The new ‘Bakerloop’ express bus route is set to be in service from this autumn, following positive feedback from Londoners in a recent consultation.
The new express bus service will connect stations and areas mirroring the proposed Bakerloo Tube line extension route, running between Waterloo, Elephant & Castle and Lewisham via Burgess Park, Old Kent Road, New Cross Gate, Lewisham station and Lewisham town centre. Working alongside local councils and partners, the bus route will demonstrate the opportunities presented by the Bakerloo line extension to better connect people in southeast London.
The ‘Bakerloop’ will build on the success of the game-changing Superloop, a 194km network loop of express bus services that has transformed travel in outer London and added more than seven million kilometres per year to the capital’s network.
TfL continues to work at pace on plans to further expand the network and has revealed new plans for three further routes, which could bring the benefits of the network to even more people across the capital. These proposals will focus on busy corridors without rail parallels where Superloop can provide a step change in connectivity and journey times between key destinations. Subject to consultation, the next phase of the expansion would include a new SL13 service, travelling between Ealing Broadway and Hendon; a new SL14 service, travelling between Stratford bus station and Chingford Hatch; and a new SL15 service travelling between Clapham Junction and Eltham station. Consultations on these proposals are set to begin in autumn 2025. These plans will help to ensure buses continue to play a critical role in a green, healthy, and inclusive future for London, where more trips are made by public transport, walking and cycling, and fewer by private car.
Since the first Superloop was launched in June 2023, figures show the average increase in passengers on all Superloop corridors (including parallel routes) is 11 per cent, which is nine per cent higher than the network average, proving it is already providing customers with quicker journey times to key town centres, hospitals, schools, and transport interchanges, making sustainable bus travel a more popular option for people in outer London.
Mayor of Lewisham, Brenda Dacres, said:
“Lewisham welcomes the launch of the Bakerloop bus and thanks the Mayor and TfL for taking action to address the long-standing transport gap in south east London. But this must be just the beginning. With growing public support, we will continue to press for the Bakerloo Line Upgrade and Extension – a game-changing project that will mean faster journeys and new opportunities for our community as well as thousands of homes, jobs and economic growth unlocked for the UK.”
(Pic: TfL)
