Plans to scrap the N271 bus – the only night service that goes to the Whittington Hospital – have been dumped by transport chiefs following a public backlash.

TfL has today published its response to the autumn consultation on changes to buses across central London.

And it’s good news all round for Islington passengers, as planned changes to the 19 have also been scrapped.

Islington Council’s transport chief Cllr Claudia Webbe led the fight to keep the N271. She took a 500-signature petition to City Hall arguing it would hit shift workers at the Whittington hard. Jeremy Corbyn also backed the calls for it to be kept.

Reacting to the announcement, Cllr Webbe said: “I am pleased our campaign to protect the vital N271 and 19 bus routes has been successful.

“I want to thank deputy mayor Heidi Alexander for listening to the concerns of local people, including staff at the Whittington Hospital who were concerned about the proposed changes to the N271.

“We must remember the changes being made are, in part, a direct result of the Tory government’s scandalous decision to cut funding to TfL by £700 million per year.

“It’s time the government realises you can’t run a capital city’s transport system on the cheap.”