‘Superloop’ bus service to link London’s outer suburbs

A new network of express buses that connect London’s suburbs has been announced by the city’s Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Six new routes will be created and four existing routes incorporated into the ‘Superloop’ network to link more stops in the peripheral boroughs.

It is part of a £6 million (US$7.4 million) investment by the Mayor in outer London bus services alongside the expansion of the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to the Greater London boundary.

“When I made the tough decision to expand the ULEZ London-wide, one of my key commitments was to improve transport links in outer London,” said Mayor Khan.

“Today I am delivering on that commitment as we announce the Superloop, the game-changing new network of express buses that will add over four million additional kilometres to our bus network in outer London, linking stations, town centres, hospitals and transport hubs.

“These new routes will make it much easier for Londoners to get around the capital, and help build a better, greener London for everyone.”

The proposed new routes could add over 4 million kilometres on to London’s bus network, according to the operator, but it has not been confirmed if all the new services will be in place by the time the ULEZ is due to expand on August 29.

“The Superloop complements a million additional bus kilometres committed by the mayor in the capital’s outer ring and includes improvements from Sutton in the south to Brent Cross in the north, as well as transformational changes to London’s rail network outside the centre of the city,” said Alex Williams, Chief Customer and Strategy Officer at Transport for London.

How it will work

The Superloop will be introduced in stages and would consist of a network of express limited-stop routes, including brand new and existing bus routes.

A new limited stop route is proposed to run between North Finchley and Harrow, with further routes to be developed between Walthamstow and North Finchley and between Royal Docks and Walthamstow.

There could also be links between Bromley and Bexleyheath and Croydon and Bromley, with all routes subject to further development and consultation.

Michael Roberts, Chief Executive of London TravelWatch, said: “We welcome the introduction of new bus services that go around London rather than just into the centre.

“We’ve been calling for more orbital routes for some time as we know that many people value being able to travel across boroughs where they can connect to local transport interchanges.

“These new bus routes should make it easier for people in outer London boroughs to get around for work, healthcare appointments, schools and shopping trips. We need these extra services to be in place as soon as possible – to coincide with any ULEZ expansion later this year.”

While the plan has been largely welcomed, not everyone is convinced.

London Assembly Member Nick Rogers called the proposed superloop a “superflop”, consisting of a “repackaging of existing routes and vague promises that will not be delivered before his ULEZ expansion hits Londoners”.

Image: TfL