Bus cuts on way: TfL forced into drastic service reduction as part of savings drive

The government’s refusal to offer Transport for London (TfL) long-term backing could lead to a raft of bus cuts, according to the transport body.

TfL is required to achieve £400m in savings and reduce the bus network by 4 per cent by financial year 24/25 as part of the conditions set in a series of government bailouts required to refill the network’s post-pandemic coffers.

A six-week consultation on the withdrawal or alteration of some 78 of the current 620 bus routes was published today.

Routes affected include the 4, 16, 72, 74 and 78.

Despite a sustained recovery, bus ridership numbers continue to be significantly below pre-pandemic levels. Government-imposed lockdowns hit TfL’s finances hard, as the network is unusually reliant for a global city transport system on fare revenues, as opposed to grants from central government.

“No one wants to see reductions to our bus network, but TfL is having to consider these changes because of the savings demanded by the government as part of the emergency funding deals during the pandemic,” commented Seb Dance, deputy mayor for transport.

“Routes changed are ones where there are very similar existing services or where passengers would make use of the Mayor’s ‘Hopper’ fare to reach their destination.”

The £200m backing is set to expire on 24 June and if parties don’t reach a new agreement, TfL will be forced to cut up to 20 per cent of buses as part of its ‘managed decline’ scenario.