Transport for London ('TfL') are consulting on changes to the bus network in Croydon. Eleven routes are set to change.
The changes include routes terminating at Katharine Street rather than West Croydon bus station and passengers who might previously have taken a single bus now will be forced to transfer to another route to complete the same journey as previously.
If you are a bus user then please take a look at the the consultation website soon and let TfL know what you think about their proposals. You can also email your comments to [email protected]. Be aware the closing date is Sunday 13 January 2019.
Croydon Conservatives have formally responded to the consultation:
Croydon is one of only two Boroughs in London to have a growing demand for bus services and at 8% growth is the leading Borough in the Capital. Croydon clearly has demand for more bus usage not less and with the multiple car free developments happening in and around the town centre, the consequent growing demand, the increased population in Croydon and the need for a better and more integrated public transport service to and through the town centre.
These proposals will reduce bus provision for Croydon and make interchange between routes more difficult, especially for those physically less abled but who rely on buses for transport.
TfL have proposed these changes by saying that accessing West Croydon or Croydon University Hospital can easily be achieved on routes such as the 60, 64, 109 and 198 by changing at mid-Croydon i.e. along Wellesley Road, and evidence this by saying the routes from the south of the Borough cut short at Katharine Street (154, 403, 405 and 412) are only a 100m metre from alternative routes.
Cutting short the routes from the south of the Borough is a significant disadvantage for bus passengers both in terms of accessing the northern end of the town centre and in the physical requirements of a 100m walk to transfer. Those accessing the town centre would not transfer onto another bus route and would instead have a much more significant walking distance from Katharine Street to North End or the Whitgift Centre rather than alighting from the bus on Wellesley Road next to the shopping centre.
The users of the 403 and 412 routes are particularly likely to be disadvantaged as they come from an area of the Borough already low on bus provision. The 412 was reduced as a service on 1st September yet is the only route through the Riddlesdown area and the Elmfield Way area of South Croydon. The 403 is the only route from Warlingham and through Sanderstead where it crosses with the 412 so local residents will be doubly disadvantaged in accessing Croydon. These changes coupled with the reduction in service can only result in reducing usage and TfL justifying a further reduction in the services in the future.
Currently, the users of those routes who wish to change and travel further north or who simply wish to access the Whitgift Centre can do so on Wellesley Road or at the natural changeover point of West Croydon bus station – a large site specifically designed for bus routes to turn around that TfL are planning on renovating for greater capacity and access to West Croydon train station.
The new Westfield development will also be hampered by fewer bus routes stopping outside. These proposals will be detrimental to the long term economic prosperity of the shopping area of Croydon.
Coming from the north of the Borough to the town centre, passengers on the 50, 75, 250 and 264 are all disadvantaged as while they can still access West Croydon station, they are left short of the Whitgift Centre and the bus stops serving the underpass proving access to the shopping centre. They are also left a greater distance from East Croydon station, the main line from London to Gatwick and the south coast, than they currently are.
Passengers on the 433, whilst able to change at East Croydon bus station onto a different route serving the town centre are still disadvantaged with having to make the change for no good reason other than a whim of TfL to make changes that do not benefit the bus user.
Overall, the proposals do not benefit bus passengers and do not benefit Croydon town centre for public transport provision or economic development. In a Borough with increasing overall demand TfL should be improving the services not restricting them.
Photo by David Preston on Unsplash
