Dismore stands up for night workers and seeks review of night bus cuts

With no consultation about their plans, TfL has brought in timetable changes affecting seven night bus routes in Barnet and Camden. The changes double and in some cases triple the gaps between buses, and with the last bus much earlier than before on several of the routes. The justification was the introduction of the night tube.

However, at today’s Mayor’s Question Time, (video https://vimeo.com/243125886)  Labour London Assembly Member, Andrew Dismore AM, told  the Mayor:

‘For a night worker travelling home for example from Charing Cross to High Barnet, forced to use the tube instead of the night bus due to the severe cuts in night bus frequency and/or the last bus running much earlier than before, it is going to cost them at least £1.60 a journey, which for a night shift wipes out the 25p an hour increase in the London Living Wage if they are lucky enough to be paid it. If the journey is done twice a week the total extra cost is £166 a year.’

‘Do you recognise that night buses provide an affordable and regular service especially for low paid night workers, for whom the night tube is a more expensive alternative? Is that fair?

‘According to the Customer Service and Operational Performance Panel “some customers will have a preference for bus over tube, due to the exact routing or fare differential”. Users of the N5 to Edgware or N20 to Barnet will see their bus frequencies worsen to 30 minutes. For passengers such as low paid night workers going home after a long and arduous shift, who are unable to afford to use the tube, is 30 minutes an acceptable wait time in your opinion? Don’t these cuts discriminate against the low paid night workers?

 ‘With no consultation about their plans, TfL’s email to stakeholders notifying us of the timetable changes affecting 7 night bus routes in my constituency, which changes double and in some cases triple the gaps between buses, and with the last bus much earlier than before too, was sent  at 19:17 on the very same evening as they came into effect: was that reasonable notice? And should there not have been consultation? Will you now have a proper consultation, with night workers at the heart of it, as to how they travel to and from work, the costs involved, and their preferences, so that they are not unfairly disadvantaged by TfL’s decisions like this?’

The Mayor said that he supported TfL’s decision to cut the frequency of the buses due to reduced usage because of the night tube but TfL should give adequate notice. His fares freeze and hopper fare should assist with travel costs.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

 Cost of fares:

 Night tube from Charing Cross to High Barnet: Oyster card/Contactless: £3.10

(Night tube from Charing Cross to High Barnet: Cash: £5.90)

N20 Night bus from Charing Cross to High Barnet: Oyster Card: £1.50

(Cant use cash on the bus)

Fare difference= £1.60

If journey done twice a week £1.60 x 104 = £166.40 per annum

Details: https://tfl.gov.uk/fares-and-payments/fares/bus-and-tram?intcmp=14944

On 29th September TfL announced the following frequency changes to their night bus routes.[1]

‘From the night of Friday 29 September 2017, we are reducing the frequency of a number of night bus services.

This is so that we can more closely match the demand for buses. Demand for night buses has fallen considerably, in some cases by more than we expected.’

This follows the introduction of Night Tube on Friday and Saturday nights, although demand on some routes has also fallen on Sunday to Thursday nights.

Route 6: Aldwych – Willesden, Bus Garage.

Buses will now run every 15 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights (instead of every 12 minutes), and every 30 minutes on Sunday to Thursday nights (instead of every 15 minutes).

Route 24: Pimlico – Hampstead Heath

Buses will now run every 30 minutes each night (instead of every 15 minutes).

Route 43: London Bridge – Friern Barnet (introduced Saturday 30 September 2017)

Buses will now run every 30 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights (instead of every 20 minutes).

Route 134: Tottenham Court Road Station – North Finchley

Buses will now run every 30 minutes each night (instead of every 12 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights and every 15 minutes on Sunday to Thursday nights).

Route 214: Moorgate, Finsbury Square – Highgate Village

Buses will now run every 30 minutes on Sunday to Thursday nights (instead of every 20 minutes).

Route N5: Trafalgar Square – Edgware

Buses will now run every 30 minutes each night (instead of every 10 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights and every 15 minutes on Sunday to Thursday nights). On Saturday nights / Sunday mornings the last buses will be earlier- this is because Night Tube is available early on Sunday morning and the later journeys are no longer needed to fill the gap until the first Tube.

Route N9: Aldwych – Hounslow – Heathrow Terminal 5 (introduced Saturday 16 September 2017)

On Friday and Saturday nights buses between Aldwych and Heathrow Terminal 5 continue to run every 20 minutes but there are no longer additional journeys between Aldwych and Hounslow. Previously on Friday and Saturday nights buses ran every 10 minutes between Aldwych and Hounslow and every 20 minutes between Hounslow and Heathrow Terminal 5.

Route N16: Victoria – Edgware

Buses will now run every 30 minutes on Sunday to Thursday nights (instead of every 20 minutes).

Route N20: Trafalgar Square – Barnet Church

Buses will now run every 30 minutes on Friday and Saturday nights (instead of every 10 minutes). On Saturday nights / Sunday mornings the last buses will be earlier – this is because Night Tube is available early on Sunday morning and the later journeys are no longer needed to fill the gap until the first Tube.

[1] TFL email to Stakeholders

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