Consultation update 14 March 2022
We are now able to publish our report on the outcomes of our public consultation on our proposals to either extend route 497 to serve bus stops between Gooshays Drive and a new terminus at Dagnam Park Square or withdraw the service entirely.
The consultation ran between 6 September and 17 October 2021, and we received 437 responses. You can find the consultation report in the ‘Documents’ section of this web page.
Having considered all responses carefully, we have made some amendments to the proposals. We intend to extend route 497 to Dagnam Park but will withdraw the Sunday service. It is anticipated that these service changes will take place during Summer 2022.
Overall, the proposal to extend the service to Dagnam Park Square was positively received. The main concern raised about this proposal related to the potential impact on traffic congestion in the area. In response to the proposal to withdraw the service, the majority of responses opposed this option and raised concerns about loss of access to amenities. Our response to this and other commonly raised issues is included in Appendix A of the report.
Thank you to everyone who took part in the consultation.
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Overview
We are considering two very different futures for bus route 497 and we want to know your thoughts.
We are now holding a public consultation on our proposals, running from 6 September to 17 October 2021, and you can find details on how to take part below.
Route 497 currently runs between Harold Wood Station to Harold Hill, Gooshays Drive via Gallows Corner Tesco.
Proposal 1: We propose extending route 497 to serve bus stops between Gooshays Drive and a new terminus at Dagnam Park Square.
Proposal 2: We are considering withdrawing the service.
More about our proposals
Route 497 operates with single deck buses every half hour except in the evenings and on Sundays when it is hourly. It was introduced in January 2020 just before the pandemic took hold. A review of the first year of service has been undertaken and this has identified a need to encourage greater passenger usage, especially if the way people travel changes substantially as we come out of the pandemic (e.g. through more home working). Without an increase in ridership we may need to consider withdrawing the service. You can read the Post Implementation Review in the ‘Documents’ Section.
Our proposals are as follows:
Proposal 1: We are proposing to extend route 497 from its current terminus at Harold Hill, Gooshays Drive so that it continues in service to its bus stand on Dagnam Park Square. From Gooshays Drive roundabout it would operate via Dagnam Park Drive, Leamington Road and Petersfield Avenue to Dagenham Park Square. Towards Harold Wood it would run along Dagnam Park Drive direct to Gooshays Drive roundabout. The bus already does this out of service. By operating in service and serving the bus stops it passes it will improve connectivity and serve more households and schools. We anticipate this will boost ridership. You can view a map of the proposed changes in the ‘Documents’ section.
Proposal 2: Withdrawal of this bus route entirely as without increased ridership it may be better to use limited resources differently. We would like to understand how the withdrawal of the bus route might impact you and other passengers to help us make an informed decision.
Equalities Impact Assessment
We have undertaken an Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA). The EqIA examines what impact (positive or negative) the proposed route change may have on customers with characteristics protected by the Equality Act 2010.
We consider the impacts of bus service change proposals on equality groups throughout the planning process ensuring, where possible, effective mitigations are in place where no viable alternative is available. The EqIA can be found in the ‘Documents’ section.
What’s next?
We shall review all responses to the consultation before coming to a decision on any changes to route 497. We will then publish our consultation analysis and the reasons for the decision on this page.
Have your Say
We are running a public consultation about these proposals and would like to hear your views. The consultation is open from 6 September to 17 October 2021. You can respond by completing our online survey. To take part, you will need to register with your email address. Your details will be kept secure and only used, with your permission, to update you about the outcome of the consultation and our next steps.
If you prefer, you can email your comments to haveyoursay@tfl.gov.uk or write to us at FREEPOST TFL HAVE YOUR SAY (Route 497) no stamp needed.
You can also ask us questions throughout the consultation, using the ‘Questions’ tool below.
