A campaign has been launched to save the 137 bus, which runs from Streatham Hill to central London, after Transport for London (TfL) said the service would be cut by a third over peak times.

Backed by commuters and residents, Conservative Party activist Jamie Fox slammed TfL's plans, describing them as idiotic. "This proposal has angered residents and commuters who depend on the already over-crowded 137 route to get to work," he said.

"We have the mayor saying his priority is tackling London's transport crisis, and then you have TfL reducing bus routes and forcing commuters to face fewer buses and longer waiting times.

"There is still time for TfL to see sense. There has been a show of support from locals and commuters, so I will be using this as a mandate to pile pressure on TfL and the mayor in an effort to see the reduction plans abandoned."

TfL have justified the changes with the introduction of a new 452 route, which follow parts of the same route as the 137. However, because the new service starts on Wandsworth Road and goes to Kensal Rise via Knightsbridge, passengers leaving from Streatham would not be helped by this new route.