Residents have praised the successful H&F campaign that got Transport for London to scrap plans to divert a vital bus route in Fulham.
H&F worked with residents who were concerned about Transport for London’s (TfL) plans to alter the route of the 424, which serves the community in Sands End, including a number of residents in sheltered housing.
In a grassroots campaign, residents and H&F applied pressure and as a result TfL conceded that the route would remain as it is. The victory has delighted local residents.
“I am absolutely ecstatic as I use that route every single day with my children and it’s an absolute godsend,” said Tamzin Klass, 33, of Pearscroft Road.
“I don’t know what I’d do without it, frankly. I would have had to walk with two children under the age of five, so it would have been a real struggle, so well done to H&F for keeping it.”
Sixty-seven year old Margaret Barton of Breer Street said the bus was essential for older people to access the local supermarket.
“It’s absolutely brilliant,” she said, “The council has helped a lot of the old people who would find it hard to get to Sainsburys and would have had to go there by taxi which would have been very inconvenient for them.”
Andrew Grasso, 45, of Munster Road also said it was a ‘very good decision’ that would benefit older local residents.
He said: “I’m so happy they’ve decided to keep the 424 bus route. It’s so convenient for the elderly to get from Sands End into Putney.”
The 424 bus runs from Craven Cottage and goes on via Fulham Broadway to Putney High Street where it terminates.
It is the only bus service that links Sands End with Putney and Putney Bridge. TfL’s proposed new route would have cut out these and other stops essential to local residents, before terminating in Wandsworth.
Speaking of the outcome, Cllr Wesley Harcourt, H&F Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Residents’ Services, said: “This is a fantastic result, but it was a real team effort.
“We thank the residents who gave their time and energy to help us achieve this.”
