Putney's Buses 'Worst Affected' By Delays in London

Crisis meeting called to address state of the service

Fleur Anderson with an 85 bus

December 27, 2024

‘Crisis talks’ have been held recently Putney and Roehampton’s buses during which it was admitted that that local services are the worst affected by delays in London.

The meeting was convened by Putney MP Fleur Anderson and brought together TfL, the Council, the Mayor of London’s office, bus operators and the water and power companies.

She was demanding action on what she described as the ‘dreadful’ local service. Contributing factors to the decline include ongoing disruptions from the closure of Hammersmith Bridge, ongoing utility works, delivery obstructions on Putney High Street, recent works to improve the junction at Putney Bridge and road changes in Fulham. The Labour MP has been working closely with Wandsworth Council to try and improve the bus services for the area.

At the meeting she highlighted what she described as the crisis point reached by Putney and Roehampton’s transport system, urging all parties to continue working together to mitigate the impact on local residents and commuters. She stressed the importance of traffic flow, particularly in relation to emergency works and deliveries to Putney High Street, as a critical step toward easing congestion.

A key focus of the meeting was ending early terminations at Lytton Grove and Tibbett's Corner and restoring the alighting points at the Putney Heath bus stand. Following pressure from Ms Anderson and the Council, TfL has agreed to urgently review this decision, aiming to have established a safe way to reopen the stops by January 2025.

The meeting agreed to proposed changes to the service at Putney Heath and set up a focussed Taskforce on Putney and Roehampton buses.

Fleur Anderson MP said, “I am at my wits’ end with the bus services in Putney and Roehampton, a sentiment shared by thousands of residents. I have been campaigning for months for improved services, but in that time they have deteriorated even further. This is simply unacceptable.

“At the start of this meeting, which I called to address this crisis in our public transport, I read aloud the testimonies of people who have emailed me. I receive hundreds of emails, including from the elderly, disabled and parents of young children, who have nowhere to turn when the bus they rely on to get to work, school or the hospital simply does not arrive for an hour. They have no information, cannot plan around these issues, cannot afford a last minute taxi or Uber, cannot walk.”

She also pledged to meet again with Deputy Mayor Seb Dance and the newly appointed Transport Advisor to the Mayor of London to discuss the ongoing situation and ensure continued action.

Councillor Jenny Yates, Cabinet Member for Transport at Wandsworth Council said, “I am a Roehampton Councillor and I hear from residents all the time how difficult the problems with the buses is making their lives. They are really angry about the situation and it is simply not good enough. We will continue to work with TfL to address this issue, and support the urgent reopening of Hammersmith Bridge to vehicles.

“I am delighted that residents are using the new bus services we have provided as a Council. Thousands of additional journeys are now being made every week on the University of Roehampton bus, which the Council has made free for the public to use. We have also introduced a new scheme, the Roehampton Transport Club, where residents can request a door to door service on a community minibus. You can find more information on the Wandsworth Council website.”

Ther new Putney and Roehampton Bus Taskforce will meet monthly to share information, plan ahead, and address gaps in communication between agencies, providing a platform for coordinated action to improve the situation. In addition, the Taskforce will focus on key measures such as the urgent reopening of Putney Heath bus stand. The first update from the taskforce is due to be made next month.

Ms Anderson concluded, “The bus services for Putney and Roehampton are at breaking point. At the heart of the problem is the closure of Hammersmith Bridge which makes our network more likely to be affected by any other road works. But changes can be made to improve the service. We must act quickly to restore reliability to the service that so many of our residents rely on. I’m encouraged by the commitment from all stakeholders to find a solution, but there is much more to be done. We must keep the pressure on.”