Barely a year after the £6million introduction of the Superloop network, with rebranded express routes mostly around outer London, Mayor Sadiq Khan is considering axing Croydon’s long-standing bus link to Heathrow Airport.
Power outage: the SL7 is London’s longest bus route, and too long for electric vehicles
The SL7 Superloop bus was introduced in 2023, replacing the previous express route, the X26, from West Croydon to Heathrow, via Sutton and Kingston. The SL7 has twice the frequency of the old X26.
The SL7 is currently London’s longest bus route, with journeys supposed to take 1hr 42min, but even with bus priority lanes and a reduced number of stops, can often take longer.
Or, as Transport for London would have it, the SL7 is “susceptible to traffic conditions as it travels through key town centres and shopping hubs in outer London”.
Such a long route is impractical for new, electric-powered buses, as Transport for London is rolling out across all its services. TfL is looking at adjusting the SL7 so that it only goes as far as Sutton, with the SL5 Bromley to Croydon route to be extended to Sutton.
TfL reports state that they want to consult on “reducing the length of the route to improve reliability”. The change would see a single-decker bus operating from Sutton to Heathrow.
Croydon Council has so far been silent on the proposals, which if introduced, would remove a public transport link between Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
At City Hall last month, London Mayor Khan said, “TfL has explored potential route improvements to SL5 and SL7, and continues to analyse customer demand and route performance to establish the potential benefit for communities along these routes.
Superloop 2: leaked TfL plans show the SL5 running from Bromley to Sutton, where the SL7 will stop
“If significant changes are proposed for either route, a public consultation would be undertaken in the usual way.”
Some publicity leaflets were distributed over the summer by TfL, revealing the plans to amend the SL5 and SL7 routes.
But as all public authorities were under a state of “purdah” before the General Election, no consultation could be held at the time.
TfL is expected to roll-out a second phase of Superloop next year, after Mayor Khan promised more outer London bus routes during his election campaign earlier this year.
As Inside Croydon found out two years ago, it is possible to travel from Croydon to Heathrow using Thameslink and Elizabeth line trains in 1hr 15min – almost half-an-hour quicker than taking the bus, although with significantly more expensive fares.
Read more: Not so superloopy about our Superloop route into London
Read more: Lick of paint and a new logo won’t get our axed bus routes back
Read more: All change for Elizabeth Line trains on faster track to Heathrow
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In other words, an electric bus won’t reliably go that far on a single charge.
In other words, there’s too much vehicle traffic on our roads.
In a word, no.
According to US manufacturer, BYD, their batteries can power London’s electric buses for over 24 hours and up to 190 miles of typical urban driving on the service routes with a single daily recharging requiring only four hours.
Shortening the routes to make them suitable for the current generation of electric buses would be a positive move. While this would add a changeover of buses in Sutton it shouldn’t extend journey times significantly. Personally, I have always found the Superloop to be a quick and convenient way to get between Croydon and Sutton and this wouldn’t change.
As the article points out, it is already quicker to travel to Heathrow by train into London and then taking the tube or Elizabeth Line than it is travelling on the Superloop. The issue is the difference in cost.
The Green Party has been pushing for years to remove the zone system in London that punishes people who live in the outer boroughs like Croydon. The cost of housing is forcing more people to move further out from the centre of London and the current system means that people are penalised twice in having longer journeys to get around and having to pay more for doing so. Those who can afford to live in central London also have the option of cycling their shorter journeys and that option isn’t as easy for us who have to travel much further.
So, for me, the changes to Superloop are not the biggest issue. We need to be looking at the fares across the whole of London Transport
I would say that it is not only a question of cost: many users, some less abled, are struggling to the airport with luggage and need to avoid the stress of reaching inconvenient platforms and changing from train to tube.
To me, this is a backward step: the original 726 Green Line offered through links from as far as Gravesend (latterly Bromley) to the airport, and trimming back the route to Sutton substantially reduces connectivity.
It must also be remembered that the SL5 has to be single deck due to restrictions in Monk’s Orchard Road, limiting its capacity and making it already uncomfortably crowded at times.
In my view, the better solution would be to deal with the height restrictions in Monk’s Orchard Road, merge the two routes and delay the introduction of electric buses until the technology is ready.
If electric buses are going to be used on every route then range will be the constricting requirement on all services and a compromise has to be reached on providing a comprehensive service. This seems to be a reasonable proposal.
I would be very disappointed if this change goes ahead. I can walk to West Croydon, and catch the SL7 all the way to Heathrow any time I take a flight. It is a very relaxing way to travel, even if there are faster alternatives.
Getting to Heathrow from Croydon is not easy. My preference is to always fly from Gatwick but this isn’t always possible. Getting to Heathrow with luggage is not practical. The Elizabeth line is only possible if you are not getting an early flight as the first train out doesn’t leave till approx 5:30 am which would be too late if you’re going for an early international flight and arriving 3 hours before. The various networks in London need to communicate together so that getting to termini whether thats Eurostar, Airports or Train is still possible however early. Gatwick at least has trains going every hour from East Croydon through the night which is what the other networks should do. The SL7 although longer journey is the best alternative to getting to Heathrow from Croydon without too much inconvenience. This service should continue and we should do all we can to make this happen.
The new contracts were announced for these two routes last week, from April’ 25 to April ’32.
The Peak Vehicle Requirement for the SL7 is increased from 20 to 21, presumable to add a little more resilience to the timetable, and electric buses will come on stream.
However(!) …. that’s not to say that the contracts may be broken by TfL if significant route changes take place, or that any such possible changes are not built into the new contracts.
A modern electric double-deck bus has a range of around 250 miles between charges. Route SL7, as it currently stands, is c.24 miles long.
There is no reason why a bus can’t ply its trade from the moment it leaves the depot (currently Beddington Lane) in the morning until the moment it returns in the evening. It’s likely (personal opinion) that top-up infrastructure will be put in place at either Heathrow or West Croydon (or both?), such as has been put in place on Crystal Palace Parade recently.
The overhanging trees that prevent double-deck buses from working the SL5 are to be cut back by Bromley Council at the appropriate time I believe (stand to be corrected!).
Thanks, Tony, for such a well-informed, enlightening, reply. It seems that there are no technical objections to the current length of the route, only the reliability concerns. In my view, these were of greater importance when the route was less frequent and users relied more on the timetable.
Making the SL7a single deck bus is not a good idea, that route is packed now and its a double deck. The infrastructure to serve major transport hubs ie airports, should be improved, not take a backward step.
The SL7 is not going to be single-deck, but as earlier written, it will go electric d/decker buses. The SL5 will also be d/deck electric once the trees and road has been sorted.
This would be a huge backward step if this goes ahead.
Croydon does not have a good route to get to Heathrow if you have large bags, have even the most mild of mobility issues or children to worry about, several bus, train, tube connections is not practical. The X26, SL7, has always been a very useful route for people who are not travelling into central London or are travelling to Heathrow airport.
Range should not be an issue on the route, even if it were, rather than split the route for a short term technology problem, which could be lessened by installing charging at the terminus, they could reduce the frequency or invest in an additional bus, or even delay electric buses and keep the hybrid stock, or ICE bus stock which has been touted to be ULEZ compliant.
This seems to also be a cynical ploy to split the routes – which will make it much less convenient – but also increase revenue by charging multiple fares, doubling at least the cost to passengers.
I’d imagine the journey to Heathrow would probably stay the same in terms of the Hopper fare. Not too sure about the journey back though!
Now they have lifts at the Victoria tube station the interchange is a lot easier.
I can’t remember which station we used but at some District Line you only have to cross the platform to use the Piccadilly Line.
Barons Court. Very handy cross platform Change.
While the entire world is moving forward with plans for better infrastructure and connectivity for citizens, London and the UK is going backwards despite highest tax for average earning citizens.
Would like to see bus line from Bromley to Canary whalf. Will be ideal.
I think this is a good idea, particularly adding a stop at the plough in beddington. The current set up with a stop in Wallington followed by a stop in West Croydon is really inconvenient. A stop at the plough will save me about 20 minutes in commuting time each way every day. The length of the current route also causes issues and while it might be inconvenient for some people to take it to Heathrow for the once or twice a year it will be better for those who use the buses day in day out.
As a frequent flyer I love this route . Makes my life so easy with cases – and I have to add the bus is always packed !!!!
I feel safe whatever time I use it .. but yes you do have to give yourself 2 hours if it’s a flight during the day because of traffic . I do t catch it from croydon as I feel too unsafe in west croydon . So I catch it in Wallington ..
In reality I could catch all the super loops from Beckenham all the way to Heathrow .. great service – if it ain’t broke , why try and fix it !
The X26, SL7 is a useful route for travelling to Heathrow especially if doing so with Mild mobility issues and a suitcase. Trying to get to the Jubilee Line using Norwood Junction station (which has no lifts) as a starting point is more than torture.
One journey to Heathrow Central. Why change in Sutton? It would be just as painful for people with mobility issues if taking the train from Norwood Junction to Sutton to join the bus there.
This is no surprise. The X26 bus service was only really useful to get between Kingston and Croydon; no-one without mobility issues would take this bus to get the airport, simply because it took a long, long time. The only feasible solution to better Heathrow connectivity was the Airtrack rail scheme which would have led to services running from Clapham Junction. It didn’t happen because Tory MPs in Egham and Wokingham objected to the increased level crossing wait times for constituents.
Sorry to disagree but you’re wrong. I’m one of many people who take the journey all the way from West Croydon to Heathrow. There may be faster ways but this is the most convenient. I can read a book, listen to a podcast or just sleep. No inconvenient changing part way through my journey.
The 154 can’t even get from Sutton to Croydon at the moment, so this doesn’t surprise me
This is a terrible idea, I do not want to wait/change buses on an outward or returning flight. It’ll remove the ease and simplicity of the SL7 route. Yes it takes forever and a day, I used the route last week, but the ease of getting on it and sitting for 2 hours works well.
I have no mobility issues but shudder at the thought of lugging my suitcase on the train or into central London. If this goes ahead I will not travel from Heathrow.