Save Our Buses and Mini-Holland

As this blog has observed before, many of those who vociferously debate Mini-Holland in Waltham Forest remain unconvincing, largely because of their unfortunate habit of confusing anecdote and assertion with properly grounded research.

However, there are exceptions, and one that stands out is the organisation Save Our Buses (SOB).

SOB was formed in 1990, and has been campaigning pretty much ever since, along the way becoming an authoritative voice in the borough. What makes it stand out is the forensic nature of its approach, and the clarity of its briefings.

Inevitably, over the past couple of years, SOB has turned its attention to the impact of Mini-Holland, and its conclusions are fairly scathing. For the evidence shows that in implementing the new scheme, LBWF has insufficiently heeded the need for an effective bus network, and thus not only damaged a mode of travel used by the poorer parts of the population, but also (by making bus travel so unpredictable, and thus unattractive) jeopardised the desired overall objectives of reducing car use and thus pollution.

Two of SOB’s case studies touching upon Mini-Holland are reproduced below. The first deals with the recent travails of the W12 route, and references Tfl Customer Services’ explanation that the underlying problem is ‘recent changes in the road structures’; and the second underlines the serious consequences for bus users which are likely to follow the planned termination of the Lea Bridge Road bus lanes.

As a result of its investigations, SOB is now calling on London Mayor Khan ‘to commission an independent review into how the Mini-Holland scheme has affected Waltham Forest’s bus services’.

For those wanting further briefings or other information, SOB can be contacted via saveourbuses55@gmail.com.