Calls for action over 'hopeless' bus route
ONE of the most important bus routes in Islington has been branded "hopelessly unreliable" as fed-up passengers joined a campaign to speed up services.
Nearly 200 people in Tufnell Park and Archway have signed a petition demanding action over the "sporadic" number 4 bus service, which runs between Junction Road and Waterloo via the Nag's Head, Finsbury Park, Highbury Barn, Angel and the Barbican.
Junction ward councillor Ursula Woolley, who helped organise the petition, said: "If we want people to use public transport, it's vital buses are reliable. Transport for London need to improve our local service."
Mayor of London Boris Johnson, an Islington resident, admits there have been delays on the route on Sundays - but insists services from Monday to Saturday are "generally reliable".
Councillor Tracy Ismail, of Tufnell Park Road, said: "The number 4 is hopelessly unreliable. The Mayor's response has been inadequate."
Jo Debank, a spokeswoman for public transport watchdog London Travel Watch, regularly uses the number 4 on her way to work in Middle Street, Finsbury.
Ms Debank said: "It just goes through lots of busy areas. It's general congestion.
"We have questioned whether it would be better to terminate it at Finsbury Park and run a separate service up to Archway. It's partly a routing issue and partly congestion."
A TfL spokeswoman said: "The route 4 has a bus every 10 minutes on weekdays, every 15 minutes at weekends and every 20 minutes in the evening on all days of the week.
"We have identified that there have been some reliability issues with the Sunday service and will introduce a new Sunday schedule from November 28 to address this."
London Assembly Member Jenette Arnold said: "Although having extra buses is a step in the right direction, I would like to see services improved. Not just during the weekend but at weekdays as well.
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