Replacement bus service scrappage not good enough
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| John Biggs |
TRANSPORT bosses have been accused of 'taking the easy option' after scrapping a replacement bus service.
Transport for London is set to withdraw the ELC route from New Cross Gate to Canada Water and reduce the number of buses on ELW from Wapping to Whitechapel.
The services were supposed to replace the closed East London Line but were dubbed 'ghost buses' after passengers found them too infrequent and slow to use.
John Biggs, London Assembly member for City and East, agreed the buses were barely used but called for the latest decision to be reviewed.
He said: "If TfL had invested more time in looking at ways to improve the ELW route, they could have provided a better service.
"Instead it seems they have taken the easy option by cutting it, justifying it by the low passenger numbers, and not having a proper attempt at improving it."
Mr Biggs said there was still a big demand for people trying to use public transport in Wapping, with D3 and 100 buses full at peak times.
TfL says it will save more than £220,000 every month when the changes come into effect from September 25.
Passenger numbers have dwindled by 40 per cent since they were introduced in January 2008, with the transport authority saying the cost could no longer be justified.
Just four buses will run every hour from Wapping to Whitechapel until the East London Line reopens in June 2010.