The number 12, a crucial under-threat night bus, is being cut in Peckham. The route 12 covers areas from Dulwich Library to Oxford Circus 24 hours a day. If this critical bus gets cut, it will lead to many more interchanges and more women alone in the dark. Under the Conservative Government, one in five buses are under threat of being cut. This cannot be allowed to go any further.
TfL have claimed that the cuts are feedback to the decreased number of passengers post – pandemic. However, after a freedom of information’s request provided by the Liberal Democratic party, it proves that this statement is indeed false. Statistics provided by ‘southwarknews.co.uk’, show that one week in May 2022, around 4742 people used the N12, the night installation of the Number 12. This proves that masses of citizens use the night bus and with it being cut, not only will these people have to spend more money on trains, Ubers, or other modes of transport but their safety cannot be guaranteed the same way it was previously.
At a recent TfL meeting, they proposed that the 148, a bus running through similar areas, will be made into a night bus. Unfortunately, at the same meeting, it was disclosed that this bus would come less frequently than its predecessor, the N12. With longer waiting, it could leave women in life-threatening situations.
In areas such as Peckham and Elephant and Castle, buses like these must be protected at all costs. Not only do these areas have high crime rates, people in areas such as these may not have the option to take the train or get a taxi, especially with the energy and pure economic crisis the UK is facing.
Sagal Abdi, a single mother, often working late nights stated: “It is irresponsible and dangerous to cut prices and women’s safety. Our security is paramount in these dark times and the government is toying with that. In the era of Sarah Everard, a young woman whose only crime was going home, highlighted the fact that if the buses are cut, we are truly alone. The Police cannot even protect us”. This demonstrates that women do not feel content with these bus cuts, if anything, they feel the complete opposite. they feel disgusted and outraged that this proposal could even be considered let alone being put into action.
If we allow these buses to be cut, we must be afraid to ask what is next? If the government are willing to sacrifice our safety for their benefit, what else are they willing to sacrifice? This cannot be tolerated. Lives need to be treated with more worth. Women need to be treated with more worth.
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