Poster Protests Against Removal Of 27 Bus Route To Chiswick

Posters say removing the 27 bus is "a cut too far" by Mayor and TfL

A proposal by Transport for London (TfL) to terminate the 27 bus route at Hammersmith and stop it coming through Chiswick, has attracted a good deal of local criticism. And now posters have been placed on bus stops around the area asking local residents to oppose the move. It is not revealed who is behind the posters.

The poster states that the removal of the 27 is "a cut too far" by the Mayor Sadiq Khan and TfL and states that if it goes ahead, it will leave only the 94 route as a bus service from Chiswick into central London.

TfL recently launched a public consultation on a proposal to reduce the number of buses serving Chiswick High Road as it said the 27 route, which terminates at Chiswick Park is not used enough to make it a viable option.

TfL says, "Our analysis of the demand for bus services at Turnham Green (on Chiswick High Road) shows that a maximum of around 16 buses per hour are required. We currently provide 30 buses per hour. Removing route 27 (which accounts for eight buses per hour) would take the total number of buses provided per hour down to 22, more than enough to serve the demand along this corridor

The extension of the route to the office development was only introduced four years ago after a lengthy campaign including a sum of over £537,000 to London United to pay for an extra vehicle for the route. The idea was to serve the thousands of workers who commute to the Park and relieve pressure on the tube station at Gunnersbury.

The consultation, which runs from now until August, will propose stopping the service at Hammersmith. TfL says its data shows that portion of the 27 route, between Hammersmith and Chiswick, is the least used part of the route, particularly between Turnham Green and the Business Park.

Route 27 runs between Chiswick Business Park and Chalk Farm, every 7 to 8 minutes Monday to Saturday daily and every 12 minutes during Sundays shopping hours and late evenings.

A TfL spokesman said that the 27 provided eight buses per hour on the route, and if it was removed there would still be over 22 buses per hour on the route from Hammersmith to Chiswick High Road. The Business Park is also served by routes 237, 267 and H91 at Gunnersbury Station.

Critics of the plan are claiming that the early termination of the route being proposed is due to TfL's desire to save money. A Low Emission Bus Zone is due to be implemented on Chiswick High Road in 2020 which would mean that only the latest generation of less-polluting buses would be allowed to serve the area. It is being alleged that the change would mean that TfL would not need to upgrade the buses on route 27 if they were not serving the clean air zone.

TfL say; ""People who currently use route 27 to travel between Hammersmith and Chiswick Business Park would still be able to make that journey on one of the following routes: 237, 267, 391, H91."

Although route 237 serves the Hammersmith area it does not follow the same route between Hammersmith and Chiswick as the 27 does.

Matt Coulson, CEO Chiswick Park Enjoy-Work said, ‘Easy access to the park by public transport is vital. The latest proposal from TfL to remove the section of the bus 27 route between Hammersmith and our business park will affect some of our guests. This is not a decision we support, however, we understand that it is not sustainable for a London bus line to be run at low capacity.

"With the delivery of the new footbridge due to open in December this year, we will provide a direct access to Chiswick Park tube station and we are hoping that this will provide an alternative to the bus 27 commuters.’

July 13, 2018