Local Bus Routes at risk!

Responding to the news that the Go Ahead Group are looking to withdraw from parts of London, putting several south London bus routes at risk of closure, several London Liberal Democrats have hit out at the Labour government and Mayor of London.

According to reports published in The Times the impacted routes are: 80, 93, 151, 154, 155, 163, 164 and 470 from Sutton, Merton, Ellis Road and Stockwell garages.

Luke Taylor, MP for Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park and the party’s frontbench spokesperson for London, said:

“The wheels have come off of Labour’s lie that they are delivering for Londoners. Their foolish jobs tax has hit another important business, this time with devastating consequences for Londoners.

“In parts of South West London already cut off from the tube network, the removal of these routes would create a public transport desert.

“This would be a colossal loss for so many people who rely on buses to get to work, school or the GP - to say nothing of the drivers who will lose their jobs.

“Labour made this mess by hiking National Insurance Contributions and they must now clean it up by cancelling the tax hike and stepping in to ensure these routes can stay in service.”

Bobby Dean, MP for Carshalton and Wallington and the party’s Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, said:

“Sadiq Khan promised that with a Labour Government and Labour Mayor, things would get better but instead we’ve had wrong turn after wrong turn. 

“Outer London boroughs like Sutton rely on good bus routes but they’ve been getting worse in recent years - with disruptions, curtailments and cuts causing misery for residents.

“This latest news of a key operator pulling out the capital looks set to make things worse. The Mayor has to urgently get a grip on bus services.”

Hina Bokhari AM, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the London Assembly, added:

“Buses are the arteries of London but they're either clogged up, slow or being shut down. 

“While the Mayor is happy to promote his new Superloop buses, elsewhere absolutely vital bus routes are already under threat and he's got no answers - that's not good enough.