Local London Assembly Member, Joanne McCartney AM, has welcomed Transport for London’s (TfL), decision to proceed with proposals to introduce a new bus route which will improve links to North Middlesex University Hospital.
Following a public consultation, the new ‘456’ bus service is intended to replace the existing W10 route and run from Crews Hill to North Middlesex University Hospital via Enfield Town and Winchmore Hill. In addition, TfL’s proposals would also increase the route’s hours of operation.
Ms McCartney has long campaigned for improved bus connections across Enfield, particularly to North Middlesex University and Chase Farm hospitals. Over the course of her campaign, she has sent a number of letters to TfL and to both hospitals, as well as posing questions to the Mayor directly on the matter.
The new route, which TfL hopes to roll out by the Autumn, will aim to improve access for healthcare staff, patients and visitors to North Middlesex Hospital, as there is currently no direct bus service from Enfield Town.
The public consultation, carried out between October 2019 and January 2020, received over 500 responses.
Local London Assembly Member, Joanne McCartney AM, said:
“Having campaigned for better transport links to our local hospitals for a number of years, I am delighted to see TfL’s decision to introduce the 456 route from Crews Hill to North Mids Hospital via Enfield Town and Winchmore Hill.
“It is vital that NHS workers, patients and their families are able to easily access reliable transport links to reach the hospital, especially those without a car.
“TfL hope to make these changes by the Autumn. Until Government advice changes, everyone apart from essential workers must continue to avoid using public transport so we can effectively contain the spread of Covid-19”.
Notes to editors
- A link to TfL’s public consultation on the new 456 bus route, including the published report, can be found here;
- Joanne McCartney AM’s latest written question to the Mayor of London on bus links to North Middlesex University Hospital from September 2019, can be found here;
- A map of the proposed new 456 route can be found here;
- Joanne McCartney is the Assembly Member for Enfield & Haringey.