Children hit with detentions as bus timetable changes make them late for school

By Harrison Galliven, Local Democracy Reporter

A new bus timetable has caused confusion for commuters, with some children reportedly getting detentions for being late to school.

The new timetable, which came into force on September 30, will now see the 450 service run every 10 minutes – instead of every eight minutes – on Monday to Saturday.

The affected route links West Croydon with Lower Sydenham, via Crystal Palace. Much of the 450’s route is not met by another service.

While Transport for London (TfL) confirmed no changes to the 450’s frequency at any other time, the new timetable has drawn much public criticism.

Steve Penketh, who lives next to a 450 bus stop in Harold Road, Crystal Palace, said his children use the service to get to school in Dulwich each day.

He said: “It’s a hugely busy service. My children used to be able to have their breakfast, leave the house and always get to school on time. It was quite straightforward. The problem they’ve got now with the diminished service is that the bus is incredibly full and far less frequent.

“If it’s full, and they can’t get on it, they will end up missing the next leg of their journey and be late for school. In fact, my youngest has had detention a couple of times for not getting to school on time as a result of the new timetable.

“He always says ‘it’s not my fault, the buses are late, didn’t come or were full’. Of course the school doesn’t take that into account – if they’re late, they’re late.

“They are going to have to get used to it and modify their journey. They will have to have breakfast earlier and get out of the house earlier, but it’s just a bit of a pain in the backside.”

The introduction angered many residents and regular users, who were not informed of the change due to TfL’s policy of no consultation regarding a service reduction. The provider must only consult the public if it removes a whole route.

West Croydon resident and bus route campaigner Dan Houghton said: “I use the 450 a few times every week as there’s a bus stop outside my block – it’s a busy service, well-used by local people and especially older residents.

“I’m very surprised TfL has cut the frequency, given that we need more buses in outer London, not less.”

The new timetable was approved despite overwhelming support for the service and an improvement of its fleet. This support was gauged in a public survey organised by Liberal Democrat councillor for Crystal Palace & Upper Norwood, Councillor Claire Bonham.

Cllr Bonham’s summer survey of 210 people showed 94.2 per cent opposed the move to reduce the frequency of the service, while nearly 43 per cent said the service was very crowded at all times of the week.

As a result, she created a petition to reverse the cuts, which has so far garnered 251 signatures.

She said: “The 450 bus is a vital lifeline for residents in Crystal Palace and Upper Norwood.

“It helps many older and less mobile residents get out and about in what is a very hilly area, as well as connecting local people to The Triangle and Croydon Hospital.

“The response to my surgery was overwhelming, with 95 per cent of respondents opposing reductions in frequency to this busy, well-used service.”

When approached for comment, Bob Blitz, Bus Network Planning Manager at TfL, said: “Following an extensive review, we identified route 450, which runs between Lower Sydenham and West Croydon, operating with more capacity than needed to meet the current and expected demand during these times.

“This change in frequency allows us to operate the service efficiently to meet customer demand, and customers should see minimal impact to their journeys.

“There is no change to the frequency of route 450 at any other time, and the times of the first and last buses on any day of the week remains the same.”

Pictured top: Councillor Claire Bonham and Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon heading the stop cuts to 450 bus route campaign (Picture: Claire Bonham)