Orthodox residents in Golders Green and Stamford Hill desperately want a direct bus service between the respective areas, but the capital’s transport operator, Transport for London, is unlikely to listen to them.
A four-month survey by transport watchdog London TravelWatch, which was published on Tuesday, shows there is heavy demand for either an extension to the current 210 bus route, which runs between Brent Cross and Finsbury Park, or a new route.
However, the operator, which doesn’t have to adopt recommendations from London TravelWatch, is standing by its previous stance that “the cost of introducing a direct bus link can’t be justified”.
Maybe so, but the 1,400 Orthodox people who took part in the survey clearly want a direct route, making it easier to continue cultural, religious and family links between NW11 and N16.
A bus from Brent Cross to Finsbury Park can take an hour, and passengers then have to change at Finsbury Park to board a bus to Stamford Hill.
If a direct service was to be provided 55 per cent of Stamford Hill residents would make all their journeys by bus, compared to 38 per cent of Golders Green residents. At present 29 per cent of Stamford Hill residents and 23 per cent of Golders Green residents go by bus.
Also, 21 per cent of Stamford Hill residents would make extra journeys because of a direct service and 18 per cent from Golders Green.
The survey also showed that 28 per cent per cent of the 347 surveyed in Golders Green said they travelled to Stamford Hill daily, with 20 per cent of the 809 surveyed from Stamford Hill going the other way.
Fifteen per cent travelled daily from Stamford Hill to Golders Green for work, compared to nine per cent going the other way.
So there you have it - as well as saving journey time it would reduce car use if TfL could just go the extra couple of miles and extend the 210 bus route.
