A HAVERING village is campaigning for a better bus service – and wants would-be London Mayors Ken and Boris to back them. Havering-atte-Bower folk are demanding Mayoral candidates Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson promise to end years of inadequate bus se

A HAVERING village is campaigning for a better bus service - and wants would-be London Mayors Ken and Boris to back them.

Havering-atte-Bower folk are demanding Mayoral candidates Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson promise to end years of inadequate bus services.

Campaign Co-ordinator, Billy Taylor, of Collier Row, said: "The people of Orange Tree Hill, North Road and Broxhill Road, have been let down by the 500 bus service. We're lobbying Ken and Boris because we want whoever wins to sort it out."

"We're delivering leaflets to the whole of Havering-atte-Bower, we've written to the potential Mayors asking them to help us, and we've also launched a petition to hand to the new Mayor."

Havering-atte-Bower is home to St. Francis Hospice, the 19th century church of St. John the Evangelist, and Bedfords Park wildlife centre - as well as hundreds of residents, many elderly.

The 500 bus runs hourly through the village on its way between Old Harlow and Romford Monday to Saturday, but not Sundays.

Campaigners claim the 500 service is unreliable and residents are often forced to walk to Collier Row.

They argue the simplest solution would be to reroute the 499 service - which currently runs along Lower Bedfords Road to Chase Cross - up Broxhill to the village and back down Orange Tree Hill.

A Transport for London spokesman said: "Transport for London has looked into options to increase service levels in Havering-atte-Bower, including diverting the route 499.

"However none of the options investigated to date, would offer value for money.