NEW YORK - Some L train riders are fearing the worst when the tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan shuts down next year.

Now they're calling on the city to prioritize buses in Manhattan during the closure.

The MTA plans to limit 14th Street to buses only during peak hours while the tunnel is shut down.

But transit advocates say 14th Street should be "bus only" 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — with no cars or other vehicles allowed.

"The L train is a 24 hour a day train. The communities that rely on the L train are 24 hour day communities. And the plan to accommodate L train riders has to be 24 hours a day as well."

"The worst possible outcome here is that those hundreds of thousands of L train commuters defect public transit, seeking their own private car solution."

The L train tunnel will close next April for 15 months of repairs.

A Transportation Department spokesman said the agency looks forward to hearing more from stakeholders on the bus issue as it works alongside the MTA.