Major breakthrough in campaign to extend 63 Bus route to Honor Oak Park Station

As many residents of Peckham Rye will know, Peckham Rye Labour councillors have been running a long-term campaign to get the 63 Bus route extended to Honor Oak Park Station. You'll find some background on our campaign here, here and here.

We are now very pleased to announce that Val Shawcross, our brilliant GLA member and Ken Livingstone's Deputy Mayoral Candidate, has announced that if Ken is elected as Mayor in May 2012, she will use her position as Chair of Transport for London to extend the 63 bus route. The text of Val's letter to Peckham Rye residents is below this post. If you live near the 63 route you should get a copy through your letter box either today or tomorrow.

This is a really important issue for many people living in East Dulwich and Peckham Rye. Boris has been using dodgy bus usage figures to justify blocking the extension. If Val is given the chance to fulfill her promise it will mean thousands of people in our area will find it easier to link up with the Overground services running from Honor Oak Park.

If you're supportive of Labour's plans, register your support here.

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Dear Friend,

I am writing with significant news about the campaign to extend the 63 bus route.

You may know that for many months I have been campaigning alongside your local Labour Councillors to get the route extended to reach Honor Oak Park Station. Extending the 63 route would make it much easier for people living in this area to access the new East London Line.

We have been trying to persuade London’s current Mayor, Boris Johnson, to make this small but significant change, but he just won’t listen.

Labour’s candidate for Mayor, Ken Livingstone, has announced that if he is elected on 3rd May this year, he will be making me Chair of Transport for London. Therefore, I can promise that if Ken is elected in May, I will extend the 63 bus route to Honor Oak Park.

Labour is the only party making this commitment and it has only happened because local people took the time to make their views known on petitions, postcards, internet forums and through speaking to their local councillors. Thank you.

If you’d like to see the route extension made into a reality, I’d urge you to vote Labour in both the London Assembly and Mayoral elections which take place on Thursday 3rd May 2012. To register your support for Ken and the extension of the 63 bus route, please fill out slip below, fold it along the lines on the back of this letter and send it back to us. There is no need for a stamp.

Best Wishes,

Val Shawcross

London Assembly Member for Lambeth & Southwark