Campaigners are calling for a direct bus to a hospital because they face a “nightmare” journey to get there.

The Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead is planning to move some of its surgeries, including hip and knee replacements, 12 miles away to Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield.

But this means people travelling in from Hampstead will be forced to take one or more trains to Oakwood Station, then take two buses, or walk 2.6 miles to get to the hospital.

Now, the Over 50s Forum in Enfield is calling on Transport for London (TfL) to reroute either the 377, 121 or 307 from Oakwood station all the way to Chase Farm.

Tony Watts, the secretary of the group, said: “It is a nightmare journey and a real trek for people.

“I ruptured my Achilles tendon years ago and had to go to the hospital then, and it was not easy with my leg in plaster.

“If you have a broken leg, dodgy knees or crutches it’s a very difficult journey and it’s also very difficult for elderly people with mobility issues to make the journey.”

People travelling from Oakwood who do not want to walk nearly three miles would have to take one of two bus journeys to reach the hospital.

The first option would be to take the 121 or 307 bus to Enfield Chase, stop CC, then take the 313 bus from Enfield Chase stop CA.

They could also catch the 377 to Ponders End, walk three minutes to Slades Hill, and then take the 313 to the hospital.

Both journeys take around half an hour.

TfL is conducting bus reviews in each London borough and will consider routes to Chase Farm Hospital in this review with decisions expected to be made next year.

Mr Watts added: “TfL need to come and listen to people who travel to the hospital who have mobility problems.

“We have got this new hospital, but TfL have not thought through the transport problems, particularly with the moving of certain types of surgery to Chase Farm Hospital.”

The campaign has won the backing of London Assembly member for Enfield and Haringey, Joanne McCartney, Sir David Sloman, chief executive of the Royal Free London Hospital which runs Chase Farm Hospital, Bambos Charalambous, MP for Enfield Southgate and Enfield NHS Clinical Commissioning Group.

Geoff Hobbs, director of public transport service planning for TfL, said: “ We have carried out a review of public transport to the hospital and believe it has the right service for the level of demand.

“Re-routing the 377, 121 or 307 would significantly increase journey times for all customers, and would reduce the high-frequency links for residents into Enfield Town Centre.

“We are happy to work with the borough to ensure changing buses in the town centre is as easy as possible.”