Councillors in Hackney have added their voices to the opposition against Transport for London (TfL) proposals to alter several bus routes in north London, including the 149, which they describe as 'one of London's busiest'.
The Labour group on Hackney Council has sent a letter to TfL questioning the rationale behind the plans, which would see the 149 diverted from Stamford Hill towards Wood Green, the 67 axed between Wood Green and Dalston Junction, and the 254 withdrawn altogether.
Proposed Changes
The changes, currently under consultation until September 20, would mean passengers on the 149 route between London Bridge and Edmonton Green would lose direct links to some stops. TfL says the new 149 route would retain all connections currently provided by the 67 between Wood Green and Dalston Junction, except for Dalston Junction Bus Station (Stop N).
TfL has stated the proposals are designed to 'match capacity with passenger demand and to provide a clear and reliable service', having identified a 'surplus capacity' between Edmonton Green and Stamford Hill.
Councillor Concerns
Hackney's opposition leader, Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, wrote in a letter seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service: 'It is not clear how this would reduce duplication, or why. We have always held that the more buses residents have in a non-tube borough like Hackney, the better, as at least one in four Hackney residents rely on buses to get them to work and elsewhere.'
She added: 'In a borough like ours, with people struggling with the cost of living, a reduction in the bus service will hit people who rely on the bus network for work and other use.'
Cllr Bramble also criticised plans for the 253, 254 and 106 buses, arguing the scheme would reduce space on remaining buses. She noted that in rush hours, these buses are usually filled with passengers, and removing a whole route would put further pressure on passenger space.
She has called on TfL to state the new bus frequencies 'definitively' and to hold public meetings along the affected routes to allow more people to discuss the proposals directly with TfL officers.
TfL Response
Geoff Hobbs, TfL's Director of Public Transport Service Planning, said: 'We are committed to providing the best bus network possible for Londoners and regularly review our services to ensure they continue to meet customer demand and make the best use of available resources.'
'As part of this work, we are consulting on proposed changes to routes 67, 106, 149, 253 and 254. We believe these proposals would better match services to current customer demand while maintaining the capacity needed across the affected corridors.'
The consultations close on Sunday 20 September 2026.
