ANGRY campaigners say TfL’s decision to cut a bus route will hit vulnerable people travelling to hospital.

Labour activists are “shocked and appalled” that W12 services users might suffer after plans to reduce the service went ahead on Saturday, December 2.

Locations served by the W12 include Wanstead Place, George Lane, South Woodford and Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone.

The service has been slashed by a third, from three buses to two every hour.

The party launched two petitions on the day the service reduced. So far, 238 people have signed the online petition and 80 signed a hard copy in High Street, Wanstead.

Paul Donovan, who is standing as a candidate in the Wanstead Village ward next May, said too many people depend on the W12 for it to be slashed.

He argued: "Wanstead Village Labour Action team are shocked and appalled by the proposed plans to reduce the frequency of the W12 bus service.

"Many vulnerable residents of Wanstead rely heavily on this service especially to get to and from Whipps Cross Hospital.

“A lot of people depend on the bus to get around, we cannot be reducing such services. We will be opposing the change and making representations to TFL.

"We support the work of Saving Our Buses in raising this issue to a wider audience and we will also be campaigning to keep a more frequent service for Wanstead."

Bob Blitz, TfL network planning manager, defended the changes on the grounds of customer need.

He said: “Following a review, we have changed the frequency of the W12 bus to better match passenger demand.

“We continue to run a regular service to Whipps Cross hospital and are monitoring the usage so that we can be sure that the changes are right and do not adversely affect local people.

“A number of other bus routes continue to serve Whipps Cross Hospital as well.”

Click here to view the petition.