The MP for Greenwich and Woolwich has launched a campaign to ‘save’ the 53 bus serivce from a City Hall shake-up of routes.

Matthew Pennycook has set up a petition calling on Transport for London to abandon plans to cut parts of the 53 route.

In what has been described as the “biggest bus shake-up for a decades”, it was revealed last week by south London blog 853 that routes across the capital were at risk of major scale-backs.

In south-east London, three routes have been reportedly earmarked for reductions – the 171, 172 and the 53.

The 53 bus would have part of its route axed and run from Plumstead to County Hall instead of Whitehall.

Mr Pennycook has now launched a campaign for TfL to abandon its plans.

He said on his petition: “Thousands of people in Plumstead, Woolwich, Charlton and Blackheath rely on the 53 bus service that runs from Plumstead all the way to Whitehall.

“For many, particularly those who make the long journey into central London on the 53 to work low-paid jobs, the 53 is the only means of transport that is affordable.

“As things stand, more often than not 53 buses are overcrowded by the time they get up the hill to Charlton from Woolwich. We need more frequent services on this route, not cuts to services.”

A spokesman for TfL told this newspaper people should respond to the upcoming consultation as it asks specific questions on service changes.

“Of course if there is a local petition that will be noted as well”, he said.

Earlier this week, Geoff Hobbs, director of public transport service planning, said: “As set out in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, we’re currently looking at how we can adjust and reorganise the bus network to ensure it reflects a rapidly changing London, including planning for year-on-year increases in bus kilometres in outer London.

“We need to modernise and simplify the network and ensure that bus capacity is in the right places at the right times.

“We’re currently working closely with London’s boroughs on a potential set of proposals and they are helping shape our plans. These changes will also be subject to full public consultation before they’re put in place so we can hear from customers.”

Transport for London said these proposals are at an “early conversation stage”, and that any changes would be subject to consultation.

Under the leaked proposals the 171 from Catford bus garage and Brockley to Holborn would be cut to end at Elephant and Castle and the 172 from Brockley Rise could be axed from Clerkenwell to Aldwych.