The fight to save a popular bus route through Battersea is on.

Wandsworth Council has written to TfL in a bid to get it to reverse a proposal to axe the number 19 bus route which runs from Battersea Bridge Road to Finsbury Park.

Under proposals put forward by the mayor of London Sadiq Khan the route will be changed so it only runs from Finsbury Park to Holborn where it will terminate.

The council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for transport, Jonathan Cook, said the town hall would be fighting the proposal to shorten the route.

"The proposal to take the 19 bus route out of the borough will have a real impact on people who rely on the service," he said.

“Under the mayor's major bus review we will see fewer buses on our roads and shorter routes at a time when we are urging people to use public transport to stop the harmful effects of car emissions.

“I was recently at a London councils transport and environment committee meeting where Heidi Alexander, the deputy mayor for transport, in a reply to me, said we couldn’t be sentimental about buses and that the routes had to reflect where the demand is and what Londoners need. I wholeheartedly agree and now urge her to put those wise words into practice here."

With a number of schools based in Battersea many students also rely on the bus network to travel across the river each day, especially as there are no rail or underground stations nearby.

It is estimated that under the proposals around 5,200 daily trips on the number 19 will now require passengers to change buses, where previously their journey was direct.

“I know people are really concerned about losing this important route, particularly at a time when there are new and proposed developments in the area which will lead to more demand for bus services," Mr Cook said.

"The Royal College of Art is currently being expanded and there are plans for more residential units along the river in Battersea, so we need more not less bus services.”

“Passengers are now facing longer journey times and additional changes and waiting at bus stops, which will obviously have an impact on older people, the disabled and parents travelling with children. A lot of these groups rely on a direct bus route and having to change will be hugely disruptive.

“Withdrawing the number 19 from Battersea will also increase the pressure on other routes and it is doubtful these services will cope with the additional demand. I urge the Mayor and TfL to see sense here, listen to our residents and protect this route.”

Geoff Hobbs, Director of Public Transport Service Planning at TfL, said: “Buses have a crucial role to play in boosting the number of people using public transport, but they can’t do this without reflecting how London has changed.

"It is only right that we reassess the network after the significant changes in both London’s infrastructure and how Londoners choose to travel. Londoners expect their buses to be where they are needed and run in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

“Our proposals to reorganise the bus network would modernise bus travel in London by matching capacity with demand while reducing bus-on-bus congestion. In adapting underused and inefficient services in central London, our plans will help reduce pollution that has such a damaging effect on the health on Londoners.

“We are now carefully reviewing more than 7,000 responses to our central London proposals before making any decisions.”