Changes to Bus Routes in Highgate
Transport for London have launched a consultation about proposed changes to bus routes in Highgate. The main changes proposed are that the 271 route will cease, other than as a night bus. The 143 will be routed via Archway Road instead of Highgate Village and the 263 will travel via Highgate Village instead of Archway Road. The consultation document explains that the change is a response to reduced bus usage during the pandemic.
The Highgate Society preliminary views are:
We welcome the removal of the 271 bus stand at the junction of South Grove and the High Street. This has long been an objective and opens up exciting possibilities for use of this space at the centre of the village.
There will be some significant reductions in bus frequencies particularly from Archway to the village. At present the 263 is scheduled to run every 8-11 minutes; the 143 every 10-12 minutes and the 271 every 6-9 minutes. With TfL’s future plans the 263 would continue with existing frequencies, but this is less frequent than the present 271 and the village also loses the 143 route. There is no information on whether existing 143 frequencies will be retained when it travels via Archway Road instead of the village. There are as far as we know no changes to the 210 route.
In view of the reduction in service frequencies we will be strongly arguing for the reintroduction of a single bus stop at Archway for all buses travelling northbound on Highgate Hill in order to minimise the loss of frequency for those travelling from Archway to Highgate Village. Without this, the frequency of buses from Archway to the Village will reduce from about 14 to six buses an hour. This is an unacceptable reduction.
The Highgate Society will be responding to the consultation. Please email chair@highgatesociety.com with any suggestions for our submission (we are not at presents seeking views on the future of the bus stand). We also encourage members to respond themselves at https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/routes-21-143-263-271 The consultation documents are at https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/routes-21-143-263-271/widgets/36765/documents
The deadline is 9 January 2022.
