A local resident has started a petition against the council's plans to close a bus stop in Kingston.

Keegan Hillier started the petition called "Don't discriminate! Demand that the Waters Road B Bus Stop remains open!" to persuade the council to keep Waters Road Bus Stop B open.

Speaking about the closure, Hillier said: "Kingston Council have announced the closure of the Waters Road bus stop B. They claim [the closure] is a decision solely made by TfL, but TfL direct residents back to the Council when they voice their concerns.

"I have submitted FoI requests from both parties to see which party is responsible. It is important to note, however, that even if this decision has been made solely by TfL, the Council bears responsibility to its residents and has the ability to negotiate the decision.

"Therefore, this petition, which calls for the Council to do all in its power to save this stop, is something the Council must be bound to if it reaches 1,000 signatures. 

"This petition is already supported by the Kingston Disability Network; now that it is online, I will be reaching out to other relevant local groups for comment.

"Please circulate this petition with everyone you know who lives, works, or studies in the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.

"This is not just about one bus stop but demands accountability from the Council for their poor treatment of residents, particularly those who are disabled, elderly, or parents of young children."

The petition description writes: "The original consultation for the Cambridge Road / Kingston Road cycle lane, conducted in 2016, stated that the Waters Road bus stop would be relocated a short distance; there was no mention of removal.

"It would still offer residents of all kinds the ability to get to a stop near to their home and ensure no -one's world became smaller due to a thoughtless decision to remove their way to access the world.

"Progress was slow and the cycle lane scheme was approved in early 2020 but completed only at the New Malden end- it was reviewed again in 2022/2023.

"Another public consultation (125 responses) was held in September/October 2024- only 37 (29%) respondents thought that the scheme would make travel easier and safer for people with mobility issues or visual impairment.

"Nevertheless the scheme was approved at the November 2024 Place Committee, subject to TfL approval in order to get funding. The map of the scheme in the agenda papers shows a bus stop at Waters Road, and there has been no warning until now that it would be removed.

"Almost anybody can take the bus, but a far smaller group of people can cycle. Kingston Council touts itself as a 'green' council - if people are no longer able to take the bus due to this stop's removal, they may resort to cars and taxis.

"Furthermore, we note that the people who benefit most from public transport are often those who have stretched finances. Having to use more expensive travel could mean people limit their journeys and lead to social isolation.

"From the Facebook announcement of the stop's removal, there is an assumption that a 'short walk' will not impact people; from this, we see the Council's poor grasp on life from the perspective of people with impairments. They should have consulted again.

"We note that disability organisations, like the Kingston Disability Network and Kingston Association for the Blind / Kingston Sightloss Support, have raised concerns about cycle lanes before. We assert that the Council has a duty of care to disabled residents, and as such are in breach of this by so casually accepting the removal of a vital bus stop without, at least, further consultation with such groups.

"We call on the Council to listen to residents, including not only we the undersigned, but all those who were unaware of such a drastic decision thanks to its lack of advertisement.

"We demand that the Council keeps residents informed and remains accountable to them. Therefore, we demand the Council does all in its power to ensure that the Waters Road bus stop remains open and accessible for all."

Speaking about why she is petitioning against the closure, Hillier told Nub News: "As a disabled person, I rely on public transport to get out and about. The stop was temporarily closed from October to December 2025, so I left the house a lot less.

"When I did go out, the extra walk from a further away stop left me struggling a lot more with my condition. If the stop closes, I'll have to resort to taxis, and I know of several other people in the vicinity of the stop in similar situations.

"If there had been consultations about removing the stop, I would have explained the huge negative impact it would have. Instead, there has been no information until we residents demand it, and I've had to set up this petition to stand up against it.

"As Secretary of the Kingston Disability Network, and as Disability Officer for the local Labour party, I know how hard it already is for not just myself but so many disabled people in Kingston, and we shouldn't have to watch as things are made even worse."

Hillier's petition is running until 23 April 2026 and can be viewed and signed here.