Lambeth Council says it will formally oppose plans to withdraw the 415 bus, warning that the loss of the direct route between Tulse Hill and Old Kent Road could make journeys longer and less accessible for residents.
Transport for London (TfL) is consulting on removing the 415 and extending the 333 from Elephant & Castle to Old Kent Road. The proposals have not been agreed. TfL set 15 November 2026 as the consultation deadline and said it would consider responses before deciding whether to proceed, amend the plans or abandon them.
The council plans to submit a detailed technical response against the withdrawal. It also intends to write to local MPs and Lambeth’s London Assembly member, asking them to raise the issue with the Mayor and TfL.
Why the council objects
The 415 currently connects Tulse Hill with Brixton, Oval, Kennington, Elephant & Castle and Old Kent Road. Lambeth’s deputy leader, Councillor Ciara Alleyne, said removing it would make journeys longer and more difficult for people who depend on it, including residents on lower incomes.
Her concerns focus particularly on older and disabled passengers and families with young children. She said the 2 and 432 can already be crowded by the time they reach Tulse Hill at peak times, raising questions about whether people who need a seat would be able to find one.
The council also fears that passengers who currently make a direct journey will have to change buses, placing extra pressure on busy pavements in Brixton. It says that, for people travelling on the 333 from Brixton towards Elephant & Castle or Old Kent Road, the route via Stockwell would be about 20 per cent longer in distance than the existing direct route. That comparison concerns distance, not a measured 20 per cent increase in travel time.
Clapham and Brixton Hill MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has also raised concerns about the proposal, saying that buses travelling towards Brixton can fill up during the rush hour and that the change could make the route harder for commuters to rely on.
What would change for passengers
TfL proposes to extend the 333 from Elephant & Castle along the section of the 415 to Old Kent Road. It says this would retain a direct link from Old Kent Road to Kennington and Brixton, while providing new direct connections from Old Kent Road to Stockwell, Streatham and Tooting. It says the extended 333 would run more frequently on that section than the current 415.
Some existing 415 journeys would nevertheless require a change. TfL gives the example of passengers travelling between Tulse Hill and Old Kent Road using the 2 or 432 and changing to the extended 333 at Brixton. For journeys between Old Kent Road and Brixton Road, it suggests changing between the 333 and 133 at Elephant & Castle.
The transport authority says all stops currently served by the 415 would retain other frequent bus services. It identifies Brixton and Elephant & Castle as interchange points and says connecting stops would be no more than 40 metres apart. Some changes can be made at the same stop, depending on the journey and direction.
The proposed extension would also mean the 333 no longer uses its current first and final stops at Newington Causeway. TfL says the walk to the stops it would use instead is less than 300 metres. For people who need to travel between them by bus, it suggests using the 133 and changing at shared stops between Kennington and Elephant & Castle.
TfL’s case for the changes
TfL says demand on the 415 has fallen significantly since the pandemic. Its stated aim is to reduce excess capacity and operating costs while simplifying the network. The busiest section of the 415, it says, is between Tulse Hill and Brixton in the direction of Old Kent Road.
The authority says the 2 and 432 have enough capacity to meet demand if the 415 is withdrawn and that it would keep capacity under review. That is a different assessment from the council’s concern about crowding and access at peak times.
Passengers making a bus-to-bus change may be able to use the Hopper fare, which allows further bus journeys within one hour of the first touch-in for a single fare. A fare arrangement does not remove the need to change vehicles, however, or necessarily address concerns about space and seating.
How to respond
TfL set a deadline of 15 November 2026 for responses through a consultation survey or a shorter response option. It also offers information in formats including easy read, audio and British Sign Language video. People can contact the consultation team by post using FREEPOST TFL HAVE YOUR SAY or request a telephone callback on 020 3054 6037.
TfL said it would prepare and publish a report on the responses after the consultation. The council’s opposition is a position it intends to put into that process, not a decision on the route’s future.
