Will you update the Assembly on the status of the 533 bus route?

The 533 is a temporary route, operating between Hammersmith Bus Station on the north side of the river and Castelnau on the south side of the river via Chiswick Bridge and Barnes. It was introduced in 2019 following Hammersmith and Fulham Council’s decision to close Hammersmith Bridge to vehicular traffic and the bridge remains closed to motorised vehicles but is now open to people walking and cycling. The 533 provides an accessible connection between Hammersmith and Castelnau, and the route maintains step-free access to the Tube in Hammersmith, ensuring there is a direct connection for those passengers who cannot easily walk or cycle across the bridge.

The contract for the service has been extended for six months from 15 January to 15 July 2022 and during this time route 533 will operate at a frequency of four buses per hour during hours of service every day of the week. The route continues to run non-stop between Hammersmith Bridge Road and Mortlake Cemetery in both directions. This maintains sufficient capacity for passengers who wish to travel across the river and ensures that the service is more reliable than if it were stopping more frequently. If the 533 were to stop along this section of the route, buses would be liable to become too crowded with short-distance passengers from Hammersmith and Chiswick Bridge. This could reduce the available capacity for passengers who wish to travel across the river, which is of course the purpose of this bus route. Route 190 will continue to serve all bus stops between Hammersmith and Mortlake Cemetery and passengers wishing to travel to and from stops between Hammersmith and Chiswick Bridge can continue to use buses on route 190.

Demand has, understandably, fallen on the 533 since the bridge reopened to people walking and cycling in July last year [2021]. The current frequency matches capacity to demand at the busiest time of day and in the busiest locations. Later this year, TfL is planning to conduct a review of the bus network in the Barnes and Mortlake area, based on comprehensive, up-to-date passenger data to assess whether the local bus network remains suitable. TfL will continue to closely monitor passenger usage and reliability on this route.

Thank you, Mr Mayor. Just by starting off, I know the 533 is very much appreciated by residents in southwest London as a temporary measure whilst Hammersmith Bridge is closed, but I do want to focus on the removal of those stops in Chiswick that you touched on in your answer. I have had an awful lot of correspondence about this from residents in Chiswick who liked those stops, they found them convenient and there were hundreds of people who signed a petition, calling on TfL to reinstate the stops. I have to admit that the reasons for those stops being removed has changed since I started to take up this issue back in June or July [2021]. At first, I was told that the bus was too full. By November [2021], it had become that the bus was too empty to justify putting the stops on. The bus is both too full and too empty and it is kind of like Schrödinger's bus here. What is the actual reason? Is it that it is too full or is it that there are now not enough passengers to justify those local stops?

Yes, firstly thank you for your interest in this matter. It is a really important bus, and I am really grateful you are raising this issue. I have not heard the ‘not too full’ answer you gave. I have only heard the ‘too full’ answer, and not only does it slow the bus down, but it gets too full for those who really need to be getting from one side to the other. That was the purpose of this bus and you will be aware there are other buses that do stop frequently.

To reassure you and, as importantly, your constituents, there are real time reviews that take place, so we know every day how many people are using the bus. Also, there will be a further comprehensive review later on this year. I have seen your correspondence with the Deputy Mayor [for Transport] and I am grateful to you for keeping this at the fore of our mind. We have got to recognise - for the reasons you know better than I do - that that bridge being closed to vehicles is causing a real nuisance to your constituents. Whatever we can do to alleviate that is the reason why we did the 533, which is basically to get people from one side of your patch to the other in the absence of a bridge.

No, I absolutely understand that, but at the heart of this issue really is engagement. It is about engagement with the community. On Monday at his confirmation hearing your new Deputy Mayor for Transport told me that he thinks it is essential to engage with local residents, and I absolutely agree with him. So many local residents in Chiswick appreciated those stops on the 533. I am sure you will be aware there is quite a sensitive discussion at the moment in that part of London about transport, public transport and getting people out of their cars, which is something we want to encourage. They very much would like those stops reinstated and they feel that TfL made a mistake in withdrawing them. My request to you would be, perhaps through Seb Dance [Deputy Mayor for Transport], whether you or Seb could meet with some of those residents so they can outline their position and perhaps ask if TfL could reconsider.

Let me be frank. I am well aware that you know that patch far better than I do but also that the briefing I have is written by people who may not know it as well as you do either. Although my briefing says there are very good reasons why the 533 cannot stop at all stops on the route, I respect your knowledge of the area. Can I instruct my Deputy Mayor [for Transport] to meet with you to see if there is a way through this in relation to meeting the wishes of your constituents? Also, you make a powerful point. I cannot on the one hand encourage them to leave their cars at home and on the other hand, where there is a bus and there is a potential way of helping your constituents to not drive their cars, not do what I can to help. Ignoring my civil servants’ advice, can I suggest, Chair, that the Deputy Mayor of Transport meets with Nicholas and sees whether there is a solution to try to address the very good points you are raising to me that I am just not on top of like you are?

That is fine. Thank you very much and I appreciate that. Thank you, Mr Mayor.