Plans to change a popular bus service between Richmond and Isleworth have been slammed by a Labour councillor.

TFL plan to cut the 110 service, which runs to and from West Middlesex Hospital, via the Ivybridge Estate. The plans have upset local resident, concerned about parking issues around the hospital site.

Cllr Salman Shaheen fears many local residents don’t know about the planned major changes to the services they rely upon.

While Cllr Alexander Ehmann has urged residents to give their views on the plans.  

A consultation notice entitled “Proposed bus service changes in Richmond, Twickenham and Whitton”, which was released by TfL on October 30, has neglected to mention Isleworth – the area most affected by the cuts – in its title.

Isleworth residents who have seen the proposals are angered at being overlooked and are questioning why – at a time of increased building development and school expansion – one of Isleworth’s most used bus services, the H37, is being threatened with cuts.

The consultation is set to close on December 11 after which TFL plans include: Cutting the frequency of the H37 buses – which apparently provides a crucial link to schools across Isleworth, stopping the 110 service between West Middlesex Hospital and Twickenham, introducing a new route along the already Chertsey Road from St Margaret’s to Twickenham Stadium

In outlining their proposals TFL planners concede that: "We know that each of our proposals will impact on some passengers." However the cuts in service will force residents onto overcrowded and unreliable longer services such as the 267 which runs from Feltham to Hammersmith.

TFL also plan to axe the 419 Richmond-Hammersmith service completely and replace it with a ‘new 110’ bus which would run from Whitton to Hammersmith, contradicting their reasons for also reducing the 493 bus route because it's ‘too long’.

Cllr Salman Shaheen, Chair of the Labour Group on Hounslow Council, said: “Cutting vital bus services to and from a hospital is one of the clearest examples to date that austerity really isn’t over, in spite of what the Conservatives claim.

"The fact that TFL haven’t even mentioned Isleworth in the title of the consultation shows how little regard is being given to people who rely on public transport to attend hospital appointments and to get their children safely to and from school.

"I’m urging all residents in Isleworth and those surrounding areas affected by these cuts to services to make their voices heard before the consultation deadline on the December 11.”

Cllr Ehmann, Cabinet Member for Transport, Streetscene and Air Quality added: The prospect of buses serving parts of the borough that have long-argued for better bus provision is welcome, but this should not be at the expense of frequency or service on other routes.

“Any reductions in service are particularly disappointing when overall bus usage in Richmond upon Thames is bucking the trend with increasing usage.

“Reducing the frequency of bus services might seem of lesser impact, but if it makes it more difficult for wheelchair users and parents with buggies to board buses then it runs the risk of disrupting travel and pushing these important users back into more polluting travel options.

“I would encourage our residents to take part in this consultation and press TfL to deliver the best services it can for our borough.  I know that local people care passionately about our bus services and hope that TfL can improve their proposals.”

You can have your say online at consultations.tfl.gov.uk/buses/bus-changes-richmond, by emailing:consultations@tfl.gov.uk, or in writing to FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS before the deadline on by Tuesday, December 11 2018.