TfL have recently confirmed that bus routes 93, 163, 164, 80, 154 & 470 have all been retained by Go-Ahead London, meaning all routes will continue to run as normal.
This comes after rumours circulated online at the beginning of the year that the routes were at risk of being cancelled or reduced, after Go-Ahead made use of its break clause to renegotiate the terms of its contract with TfL.
This is a common occurrence, with up to a fifth of the total bus service being re-tendered each year. Every bus contract has the opportunity to renegotiate at year 4, with Andy Lord, TFL Commissioner explaining that “it’s quite normal and happens quite a lot”.
Both TfL and Go-Ahead gave repeat assurances in January that these routes were safe, and the Mayor of London called out "mischief makers" trying to “scaremonger” the local community off the back of a routine contract renegotiation.
News outlets that reported on the rumours that routes were at risk quickly issued corrections, recognising that all routes were safe and set to continue as normal. However, some groups have failed to issue any corrections or clarifications in the eight months since these rumours were quashed.
Cllr Stuart Neaverson, Merton’s Cabinet Member for Cleaner Streets, Environment, and Transport said:
“It’s shocking that after spreading rumours and trying to scare residents who rely on these local services, the Merton Liberal Democrats are still yet to come clean with the truth that these routes were never at risk. Anthony Fairclough’s leadership style is to hide at the back and play loose with the facts, rather than do the respectable thing and apologise to residents for the misinformation he knowingly spread”.
