Responding to Transport for London’s newly announced Central London Bus Review, Nick Bowes, Chief Executive of Centre for London said:

“With so much pressure on TfL’s finances, it was always likely buses – which are subsidised from other parts of the public transport network – would face the brunt of any cuts. Today’s announcement will have big ramifications for Londoners that rely on public transport to study, work or meet friends, and particularly low income Londoners.

While patterns of use are always changing and services need adjusting accordingly, the fear is decisions are being taken about future usage based on current passenger numbers, which aren’t a true reflection of where numbers might be in six months or two years time. Cutting services could also provoke a downward spiral in usage, returning London’s buses to the bad old days before the improvements over the past two decades. What is needed is an urgent agreement between the Mayor and the government on a long-term funding package to give TfL the stability to give London the public transport it desperately needs”.