*Buses in Enfield Town (credit Enfield Council)*

Replacement for the W10 will serve more areas, more often, reports James Cracknell

A new bus service linking opposite ends of the borough is due to launch next week.

The 456 route will connect Crews Hill and North Middlesex University Hospital, via Enfield Town, World’s End, Grange Park and Winchmore Hill. It will replace the W10 linking Crews Hill and Enfield Town which runs partly as a hail-and-ride service.

Transport for London (TfL) argues the more frequent 456 service will provide more local residents with easy access to public transport. Buses will run every 30 minutes between 7am and 8pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and every 60 minutes on Sundays between 7am and 8pm. It will commence operation on Saturday 13th March.

Geoff Hobbs, director of public transport service planning at TfL, said: “As part of our work to continuously review and improve the bus network, we will introduce the new 456 bus in Enfield mid-March.

“It will replace route W10 and provide new transport links, a higher-frequency of service, longer hours of operation and a Sunday service.”

Work to launch the new bus route has included installing new bus stops and upgrading junctions. One of the areas set to benefit is Winchmore Hill, with the new bus serving Winchmore Hill Station and reducing the journey time to North Middlesex Hospital by up to 30 minutes. Firs Lane, not currently served by any buses, will form part of the route.

However, residents in nearby Farm Road, where the bus will also run, organised a petition trying to take their street off the planned route after complaining it would worsen already bad traffic on the approach to the single-lane bridge joining Ford’s Grove. Some residents also complained about bus stops being sited outside their homes, as well as reducing residential parking spaces.

A TfL spokesperson stated: “No changes have been made to the routing since the consultation. We know some concerns were raised around Farm Road, and can assure residents we have fully assessed the route, including after specific feedback raised in the petition, and found it suitable.

“We will closely monitor the route 456 when it is introduced and make any necessary changes to ensure that it serves Londoners as best as it can.

“Route 456 will see 600 jobs and 3,700 people newly within 400 metres of the bus network. Many households, including on Farm Road, are currently a considerable distance from a bus stop, and the new route will significantly improve access buses.”

Find out more about the 456 bus route:
Visit tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses

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