Featured News
Bus Route 167

19 March 2017

Bus route 167 has been cut short at Loughton Station from 11 March.

The people who are responsible for this are the County Council’s (Conservative) Cabinet member, Harlow Cllr Eddie Johnson (as Essex withdrew their subsidy), and the Director of Surface Transport at TfL, Leon Daniels (as TFL decided to claw back the lost subsidy by curtailing the route).

LRA thinks it is appropriate for you to let these people know personally if their decision to remove the 167 from the northern part of its route has caused you, your family or neighbours inconvenience, extra cost, or other trouble.

Their email addresses are cllr.eddie.johnson@essex.gov.uk and leon.daniels@tfl.gov.uk

15 December 2016

Earlier this year TfL held a public consultation on terminating the 167s at Loughton station. They received 743 responses from members of the public, 15 responses from stakeholders and a petition opposing the proposals which was signed by 2,547 people. LRA and Loughton Town Council put in strong objections.

It seems from TfL’s reports on the consultation responses that the consultation was a sham – they had no intention of continuing the service!

From 11 March 2017, TfL will introduce the following changes:

Route 167 will no longer run between Loughton station and Debden station
A new route 677 will be introduced providing a limited stop service between Ilford and schools in Debden using double-decker buses. On school-day mornings this will stop at all existing bus stops from Ilford to Buckhurst Hill station. After Buckhurst Hill station it will operate on an express basis, stopping only at Loughton station (for Roding Valley High School), Davenant Foundation School, Debden Park High School and Debden station. There will be one journey from Ilford to Debden on school-day mornings and a return journey in the afternoon to Ilford making the same stops. TfL will liaise with schools about the timing of this service.

Bus route 20. No changes are proposed to route 20, which will continue to serve the section of route between Loughton station and Debden station.

14 June 2016
Your views needed!

Transport for London (TfL) have issued a consultation on changing – and reducing – route 167 run by TfL.

Read details of the current route and proposed route with a map of the changes. You may have also received a leaflet in your letterbox, and also seen this reported in the local news.

The consultation follows the decision by Essex County Council (ECC) to remove the £70,0000pa subsidy to TfL for routes 167 and 20. This decision was “called in” (challenged) by LRA Cllr Chris Pond, but was unfortunately upheld. He did however get a statement of intent from ECC on what they would do if TfL withdrew the route.

Broadly, TfL’s proposal involves curtailing the 167 at Loughton Station so it would no longer run north of there. It would not serve the High Road, Church Hill or the Debden Estate, but it would run to the same frequency and route between Loughton Station and Ilford, thus still serving Loughton’s Roding ward.

Please do comment on the proposal (by 22 July):
- Email TfL at consultations@tfl.gov.uk
- Write to TfL at FREEPOST TFL CONSULTATIONS
- Complete the online survey (this doesn't take long)

To share your concerns here are some suggestions:
1. Share this page on Facebook & Twitter.
3. Contact your local Essex County Councillor (Contact details at the District Council website).
4. Write to The Epping Forest Guardian Content Editor - John Neivens (Phone 01923 216 216 or email).
5. Contact your local MP Eleanor Laing via her website and ask her to intervene.
6. Complain to the EFDC transport portfolio holder, Cllr Gary Waller (Phone: 01279 739345 or email).
7. Flood Essex County Councils Twitter account with complaints.
8. Petitions are also useful, but rely on people proactively spreading the word.

Also let LRA (contact@loughtonresidents.co.uk) know your views.

The main effect would be the loss of through connectivity between Ilford and Debden, and between Roding ward and the High Road (for example, to Morrison's). This might also cost more, but note that the Mayor of London is promoting a two rides in an hour scheme from this September. Pyrles Lane and part of Rectory Lane would lose their bus service altogether.

There would be one bus a day (a double decker) to serve schoolchildren to Roding Valley, Debden Park, and Davenant schools. No provision appears to have been made for Epping Forest College. This new 667 route would not serve the Roding ward as it would run via Palmerston Road and the A121 to avoid the low bridge.

TfL say that route 20 would be unaffected, but of course there is nothing to say TfL wouldn't turn their attention to that in due course.

Chris Pond says he will do his utmost to hold the Cabinet member at ECC to the statement of intent re replacing the 167 in Loughton, but Essex could not tender for a route running into Ilford.

Featured News Bus Route 167

Featured News
Bus Route 167