Transport for London is consulting on plans to remove the 415 bus route from Southwark's network, Southwark News reports. The service currently runs from the Tesco store on the Old Kent Road to Tulse Hill by way of Elephant & Castle.
Key points
- Route affected — the 415 runs from Old Kent Road Tesco to Tulse Hill via Elephant & Castle.
- TfL's reason — demand has fallen significantly since the pandemic.
- Replacement plan — the 333 would be extended from Elephant & Castle to Old Kent Road Tesco via the New Kent Road and Bricklayer's Arms roundabout.
- Consultation — the public can respond until 15 November.
Under the proposal, passengers who now travel straight through between the Old Kent Road and stops from Oval to Brixton, or between Brixton and Tulse Hill, would have to change buses for the first time. The 333 would also call at different stops at Elephant & Castle if the plans go ahead.
A TfL spokesperson said the proposal was drawn up to tackle spare capacity, make the network simpler and cut running costs along the Elephant & Castle, Brixton and Tulse Hill corridors. The organisation also said every area served by the 415 today would keep frequent buses.
What it means in practice
For regular passengers, the biggest change is that some journeys would no longer be direct. Anyone travelling between the Old Kent Road and the Oval–Brixton stretch, or onward to Tulse Hill, should check the replacement arrangements before the route changes, and speak up during the consultation if the extra change matters to them.
- Plan your journey — if you use the 415 for through trips, look at how the extended 333 and other services would cover them.
- Check your stop — the 333 would use different stops at Elephant & Castle.
- Have your say — responses to the consultation are accepted until 15 November.
