Skip to main content
Mayor of London logo London Assembly logo
Home
London Assembly

Restore bus link between Waltham Abbey and Chingford

London Buses
Created on
08 February 2024

The London Assembly notes that not a single bus service is provided between Waltham Abbey and neighbouring Chingford.

Because of this, it is today calling on Transport for London (TfL) to restore a frequent, daily bus link between Waltham Abbey and Chingford either by extending route 215, route 379 or both, to at least Waltham Abbey Town Centre.

Emma Best AM, who proposed the motion, said:

“I’m delighted my Assembly colleagues agreed today to support our motion calling on TfL to restore frequent, daily buses between Waltham Abbey and Chingford. This can be achieved by extending bus route 215 or 379.

“There is currently no bus service Waltham Abbey and Chingford. This route previously ran every day with buses every 10 to 30 minutes from early mornings to late evenings. We need this level of service restored.”

The full text of the motion is:

The 505 bus, running between Chingford and Harlow, is no longer in service.

In May 2015, the bus operator Arriva handed responsibility for the route over to TrustyBus, reducing the service to just six buses a day.

The stretch between Waltham Abbey and Chingford was once frequently served 7 days a week by London bus route 242, with buses every 10 to 30 minutes from early mornings to late evenings. On a Sunday, the final bus from Chingford Station to Waltham Abbey would leave as late as 00:10.

Now, not a single bus provides a service between Waltham Abbey and Chingford. All bus stops on Sewardstone Road towards Chingford (except the Lea Valley Camp Site) are completely unserved.

This Assembly calls on Transport for London to restore a frequent, daily London Buses link between Waltham Abbey and neighbouring Chingford by extending route 215 (which currently terminates at the Lea Valley Camp Site on Sewardstone Road – just within the Waltham Abbey boundary), route 379 (which also terminates on Sewardstone Road), or both, to at least Waltham Abbey Town Centre.


Notes to editors

  1. Watch the full webcast.
  2. The motion was agreed unanimously.
  3. Emma Best AM, who proposed the motion, is available for interviews. 
  4. As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.

For media enquiries, please contact Anthony Smyth 07763 251727. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer.

Need a document on this page in an accessible format?

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of a PDF or other document on this page in a more accessible format, please get in touch via our online form and tell us which format you need.

It will also help us if you tell us which assistive technology you use. We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 5 working days.