Former Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has backed calls to save a bus that connects Golders Green with central London.

Transport for London (TfL) is consulting on cutting the 13 route, which runs from Golders Green to Aldwych via Childs Hill.

The N13, which runs from North Finchley to Aldwych, is also facing the axe.

Lord Adonis, who served in Tony Blair’s and Gordon Brown’s cabinets, visited Golders Green yesterday to campaign with Labour’s candidate for Finchley and Golders Green, Sarah Sackman.

Lord Adonis said: “It will be a real loss to Golders Green and Childs Hill if the number 13 is axed as Boris Johnson proposes.”

Ms Sackman said: “If you want to save the 13 bus you should tell Boris loud and clear. That’s what we’re saying to people using the bus today and residents who live along the route. Everyone we speak to is astonished that Boris has put forward this cut to their bus service.

“Withdrawing the 13 and the N13 and the changes to other services will cut capacity by half on parts of the route and lead to slower journey times. Nearly everyone in Golders Green and Childs Hill has used the 13.”

Liberal Democrat candidate for Finchley and Golders Green Jonathan Davies is also calling for the bus to be saved.

He said: “Another local public service is under threat with Transport for London’s proposals to axe the number 13 bus route from Golders Green to Aldwych.

“We will be working with Liberal Democrat members of the London Assembly to resist these proposals and save this bus route.”

TfL claims the changes to frequencies on some routes would provide extra capacity, and counter cutting the 13 and N13.

Peter Bradley, TfL’s Head of Consultations, said: “The bus network is dynamic and we constantly monitor and adjust it according to changing demand. This has always been the case.

“This consultation is part of our continuing efforts to manage the bus network. Any savings made will be used to fund improvements to other services across the capital. We are working to keep the bus network convenient, reliable and simple to use.

“The proposals in the consultation include extending route 113 to Oxford Circus and increasing its frequency, extending route 139 to Golders Green and the introduction of a night service on route 82. These changes would, we believe, mitigate the impact of withdrawing routes 13 and N13 for most passengers.

“More than 95 per cent of passengers on the affected routes will continue to have a through bus for their journey.”

A public consultation on the plans ends this Friday and can be visited at https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/buses/finchleyroad