Another bus cut announced – the 492 this time
After last weeks news of planned cuts to the 53 (amongst many other routes) and results of Crossrail-related bus changes in December (with some planned improvements axed) comes another more modest cut.
The 492 between Sidcup and Bluewater is being reduced from an already poor 30 minute interval to 31-34 minutes during peak times.
The 492 runs through many town centres, departing from Sidcup then heading to Bexley, Bexleyheath, Crayford, Dartford before terminating at Bluewater shopping centre.
30 minutes is hardly a turn up and go service as it is, so an extra 4 minute wait probably won’t change much but it’s another small chip away at service levels. Expect to see much more as the annual cut of £700 million from Government to TfL takes hold alongside fare freezes and stagnating passenger numbers.
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I used to take the 492 from dartford to sidcup and return, so many times they would turn the bus before the complete route and i would be left standing in freezing weather for an hour, the service sucks!! I got so sick of it that i eventually started cycling to work and back and it was much faster than waiting around a bus that never turned up a few times a week.
So TfL have lost their government budget and having cuts. But they are promoting people to walk and cycle. Sorry but shouldnt they be making peopke want to use public transport and bring money in! Who is making their decisions, not a very good manager if they are telling people to walk and cycle and loosing money.
So. Out of all the buses you decide to cut the most unreliable one there is. The only one that goes down north cray road and other places. That has left people stranded in -1 degrees because they decided to skip one out. Would love to see one of you actually go and experience this bus in freezing temperatures. Oh wait you won’t cause your all warm in your offices being paid enough to afford a car. Which means an hour wait to now increase that time! Cut down the times on the buses that run every 7-11 minutes for goodness sake
My god , this is show that whoever sits behind the desk for transport is definatey doing his job properly , cut down or not invest in more bus routes like 492 , so important to get people around , who cannot afford the millionaire fares of train land arriva Kent bus fares . Shame on this government , let’s see what the new prime minister will do . I guess nothing as usual , whT do they do for anyone living outside they catchment area???
Route 492 Sidcup to Bluewwater should be increased to every 20 minutes (three buses every hour) to maintain an improved frequent level of service over the whole route.
I read somewhere that route 428 Erith to Bluewater is being cut back to operate between Erith and Crayford. But this has not been confirmed yet.
100% absolute joke. I’ve been waiting an hour for a 492 because they decided to cancel one. Yet every other bus in Sidcup has had at least 2-4 go past probably more 🙄
yes this is what i said, they turn the buse 492 around if its running late and then you wait an hour in sidcup for that damn bus
It is insane that they are spending nearly 7 million on roadworks to add bus lanes near Bluewater and yet cutting the bus routes. They should have spent the money on subsidising the busses instead.
The cuts to route 428 which currently operates between Erith to Bluewater via Crayford Dartford and Darent Valley Hospital have been confirmed on the London BUs Routes.net website.
Route 428 will only operate between Erith and Cayford from January 2019. No longer serving Dartford, Darent Valley Hospital or Bluewater.
This is also a bus service being cut from serving Darent Valley Hospital at a time TFL were supposed to be looking in to how to improve bus services to Hospitals.
I totally 100% agree with Ms Morgan’s comments. .
Just to update. TFL are still planning to cut back bus route 428 to Crayford so the route will no longer serve Dartford,,Darent Valley Hospital or Bluewater. However, this has been delayed until other bus routes changes planned for routes 129 161 180 469 472 and new route 301 linked to the opening of Crossrail Stations at Abbey Wood and Woolwich are introduced.
Originally these changes were postponed until September 2019 but could be further delayed until 2020 or beyond, As there is now no confirmation of a date when crossrail (Elizabeth Line) will fully open.
TFL have now proposed cut backs to bus routes 428 and 492 from January 2020.
428 route – removal of service between Crayford – Bluewater.
428 will terminate at Crayford.
492 route – removal of service between Dartford – Bluewater.
492 will terminate at Dartford.
https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/buses/96-428-492/
If you would like to help save these Routes, please leave your views on the TFL online survey by Tuesday 10 September 2019.
The 492 cut is a bad deal for many 492 users, it serves all stop past Dartford to Bluewater, and removal of this part of route will mean using expensive alternative non Oyster buses, and you will have to change at Dartford, to continue your journey resulting in you pay two fares, one non-Oyster fare and one Oyster fare!
PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION TO KEEP THE 492 AND 428 BUSES RUNNING
TFL are now deciding to cut these bus services between Dartford and Bluewater completely! These means extra bus changes and two (or more) bus fares using the already unreliable and expensive Arriva green bus service.
It will have a huge impact on children getting to school, communters travelling to work and the elderly who especially need to get to Darent Valley Hospital!
https://www.change.org/p/tfl-save-our-492-and-428-bus-services-8728d235-a744-43f4-9075-a984d8063b7f
Your signature would be much appreciated!
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