the summer 2023 that maintained the status quo of two buses an hour through the TfL-funded Walthamstow Village Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN), with two buses an hour utilising Church Hill. This compromise, which the council supports, would protect the Walthamstow Village LTN where pedestrians and cyclists have priority and at the same time maintain a twice-hourly W12 bus service.

“TfL has decided to test its own proposal for the W12 over the next 12 months, with larger buses and increased frequency using Church Hill only. We look forward to seeing how it progresses.”

During the meeting, Redbridge was also told the plans to make Snaresbrook station step-free had been paused.

The TfL representative said it was the result of “challenging choices” made in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic four years ago.

In December 2023, TfL confirmed that work to make Leyton Station step-free would begin in summer 2024, with the view to opening a revamped station in early 2026. As of 3rd September, work has not yet begun. The Echo has contacted TfL for an updated timeline on the works.

Editor’s note: (04/09) A comment from council deputy leader Clyde Loakes was added to this piece

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