A Havering bus route is set to be scrapped and a Sunday service introduced to another connecting Upminster and Harold Hill after a public consultation, Transport for London (TfL) has announced.

TfL says the route 497, which runs between Harold Hill and Harold Wood, is to be scrapped from March 9 and replaced by an extended route 346, which is to have a Sunday service added.

An initial proposal in March 2023 was to withdraw the 346 (Upminster to Upminster Park) and 347 (Romford to Ockendon) bus routes, and instead to extend the 497 from Dagnam Park Square in Harold Hill down to Upminster.

TfL previously said this would "simplify the local bus network".

A consultation on the plan in March and April 2023 received 869 responses.

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A TfL spokesperson said: "Following careful consideration of the consultation responses and a further review of what was proposed, we have decided to modify the original proposals and to proceed with a revised scheme."

The revised plans are as follows, according to TfL:

Route 346

  • The route 346 will be restructured to operate between Upminster Park Estate and Waycross Road, and Dagnam Park Square via Upminster and Harold Hill. 
  • Bus driver facilities will not be installed at Waycross Road.
  • The route will operate every 20 minutes from Monday to Sunday during the day and evenings and a Sunday service will be introduced.

Route 347

  • Route 347 will continue to operate under review.

Route 497

  • Route 497 will be replaced by the extended route 346.
  • On March 9, route 497 will stop running.

Cranham councillor Gillian Ford said the Upminster and Cranham Residents Association “are pleased to hear that they (TfL) have listened to our request not to have driver facilities built onto the green in Waycross Road".

TfL's consultation report says it will be proceeding with the termination of the 346 route in Waycross Road, which it says will need changes managed by Havering Council to the road layout.

Cllr Ford said UCRA felt a new waiting space for buses could impact parking for residents and wanted to see new parking bays created at TfL's cost.