A council leader has spoken out against plans to chop parts of bus routes in the south-east of the capital.

Greenwich Council leader Dan Thorpe released a statement in response to Transport for London plans to axe sections of the 53, 171 and 172 routes.

The plans are part of proposals to chop bus services all over the capital from March 2019, as bus usage drops in central London.

Cllr Thorpe said: “The opening of the Elizabeth Line will mean parts of the borough are more connected than they used to be, but with only one Tube station and a handful of mainline stations, the fact remains that thousands of our residents depend on the bus as their main mode of transport.

“Some of the most deprived parts of the borough, where fewer people own cars, are also the furthest from train stations.

“About half of all bus passengers are pensioners, children, disabled people and others who rely on discounted or free fares to get around.

“This means that any cuts to bus services are likely to hit the people who don’t have access to other modes of transport, or can’t afford ever-rising train fares, the hardest.”

Cllr Thorpe said the council had been invited to meet with TfL to find out more before a public consultation launches on September 19.

He added: “Needless to say we will be paying close attention to the detailed proposals and standing up for our residents when we respond.

“We will also be urging all bus passengers in the borough to complete the consultation to tell TfL how they will be affected by the changes.”

The Elizabeth line, also known as Crossrail, is set to open later this year.

The proposals were first reported after private documents were leaked to south London blog 853.

According to reports the 53 bus would be reduced to run from Plumstead to County Hall and the 171 from Catford bus garage and Brockley to Holborn would be cut to end at Elephant and Castle.

The 172 from Brockley Rise faces being chopped from Clerkenwell to Aldwych.

Transport for London said these proposals are at an “early conversation stage”, and that any changes would be subject to consultation.

TfL public transport service planning director Geoff Hobbs said the capital’s buses need to be simplified to ensure bus capacity was in the right places.

He said: “As set out in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, we’re currently looking at how we can adjust and reorganise the bus network to ensure it reflects a rapidly changing London, including planning for year-on-year increases in bus kilometres in outer London.

“We’re currently working closely with London’s boroughs on a potential set of proposals and they are helping shape our plans. These changes will also be subject to full public consultation before they’re put in place so we can hear from customers.”

Councillor Matt Clare, Greenwich Conservatives transport spokesperson, said: "The 53, 171 and 172 are vital lifelines for workers in Southeast London. These unacceptable bus cuts are a direct consequence of Sadiq Khans reckless policies creating a black hold in the Transport for London budget, which Conservatives warned would have dire consequences.


"On top of this, Transport for London have missed a huge opportunity by rejecting our proposal for a new express X161 bus route to bring the benefits of Crossrail to the south of the borough.  Greenwich Council simply failed to get behind our proposal - and people in Eltham, Mottingham and Shooters Hill have missed out as a result."

It comes as TfL announced a separate scheme of changes to routes 29, 161, 178, 291, 469, 472 and B11.

TfL said: “We will also be implementing the changes to route 180 and the introduction of route 301.”

Other changes include:

Route 180 will be run between Erith Quarry and North Greenwich, but will be rerouted between Charlton and North Greenwich via Bugsby’s Way instead of via Peartree Way

Route 301 will be introduced between Bexleyheath and Woolwich. However it will use double deck buses and will run via Woolwich Road and New Road instead of via Knee Hill.