London Assembly Member (AM) Bassam Mahfouz has joined worshipers and community leaders to call upon transport chiefs to end the decades long wait for a bus service for deserted corner of Southall.

The Ealing and Hillingdon AM held a community meeting in Johnson Street, Southall, with local MP Deirdre Costigan, former MP Virendra Sharma and worshipers of the Asamai Cultural Trust, Southall to press the case for a local bus service to serve their community.

Earlier this week Mahfouz held initial talks with transport chiefs from Transport for London (TfL) to discuss potential options for re-routing one of Southall's many buses to serve this currently bus-free zone.

The transport provider aims for local people within the capital to live within 400 meters of a bus stop, however at twice the distance residents, worshipers and local businesses are forced to walk around 800m to the nearest bus stops on Western Road.

Around 500 people attend the Asamai Cultural Trust each week, around 800 households plus dozens of local businesses would benefit from a bus re-route through Johnson Street in Southall says the AM.

As well as a site for worship, the Asamai Cultural Centre provides numerous health and wellbeing activities, including music and language schools.

Ashok Bhasin, General Secretary of the Asami Cultural Trust said: "Many of our worshipers attend regularly during the week to avoid social isolation, by connecting through our social groups, to eat together or attend one of our classes. 

"The lack of a local bus service means that for many of our older members simply cannot access these key services without getting a lift, or an expensive taxi journey.

"As we approach Divali we hope and pray that even more elderly and disabled members of our community will be able to enjoy the important lifeline that our temple and community centre provides." 

Bassam Mahfouz, London Assembly Member for Ealing and Hillingdon, said: "For far too long this corner of Southall has been barren of a bus service. 

"I have long fought to make our borough a more accessible place and a simple re-routing of one of the many local buses would make a huge impact locally.

"Around 800 households, 500 worshipers and dozens of businesses would benefit from the change we are calling for. I am delighted that as a direct result of the meeting that I have organised, TfL have agreed to investigate the possibility of re-routing one of the local buses to end this decades long wait for a bus service."

Deirdre Costigan, MP for Ealing Southall, added: "Opening up Johnson Street by rerouting a bus route will bring connectivity and access to an underserved area of Ealing Southall.

"I was delighted to join this meeting and support Bassam Mahfouz in his work to bring a bus route to Johnson Street and the Asamai Cultural Trust.

"For so many in our community bus routes offer a vital connection to shops, leisure, culture and family, and this would be a great step forward."

A TfL spokesperson said: "Buses are an important lifeline for millions of Londoners and we're determined to ensure that people have access to reliable, frequent services. We regularly review our services according to demand and must ensure that any changes to the bus network improve people's ability to access public transport.

"Feedback is hugely important to us and we are speaking to the community in Southall about their proposals."

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