News from Marina Ahmad: Community joins forces to save Southwark buses

Local London Assembly Member Marina Ahmad, Southwark Councillors and community groups organised a public meeting on potential Southwark bus cuts last Thursday (28^th July). There was standing room only at the Green in Nunhead as residents, councillors and community groups joined together to rally against proposed service changes. Ms Ahmad AM said residents face being “unfairly punished” by Government’s inability to provide a long-term Transport for London (TfL) funding deal since the start of the pandemic in March 2020.

If the cuts go ahead, Southwark will be hit harder than any other London borough , with 25% of all service changes falling in the borough.

This includes hugely important routes such as the 12 and the 78, mooted to be scrapped all together. The 12 is an iconic route, being one of London’s oldest and a direct link to the West End. There are also serious concerns about a complete lack of service in Nunhead, an area already underserved by transport links.

Ms Ahmad AM was joined by local councillors and representatives from the Southwark Pensioners Centre and Westminster House Youth Club, while a statement of support from the MP for Camberwell and Peckham, Harriet Harman, was read out. This meeting followed an initial gathering of local councillors and community groups such as the SE5 Forum hosted by Ms Ahmad at City Hall at the end of June.

TfL’s finances, reliant on income from ticket fares, were hit hard by the pandemic. The transport system needs financial support as it works to become self-sustainable again with Londoners going back to work and tourists returning to the capital.

With the Government repeatedly holding back funds, TfL has been forced to propose cuts to vital services and shelve key local infrastructure projects, which are crucial to South London’s connectivity, such as the Bakerloo Line extension. The TfL consultation on these changes ends on 7^th August.

Marina Ahmad, Assembly Member for Lambeth and Southwark said:

“While it was fantastic to see so many people eager to join the fight to save our buses, it should never have come to this.

“Southwark residents, and all Londoners, are being unfairly punished by more than two years of Government inaction over offering TfL a fair, long-term funding deal.

“Buses are vital in our borough, where there is already a lack of transport links. They are a lifeline for so many people, whether they are travelling for work, school, food shopping or visiting family and friends.

“I am glad to be able to bring the community together on this important issue. I am urging all residents to take part in the consultation to make sure their voices are heard loud and clear ”

ENDS

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