A petition to move Woolwich Arsenal from Zone 4 to 3 has gone viral with more than 500 signatures from disgruntled commuters.

Rumours have been bouncing off carriage walls of rezoning nearby stations Stratford and Battersea which has left Woolwich residents wondering why they should be left outside the boundary. But all that could change thanks to a petition by resident Adam Clark, who spends just under an hour commuting to work at an independent bookshop in Holland Park.

The 37-year-old, of Major Draper Street, said: “When I tell people I live in Woolwich, there are often raised eyebrows. There is an assumption that Woolwich is ‘very far away’ or ‘not in London’. If Woolwich is to develop, this stigma needs to lift.”

Mr Clark also said that the recession has hit Woolwich hard but residents’ transport fares are higher due to the Zone boundary.

“Many people also make the point that they want to see Woolwich become more integrated into London. It is widely felt that the SE suburbs are unfairly discriminated against,” he added.

Rezoning Woolwich Arsenal would save commuters £31.40 on a monthly travel card, £376.80 over 12 months or a saving of £328.00 on an annual travel card.

Conservative parliamentary candidate for Woolwich and Greenwich Matt Hartley, said: “For me, this is a simple issue of equity and parity – especially after it was announced that Stratford, just a stone’s throw away, is to the moved to be Zone 2. Moving Woolwich Arsenal into Zone 3 would be an excellent way of supporting the regeneration of Woolwich and will give residents a fairer deal.”

A TfL spokesperson said: “Any request or discussion on rezoning is done on a case by case basis, assessing the cost and benefit to all those involved.”

Visit www.change.org for the petition