TfL drops proposal to stop route 262 at Beckton Bus Station
TfL has dropped a proposal to terminate the route 262 at Beckton Bus Station in the face of opposition. - Credit: PA Images
A proposal to stop the 262 bus route at Beckton Bus Station has been dropped by TfL.
Transport for London (TfL) had proposed changes to routes 101, 241, 262 and 325 serving south Newham.
One proposal was to terminate routes 101 and 262 at Beckton Bus Station instead of Gallions Reach Shopping Park.
Others were to extend route 241 from Custom House to Royal Wharf via Connaught Bridge and North Woolwich Road and to add Royal Albert Dock to route 325.
These proposals came about in part because of housing developments and the opening of Crossrail.
A public consultation from January to March last year saw 781 people respond.
Of the total number of comments made, three per cent of respondents backed the proposals, according to TfL.
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Those objecting to the route 101 and 262 proposals said they would affect access to shops, schools, leisure facilities, places of worship, Newham University Hospital and workplaces.
Among its comments, Newham Council welcomed extending route 241, but noted that having to change buses for trips to Gallions Reach would put people off.
East Ham MP Stephen Timms said his constituents were "troubled" to hear of TfL's plans to curtail routes 101 and 262, the consultation report says.
Mr Timms said many constituents did not have cars and relied heavily on the routes to go shopping.
He also flagged fears businesses would lose customers on top of the effect of more car use on the environment.
Newham Chamber of Commerce urged TfL not to reduce the services as it would have a "massive" impact on staff and shoppers, the report adds.
A petition carried out for Gallions Reach Shopping Park and Aberdeen Standard Investments, which owns the site, saw 26 business outlets strongly object to the 262 and 101 proposals, according to TfL.
In response, the 262 will now terminate at Gallions Reach Shopping Park rather than Beckton Bus station.
But TfL has decided to go ahead with changes to the 101, subject to funding and other constraints.
Changes to route 325 will go ahead, though this depends on the provision of a bus stand. The proposal for the 241 got a green light too.
A start date for the service changes has yet to be decided but is unlikely to be before the winter.
