TfL Wants Your Views on Changes to 266 and 391 Bus Routes
Some routes could be altered and new ones introduced due to Crossrail launch
Transport for London is consulting on proposed changes to bus routes in Hammersmith and Fulham and the wider area of West London in response to the launch of the Elizabeth line, better known as Crossrail, in December 2018.
Under the proposals, some bus routes will be altered and new ones introduced in order to improve connections with Acton Mainline station, on the new line.
TfL says: "We’ve reviewed bus services around the Elizabeth line stations to take account of how the Elizabeth line will change the way people move about in this part of London. We’ve also taken account of new developments in the area."
TfL anticipates that demand for routes serving Acton Station increasing significantly and says at the moment the number of routes serving the station is low.
In our borough, the main changes are to routes 266 and 391. Two new routes, 218 and 306 would be introduced.
TfL says:
Route 266
Route 266 currently runs between Brent Cross and Hammersmith serving Cricklewood, Willesden, Harlesden, Old Oak Common, North Acton, Acton High Street, Askew Road and Hammersmith. This is a high frequency 24 hour orbital route that provides links not currently available by rail. It currently suffers from poor reliability due to the large number of congested areas it serves. To help improve reliability, we are proposing to restructure the route.
The route would be restructured to run between Brent Cross and Acton, Town Hall and would no longer connect to Hammersmith. Buses would continue to run every 8 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and every 12 minutes on Sundays and all evenings.
At night route 266 would be unchanged and continue to operate between Brent Cross Shopping Centre and Acton High Street. However it would be renumbered N266.
New route 218
This new route would be introduced between North Acton and Hammersmith serving West Acton and Askew Road. It would run every 10 minutes during Monday to Saturday day time, and every 15 minutes during Sundays and all evenings using single-deck buses. It would follow the existing alignment of route 440 between North Acton, Gypsy Corner and Acton High Street via West Acton. It would then follow the existing alignment of route 266 between Acton High Street and Hammersmith via Askew Road.
To ensure sufficient cpacity between Askew Road and Hammersmith, we propose a further scheme to restructure route 391 and introduction of new route 306.
Route 391
Route 391 currently runs between Richmond and Fulham, Sand’s End serving Kew, Gunnersbury, Chiswick, Hammersmith Bus Station, Olympia, Fulham Broadway and Sand’s End. It currently suffers from poor reliability due to the large number of congested areas it serves. To help improve reliability, better match capacity to demand and create new links, we are proposing to restructure the route.
We propose that the route run between Richmond and Hammersmith Bus Station and would no longer connect to Fulham. The frequency would be reduced to every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and every 20 minutes on Sunday and all evenings to better match capacity to demand.
New route 306
This new route would run between Acton Vale, Bromyard Avenue and Fulham, Sand’s End running every 12 minutes during Monday to Saturday daytime and every 15 minutes during Sunday and all evenings using double-deck vehicles. It would follow the existing alignment of route 266 between Acton Vale and Hammersmith Bus Station via Askew Road. It would then follow the existing alignment of route 391 between Hammersmith town centre and Fulham, Sand’s End.
The consultation is open until Sunday 17 September 2017. You can fill in the online survey, email consultations@tfl.gov.uk or write to FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS.
July 20, 2017
