Walthamstow, Wanstead, Woodford – proposed changes to bus routes W12, W13, W14 and 549
Consultation has concluded
Update 16 January 2024
Today we have published the results of this consultation. We received 863 responses to the consultation and would like to thank everyone that took part.
Following careful consideration of the feedback we received from members of the public and other stakeholders, we have decided to implement the original proposals as follows:
- Route W12 – will be restructured to operate between Coppermill Lane and Woodford Bridge via Church Hill Road as proposed
- Route W13 – will be extended to Leyton, Asda as proposed
- Route W14 – will be restructured to operate between Loughton Station and Whipps Cross Interchange as proposed
- Route 549 – will be withdrawn and replaced with the extended route W14 as proposed
It is expected that the restructuring of routes W12, W13 and W14 and withdrawal of route 549 will take place in September 2024.
Details of the feedback we received, our response to the issues raised, and more information about next steps can be found in the consultation report.
Thank you again to everyone that took part in the consultation.
-update ends-
Update 31 July 2023
This consultation has now closed. Thank you to everyone who responded. We are analysing your feedback and will report back shortly.
-update ends-
We are proposing to make changes to bus routes W12, W13, W14 and 549 between Walthamstow, Wanstead and Woodford areas. This is in response to feedback from our customers to improve connectivity to Whipps Cross Hospital and local areas. We are proposing to simplify the local bus network from four bus routes to three. We would restructure routes W12, W13 and W14 and withdraw route 549 to improve accessibility to Whipps Cross Hospital and other local destinations. We would also increase frequency on route W12 from every 30 minutes to every 15 minutes.
On this page you can find out more about what these proposals are, how they may impact you, and how you can have your say.
Overview
What is proposed?
How these proposals may change your bus journey
Equalities Impact Assessment
How you can find out more
What happens next
Overview
Buses play a crucial role in making London a more prosperous and connected city, connecting Londoners to their workplaces, education, families, friends, shopping, and leisure. We continuously review and adapt the bus network to ensure that services reflect changing customer needs.
London’s bus network is our most affordable, accessible and available form of public transport and offers the main sustainable alternative to cars for those journeys that can’t easily be walked or cycled. It is also London’s most flexible mode of public transport, and we continuously review and adapt the bus network to ensure that services reflect changing customer needs.
Following the Mayor’s announcement that the Ultra Low Emissions Zone will be expanded London-wide in August, we are undertaking a number of bus consultations across outer London to strengthen alternatives to private cars and maximise the benefits of expanding the ULEZ.
This includes proposing adjustments to existing bus routes to ensure services are operating in areas where our customers need them most and considering where else the network should serve; and in areas where emerging redevelopment is bringing new homes and building new communities.
We have reviewed bus services in Walthamstow, Wanstead and Woodford to ensure services are meeting customer needs and have taken account of feedback from customers and stakeholders on improving accessibility to Whipps Cross Hospital particularly in light of its proposed redevelopment. We have also listened to customer feedback for improved frequency on route W12 following its reduction from buses running every 20 minutes to 30 minutes back in December 2017.
Equalities Impact Assessment
We have undertaken an initial Equality Impact Assessment (EqIA) for these proposals. The EqIA identifies and examines in more detail what positive and negative impacts these proposals may have on individuals with protected characteristics together with our equality objectives and how we propose to mitigate any negative impacts.
We have noted some people may need to change bus to complete their journey as part of these proposals. We have also noted there is opportunity to create new bus journeys as part of the proposals and this will be of particular benefit to Whipps Cross Hospital as an estimated 26,000 people will be within reach of the hospital by one single bus journey. New and direct journeys would become possible from Whipps Cross Hospital to Woodford, Wanstead and Walthamstow.
We have identified that older and disabled people are more likely to be impacted by the withdrawal of the W12 from Walthamstow Village, as Freedom Pass Holders account for 44% of users in this area. It is recognised that some journeys would require a 500-metre walk to access the bus network.
The impacts and mitigations described within the EqIA be considered as part of the decision-making process on the proposals. The EqIA will be kept under review and updated to reflect any relevant new information, including information which comes in as part of the consultation process.
A copy of the full initial EqIA document can be found in the ‘Document library’.
How you can find out more
We have provided more information to help you respond, and we want this consultation to be accessible to everyone. Visit the document library for:
- A geographic map showing current and proposed routes
- A schematic map showing current and proposed routes, alongside other routes operating in the area
- A linear map of the proposed changes, alongside other routes operating in the area
- Our initial Equalities Impact Assessment document
- A copy of our consultation survey in case you would prefer to respond in writing
- An Easy Read version of our proposals
- An Easy Read version of our survey
- A British Sign Language (BSL) video about our proposals and survey
You can use the question tool on this page during the consultation period. We will respond your questions as soon as we can.
If you need to translate this page into another language, please use the ‘Select language’ button at the bottom of this page.
What happens next
These proposals are subject to the outcome of our consultation. Once consultation ends on Sunday 30 July 2023, we will spend time considering all the responses we receive and will prepare a consultation report.
The consultation report will help us reach a decision about how bus routes W12, W13, W14 and 549 may change.
The report will be available to everyone that takes part in the consultation and a copy will be published on our website.
-
What is proposed?
Share What is proposed? on Facebook Share What is proposed? on Twitter Share What is proposed? on Linkedin Email What is proposed? linkBus routes W12, W13, W14 and 549
The W12 currently operates between Walthamstow and Wanstead every 30 minutes Monday to Sunday. Route W12 connects Whipps Cross Hospital to Walthamstow, South Woodford and Wanstead.
The W13 currently operates between Leytonstone and Woodford Wells every 15 minutes Monday to Friday daytime, every 20 minutes Saturday daytime and every 30 minutes Sunday daytime and all evenings. Route W13 connects local residential areas to South Woodford, Wanstead and Leytonstone.
The W14 currently operates between Leyton and Woodford Bridge every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and every 20 minutes Sunday daytime and all evenings. Route W14 connects local residential areas to South Woodford, Wanstead, Leytonstone and Leyton.
The 549 currently operates between Loughton and South Woodford every 90 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime. Route 549 connects local residential areas to South Woodford, Buckhurst Hill and Loughton.
We propose to restructure route W12 to run between Walthamstow and Woodford Bridge to improve and increase connectivity to Whipps Cross Hospital. Route W12 would serve Walthamstow, Whipps Cross, Leyton, Wanstead, South Woodford and Woodford Bridge. Frequency would be increased to every 15 minutes Monday to Saturday daytime and every 20 minutes on Sunday and all evenings. The current W14 section between Leytonstone and Woodford Bridge would be covered by the proposed changes to the W12. It is also proposed to re-route the W12 from Walthamstow Village, via Church Hill Road instead. This arrangement would apply in both directions. This diversion is a request from LB Waltham Forest to meet their public realm aspirations for Walthamstow Village.
We propose to extend route W13 to run between Leyton and Woodford Wells. Route W13 would serve Woodford Wells, South Woodford, Wanstead, Leytonstone and Leyton. Frequency would be increased to every 15 minutes Saturday daytime and every 20 minutes on Sunday and all evenings. The current W14 section between Leyton and Wanstead would be covered by the proposed extension of the W13.
We propose to restructure route W14 to run between Loughton and Whipps Cross Interchange to improve and increase connectivity to Whipps Cross Hospital. Route W14 would serve Loughton, Buckhurst Hill, South Woodford, Nightingale Lane, Snaresbrook, and Whipps Cross Interchange. Frequency would be set to every 60 minutes on Monday to Sunday. The current W12 sections on Nightingale Lane and Snaresbrook Road would be instead covered by the proposed changes to the W14. This would enable us also to withdraw route 549 as customers would be able to use route W14.
How the local bus network may look
Our proposal intends to increase capacity and improve bus connectivity to Whipps Cross Hospital by simplifying these four bus routes that operates in the Wanstead and Woodford areas into three bus routes that form part of a simpler, more frequent and comprehensive network. Other bus routes in the area would remain unchanged. The following diagram shows how we propose the local bus network may look if we were to make changes as proposed to bus routes W12, W13, W14 and 549:
We have prepared geographic maps to demonstrate the proposals. Please visit the ‘Map Library’ to view them.
-
How these proposals may change your bus journey
Share How these proposals may change your bus journey on Facebook Share How these proposals may change your bus journey on Twitter Share How these proposals may change your bus journey on Linkedin Email How these proposals may change your bus journey linkCustomers of route W12
- People travelling to Whipps Cross Hospital from Walthamstow, Wanstead and South Woodford would be able to use route W12 to complete the same journey as they do now except there would be a bus every 15 minutes instead of every 30 minutes.
- People travelling to Whipps Cross Hospital from Walthamstow, Wanstead and South Woodford would benefit from an increased frequency on weekends and all evenings.
- People travelling to Whipps Cross Hospital from Nightingale Lane and Snaresbrook Road would be able to use route W14 to complete the same journey as they do now except there would be a bus every 60 minutes instead of every 30 minutes.
- At the moment, people travelling from Whipps Cross to Woodford need to change bus at Wanstead. If we were to restructure route W12 as proposed these journeys could be completed without the need to change bus.
- Current users of route W12 would benefit from new travel opportunities to additional areas including Leyton, Wanstead and Woodford.
- Some current journeys on route W12 would no longer be possible on one bus
- People travelling to Walthamstow and other local destinations from Nightingale Lane and Snaresbrook Road would have to interchange between routes W14 and W12 at either Whipps Cross Interchange or South Woodford.
- People using stops in Walthamstow Village would no longer have access to a bus service. Bus access from Walthamstow Village would be by foot, with up to a 500 metre walk to bus stops on Church Hill Road or Shernhall Street served by route W12 or on Hoe Street served by other routes.
Customers of route W13
- Current users of route W13 would benefit from new direct travel opportunities including Leyton and Leytonstone High Road.
- Current users of route W13 would benefit from an increased frequency on weekends and all evenings
Customers of route W14
- Some current journeys on route W14 would no longer be possible on one bus
- People travelling between Woodford Bridge and Leytonstone would be able to use route W12 to complete the same journey as they do now.
- People travelling between Leyton and Wanstead would be able to use route W13 to complete the same journey as they do now.
- People travelling from South Woodford to Leyton would be able to use route W13 to complete the same journey as they do now.
- Interchange would be possible between the W12 and the W13 on their overlapping section between Leytonstone and Wanstead for more local destinations.
(click on map for larger image)Customers of route 549
- Current users of route 549 would be able to use route W14 to complete the same journey they do now, except there would be a bus every 60 minutes instead of every 90 minutes.
- Current users of route 549 would benefit from new direct travel opportunities to Wanstead, Snaresbrook and Whipps Cross Hospital.
- A Sunday and all evenings service would be introduced for current passengers travelling between Loughton and South Woodford. There would be a bus every 60 minutes on the proposed W14.
Custom
BSL Video
-
British Sign Language (BSL) video
