Ruth Cadbury Demands Action on 65 Bus Route

MP writes to TfL highlighting unreliability and long journey times

Bus route 65. Picutre: Change.org

February 28, 2025

Brentford and Isleworth MP Ruth Cadbury has written a letter to TfL raising concerns about continuing problems on the 65 bus route.

The bus, which runs between Ealing and Kingston, passes through Brentford and serves as a key link across West London.

In her letter she raises several problems with the bus including frequent early termination of Ealing-bound busesat the Great West Road in Brentford, a long wait for buses during peak times and a general lack of reliability to the service.  

Ms Cadbury also asked TfL to consider whether the bus route could be broken up into two separate routes due to its longer than average length and to consider if the recent changes to the A4/Ealing Road lights may have contributed to the recent rise in delays.

The route has has experienced fluctuations in reliability over the years. In the late 2000s, specifically between September and December 2009, it was among the ten worst-performing routes, with an Excess Waiting Time (EWT) of 2.44 minutes, surpassing its minimum standard of 1.30 minutes.

However, more recent data indicates some improvements with the route maintaining an EWT ranging from 0.59 to 1.19 minutes, consistently meeting the minimum standard.

A petition highlighting the issue of the early termination of the bus started last year received over 700 signatures. It is pointed out that if the service stops at Great West Road, passengers are faced with a lengthy walk to get to an E2 to continue their journey to Ealing.  

The MP said, ‘‘ The 65 bus serves as a key route for local people travelling to Ealing and Richmond. It’s particularly important as it’s the only bus that serves this specific route and it serves as a key link for helping people to get to work, go shopping and to access the Elizabeth Line.

‘‘I’ve been concerned to hear from residents about a number of problems with the route. So many people depend on the route and it’s clearly not working as well as it could.

‘‘That’s why I’ve written to TFL and asked to meet with officers to discuss this issue further. Buses serve as a key part of our public transport and I want to work to make sure people locally have the best service possible.’’

The letter to TFL can be read here.

Rosie Trew, TfL's Head of Bus Service Delivery, said: “We know buses are important for millions of Londoners and we're determined to ensure that people can rely on London's bus network. We have listened to the feedback and have been working closely with the bus operator RATP, who runs route 65, to improve reliability. Since then, the bus route has been performing well with a revised schedule now in place. Feedback plays a crucial role in helping us understand local issues and we will continue to monitor the bus route to ensure it is fit for purpose and meets demand for bus services in the Ealing area."