Regular users of the 465 bus route will be aware that the service has been reduced since the new operator took over in June this year. For Malden Rushett residents, the 465 bus is the only public transport available to them, and the route has become even more vital since the introduction of ULEZ. Malden Rushett Residents’ Association has been campaigning for years for improvements in public transport services … so why is Transport for London (TfL) reducing the frequency of the 465?
When the new operator, Transport UK Bus, signed the contract, TfL allowed a greater interval between buses from 30 mins to 35 mins to be built into the contract. TfL knew they were making the service less efficient.
Gareth Roberts, our London Assembly Member, asked TfL about this and according to a MyLondon report the Mayor and TfL responded saying “this the new frequency remains sufficient to meet customer demand” and “the restoration of a 30-minute frequency would require an additional bus and driver duties, which would be disproportionally expensive for TfL.”
Unfortunately, we still have the London Mayor and TfL deciding what bus services they think we should have rather than communicating and consulting with residents and providing the public transport services we need. We continue to support residents in Malden Rushett with their campaign.