TfL moves to address myriad complaints about South London’s ‘unreliable’ 154 bus

By Harrison Galliven, Local Democracy Reporter

A much-maligned bus route through South London will have immediate changes made to it to address its reliability, after community pressure and media coverage.

Transport for London (TfL) has announced steps to improve the reliability of the 154 bus route after widespread publicity surrounding problems, including people being stranded miles from their destinations and buses terminating abruptly.

The service, which connects the important transport hubs of Morden and West Croydon, has gained a reputation for skipping stops and terminating unexpectedly.

Research published by Bobby Dean, MP for Carshalton and Walligton, found that more than 2,000 journeys were cut short in 2024, leaving passengers stranded and unable to get to work or appointments.

Residents have complained that the service often skips the area during peak hours, leaving them to walk home ‘for miles’ in the wind and rain. The service also suffered from frequent and unexpected terminations or curtailments.

Darren Fishwick, who has been using the 154 for the past six years, said: “I’m on crutches with a bad knee and have been left stranded at Waddon for hours. Sometimes, I get a 157 and walk, but it’s tiring and painful.”

Following growing passenger frustration, local MP Mr Dean launched a petition demanding urgent action. The petition gathered more than 600 signatures and highlighted the widespread dissatisfaction with the service.

TfL has now committed to introducing short-term measures to improve the 154 route’s reliability, with a permanent fix promised in the near future.

These measures are now in place and include increased frequency of services to West Croydon, a splitting of the route at mid-way points, such as Wallington – with one bus running from Croydon to Wallington and another from Wallington to Morden, and adding more journeys by utilising extra drivers and vehicles.

Bus operator Go-Ahead London has submitted a proposal for long-term improvements to the service. Once it completes its internal proposal review, TfL will announce a ‘permanent fix’ to the route in March 2025.

Lib Dem MP Mr Dean said: “This is a big win for local residents who have been let down time and time again by the unreliability of the 154.

“No one should have to worry about whether they’ll make it home from work or pick up their kids on time. I’m pleased TfL has finally listened to the community and taken action.”

Mr Dean also emphasised the need for continued pressure to ensure the changes deliver lasting improvements. “We need a long-term fix, not just a short-term patch-up,” he added. “I’ll be keeping the pressure on to make sure these improvements actually deliver for passengers.”

Pictured top: The often-criticised 154 (Picture: Nash Travelman)