Work will transform the bus station, making it much easier to use and strengthening Kingston’s public transport network
Work will begin on 28 August and complete in summer 2024
Buses will not stop in the bus station while work is carried out and TfL is advising customers to plan ahead
Transport for London (TfL) will soon start redevelopment work to provide a state-of-the-art bus station in Kingston that will make journeys by bus in the area much easier and more attractive.
Buses are the most affordable, accessible and available form of public transport in London, and are the main sustainable alternative to cars for journeys that can’t easily be walked or cycled. Work on the bus station will begin on 28 August and continue until summer 2024.
The project will see the construction of new, energy-efficient bus station buildings. A new canopy will provide protection against the weather across the station’s entire waiting area and includes a green canopy edge.
Other features of the new bus station will make it much easier to travel by bus, with new amenities such as improved real time travel information screens, fully accessible customer toilets, improved LED lighting and CCTV, a new PA system and new retail units.
The development will also include a wider passenger island with more space for customers waiting for buses and moving around the bus station, as well as resurfaced pavements and improved drainage, including a sustainable urban drainage system. The changes are part of TfL’s wider plans to make London’s bus network even better, improving the customer experience throughout each journey and enabling more people to use sustainable modes of transport. Superloop service SL7 will serve the new bus station when work is complete.
While construction is carried out, buses will not stop in the bus station and some buses which normally stop at the bus station or just outside on Cromwell Road will stop at new temporary stops a short walk away along Cromwell Road, while other services will be diverted as close to their original route as possible. Stops A1 to A16, and Z1 will be closed for the duration of the works. Stop R on Wood Street will also be closed. Two new temporary bus stops with shelters will be located to the east of the bus station on Cromwell Road and the bus lane will be extended to minimise impacts to bus journey times.
TfL is advising customers to plan ahead and detailed travel advice is available at tfl.gov.uk/kingston-cromwell-road-bus-station
Louise Cheeseman, TfL’s Director of Buses, said: “We’re determined to make it even easier to use public transport in the capital and our work to transform Cromwell Road bus station is a key part of our plans to strengthen the network in Kingston. The new state-of-the-art bus station will be a significant improvement on the existing station and I’d like to thank people in the area for their patience as work is carried out. I’d encourage people using buses in the area to plan ahead and allow extra time for their journeys.”
Cllr Manders, Portfolio Holder for Climate action and Sustainable Transport at Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames said: “As the local train lines were designed just to travel to central London and back, buses are the only public transport system in the borough which really serves the locality.
“Cromwell Road bus station is essential for many residents to access the business, education, shopping and culture activities in Central Kingston. It is also an important interchange for many radial bus services and the nearby train station.
“Kingston Council welcomes the investment in new facilities to improve passengers’ experience and accessibility and we appreciate that this will cause disruption to our residents in what is a very busy part of the road network.
“To that end we will work closely with TfL to ensure that the disruption is minimised and completion is done in a timely manner.”
More than 95 per cent of Londoners live within 400 metres of a bus stop, and the Mayor’s Hopper fares offers unlimited journeys within an hour for just £1.75.
The Mayor of London and TfL are committed to enhancing the bus network and supporting more Londoners to travel more sustainably. This is why the Mayor announced plans for the Superloop, a major expansion of outer London’s network circling London, connecting town centres including Kingston, hospitals, schools and transport hubs in March. Supported by funding provided by the Mayor, the Superloop is a key part of his commitment to improving the bus network in outer London and could add more than four million additional bus kilometres per year to London’s bus network. This is in order to strengthen and improve public transport options to maximise the benefits of the London-wide ULEZ expansion.
This is complemented by wider plans to enhance the bus network across London. TfL have consulted on plans to add over 400,000 bus kilometres to the network in Brent, Harrow and Havering, and a consultation is also open on extensions and changes to the route 281 and 309.
