Dismore anger at TfL’s 13 bus decision
Reacting to news that Transport for London (TfL) had decided to go ahead with their decision to scrap the current 13 bus route, Labour London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden Andrew Dismore AM said the decision was “an outrage”.
Under TfL plans the existing 13 bus route from Golders Green to Aldwych via Oxford Street will be scrapped. The number is to be reassigned to the current 82 bus route, running from North Finchley to Victoria, via Golders Green and Finchley Road. Mr Dismore warned that residents in outer London would be most affected by the loss of the route, making journey times longer with more changes needed.
Mr Dismore said:
‘I’m absolutely livid at this. In meetings with TfL I told them that they were being disingenuous in renaming the 82 as the 13 after such a strong campaign against scrapping the 13 bus in 2015. Figures I have seen suggest that usage on the route has gone up from 3,484,154 passengers in 1999/2000 to 5,346,173 in 2015/16, an increase of 53%. An increase in capacity for the 82 will not cope with demand.’
’13 is unlucky for some, certainly it is for TfL, who have yet again counted a whole petition, this time with 1870 signatures against their scheme, as one response. There were not 1754 responses, there were 3624. The vast majority were totally against these changes even with the massaged figure. This is another shambolic attempt to hide dissatisfaction. Why do they bother consulting if they aren’t going to listen?’
Ends
Notes:
TfL figures for Finchley Road bus usage:
| Passengers 1999/2000 | Passengers 2012/2013 | Passengers 2014/2015 | Percentage increase 2012/2013 to 2014/2015 | Percentage increase 1999/2000 to 2014/2015 | |
| Bus 13 | 3,484,154 | 4,988,102 | 5,346,173 | 7.18% | 53.44% |
| Bus 82 | 5,433,291 | 7,942,767 | 8,160,120 | 2.74% | 50.19% |
| Bus 113 | 3,367,379 | 4,887,710 | 5,092,455 | 4.19% | 51.23% |
| Total Finchley Road Corridor | 12,284,824 | 17,818,579 | 18,598,748 | 4.38% | 51.40% |
| Bus 139 | 2,162,420 | 3,558,320 | 4,043,185 | 13.63% | 86.98% |
| Bus 189 | 3,557,498 | 4,618,792 | 5,060,640 | 9.57% | 42.25% |
| Total Finchley and Abbey Road Corridor | 18,004,742 | 25,995,691 | 27,702,573 | 6.57% | 53.86% |
