Residents of Putney and Wimbledon have called for Transport for London (TfL) to drastically reform a bus services in “absolute shambles”.
The petition calls for an increased frequency of buses in hopes of reducing wait times, ensuring adequate sizing of buses to combat overcrowding, and clearer and more timely information to avoid passenger confusion.
It is focused specifically on services provided by Go Ahead London and TfL on routes 93, 14, 493 and 430.
The petition – posted on the platform change.org on 16 October – already has over 750 signatures.
Ricardo Arnostti Keidel, 43, a Wimbledon resident who started the petition, said: “People rely on these buses for work, school, and appointments.
“When the buses aren’t reliable, it disrupts everyone.
The petition comes following network performance data published by TfL revealing that from 1 April to 21 June this year, 13.7% of buses departed 5-15 minutes late.
Arnostti Keidel said: “TfL and Go-Ahead usually respond with generic replies and don’t seem to be making any real changes.
“The same problems keep happening, so it feels like they’re not really listening.”
The performance data also found that just over two thirds of bus users felt valued as a customer and only 71% felt they were “in control of their journey.”
Arnostti Keidel added: “These issues go beyond delays and route changes – it’s about respecting passengers and meeting community needs.”
Andrea Gilbert, a 36-year-old Putney resident impacted by the services said: “We are joining forces with the bus drivers who are getting the brunt of it through unhappy passengers.
“The Mayor and TfL need to come up with a plan for buses to be fully functioning and running so they better serve our community because as it stands now it is an absolute shambles.”
Fleur Anderson, MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields also created a petition alongside local councillors in June this year calling for better buses in Putney and Roehampton.
It calls for TfL to reform routes 170, 85 and 265 and has received over 1,000 signatures.
The Labour MP had previously written to Commissioner for TfL Andy Lord in December 2023, outlining pre-existing issues with the bus service.
Fleur Anderson told South West Londoner: “I launched this petition in the summer as our buses were already struggling, in large part due to the ongoing closure of Hammersmith Bridge.”
She added she receives hundreds of emails each month regarding the bus service – residents have shared accounts of waiting for up to an hour, with overcrowded buses eventually arriving with no space to pick up passengers.
Due to concerns around the safety of passengers disembarking at Putney Heath, bus services have now started terminating at Lytton Grove and Tibbett’s Corner, causing considerable distress for residents and particularly impacting the elderly and disabled.
Anderson said: “I’ve been hugely distressed to hear of residents experiencing these delays, with little to no useful information, the overcrowding and buses terminating unexpectedly.
“I’ve written to TfL and they have agreed to meet with me urgently, along with bus contractors, the relevant utility companies and bus driver representatives, so they can hear exactly what we need improved.
“We have had a perfect storm of transport issues over the last two months in Putney, with traffic congestion and the District Line going down, and many residents really are at wits’ end.
“The impact this is having on people is really huge.”
Roehampton Councillor Jenny Yates has been working with Anderson and TfL to improve provision.
Cllr Yates said that the council have partnered up with Roehampton University to enable free public use of the university bus.
She added: “We’ve also started the Roehampton Transport Club minibus to provide door-to-door service for those who find it difficult to use public transport.”
TfL’s Director of Public Transport Service Planning Geoff Hobbs said: “Our buses form a vital part of London’s transport network, providing millions of Londoners affordable, green, and accessible ways to travel around the capital every day.
“Unfortunately, bus services in this area are being affected by several sets of road works, delays on Putney High Street, and the ongoing closure of Hammersmith Bridge, and we are working to reduce the impact of this wherever possible.
“We continue to regularly review the bus network performance and will keep working closely with Wandsworth, neighbouring authorities, the operators and relevant utility companies to ensure we provide the best possible service for all.”
TfL was involved in an attack on its cyber security network starting on 1 September this year which has impacted technical issues with displays and the TfL app.
Customer data had been accessed by hackers which included thousands of names, addresses, bank details and other information.
The public transport network told the BBC the cost of the cyber-attack had been “several million pounds”.
Featured image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
