Only Hillingdon council made objections to several cuts and alterations to Bus services which have been creeping in over the last 5 years. They got the usual cold shoulder from TfL with the well reported threats of funding cuts.Ealing , as ever, and like Hounslow, won't dare to challenge anything TfL or its political masters do. And West of London has come a poor second when compared to the Eastern end.There's been a far more vociferous reaction in the East of London and central London where cuts to services based on the Elizabeth Line being a prime for reducing surface bus use.Reality is, it's not quite the case. The Elizabeth Line is very highly used to the point of capacity already. But the main benefit has gone to those well outside the Greater London Area. ( who also don't pay the GLA transport levy) Hence the lack of seats before the train gets to Hayes or Southall.The 427 was created when the 207 was effectively split into two. The 207 being one of the busiest and heaviest used of all London Bus routes. Along a trunk road of key commercial and economic significance.The idea was to overlap the route through the busiest sections between Acton and Hayes whilst maintaining a good through frequency to Uxbridge and Shepherd Bush.It worked reasonably well although the slow trek from Acton to Hayes remains the same.The 607 came along as a Higher quality limited stop full length service with comfortable seats for those who used the longer sections of the route.It was very successful but has been seriously downgraded and hampered in more recent times by the elimination of passing points from road narrowing and suchlike. Leaving the bus unable to pass the stopping services. So now slower than the original full length 207 all stops service.The 427 rerouting is claimed to be intended to force more onto the Elizabeth Line but overlooks the fact that it costs a whole lot more to use it.Effectively it's simply a means of forcing the policy of walk or Cycle by reducing bus capacity on the sections that remain busy and eliminating short passenger journeys. Something that bus stop posters keep on about but infuriate most as they wait 40 mins in the rain for a full bus to not arrive. If that's not enough to walk then there's the answer. If everyone could then there would be no need for buses at all.The buses remain heavily used ( as anyone who used them and still can't get a seat will bemoan.) But this is yet another upside down policy slipped in by TfL to destabilise to promote it's other more politically desired policies.They have been quietly reducing capacity, lengthening journey times for several years and well before the Lockdown. 27, 237 and 267 are good examples. The messing around with the 83 another. All that has happened is a huge increase in dead mileage and reduced drivers service hours. Caused by the Mayors policy to sell Bus Garage infrastructure off for developments.Effectively the " Decision Maker" as he likes to refer to himself is so poorly advised and led that his ultimate decisions are unsound and detrimental to far too many people who are, rather ironically, in the least position to afford it.Long term overdensification whilst reducing supporting infrastructure is going to lead to complete chaos and this is just the start.It's social, cultural and economic sabotage. Which may never be recoverable.
Raymond Havelock ● 423d