The direct bus line eliminates the need for Jewish Londoners to transfer from one bus to another in Muslim neighbourhoods, making them less vulnerable to attacks.

The mayor of London has launched a trial bus route in north London to help the city’s Jewish residents „feel safe when they travel”. The bus service runs between Stamford Hill in Hackney and Golders Green in Barnet, and was established as part of the re-election pledge of London Mayor Sadiq Khan in response to longstanding requests from the Jewish community.

I promised to introduce the 310 bus route to directly connect Golders Green and Stamford Hill if re-elected—I’m really pleased to have fulfilled that promise. pic.twitter.com/BlzdxPKfpr

— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) September 5, 2024

Khan told BBC London that the Jewish communities of Stamford Hill and Golders Green have been lobbying for 16 years for a direct link between the two neighbourhoods.

„I was struck by the conversations I’ve had in recent months with the Jewish community. They were frightened because of a massive increase of antisemitism since 7 October last year,” Khan told the BBC, adding that he had heard of several families who had been assaulted when they transferred at Finsbury Park, boarding a bus for Golders Green.

The new bus service „connects communities, connects congregations”, Mr Khan said, and would reassure Jewish Londoners they would be „safe when they travel between these two communities”.

The Met Police recorded 2,065 anti-Semitic hate crime incidents between October and July, and as their data shows, in the 12 months to July,

antisemitic hate crimes rose by 278.9% compared with the preceding year.