New 434 bus will reach more remote part of Croydon for first time

A ‘never previously served’ part of Croydon will soon benefit from an updated bus service following a long-awaited fix from Transport for London (TfL).

The transport operator revealed that the updated route will be operational later this month after ‘safety concerns’ were addressed.

The 434 route connects the hilly areas of Caterham in Surrey and Coulsdon in Croydon. It also passes through the Kenley valley on its route, on the popular A22 road.

However, following an announcement made by TfL this week, the 434 will soon be rerouted through Kenley to serve the areas in the ‘hard to reach’ hills above the valley.

As of March 29, the route will take in Higher Drive and make its way along the valley’s ridge, before rejoining Godstone Road in Whyteleafe.

The 434 will operate as a hail-and-ride service through this corridor (along Higher Drive, Cullesden Road, Firs Road, Wattendon Road, Hayes Lane, Park Road and Hayes Lane again). This is due to the lack of space needed for permanent stops.

Cllr Neil Garrett, left (Picture: Sutton council) and bendy Wattendon Road, which now has yellow lines to prevent cars blocking the bus route (Picture: Croydon Conservatives)

The existing 407 will continue to serve the main A22 road and the nearby Kenley train station.

The roads leading from Higher Drive have long been difficult to access without the use of a car. They are also a significant distance from other public transport, and are not the most accessible for the areas sizable elderly population.

As a result, calls for a dedicated bus service have been made numerous times over the years.  However, the implementation of a fix met with significant delays due to safety concerns surrounding the proposed route. In many cases, TfL found the roads too narrow and full of cars for a bus route to pass through safely.

In particular, TfL identified that the bend on Wattendon Road posed line-of-sight issues, making the bus operation unsafe. This was complicated because TfL buses are not allowed to reverse with passengers on, so a bus on that route could be prone to getting stuck.

To resolve this, yellow lines were painted along the stretch of Wattendon Road and a subsequent test run on January 10 confirmed that the new safety measures were effective.

Neil Garratt, London Assembly member for Croydon and Sutton, said: “Navigating our steep, narrow roads presented real challenges, but it’s finally happening. This service will be especially valuable for those who’ve faced the daunting prospect of climbing Kenley’s hills without a car.”