Transport for London has today confirmed the introduction from the autumn of a new “Bakerloop” express bus route between Waterloo and Lewisham, via the Elephant and Castle and the Old Kent Road, as the latest addition to the Superloop routes to improve transport links across south London.
Tube replacement service: the BL1 will provide an express bus service along much of the proposed Bakerloo line extension
The bus route is TfL’s stop-gap as it awaits government funding towards an extension of the Bakerloo Tube line – a decision on which might come in Wednesday’s Spending Review, although the chances are that the Bakerloop bus could be here to stay for many years yet.
TfL makes no secret of its use of the bus route to show the need for a Tube extension: “The bus route will demonstrate the opportunities presented by the Bakerloo line extension to better connect people in south-east London,” they said.
“TfL continues to develop plans for the Bakerloo line extension, including tunnel design, station designs and plans for a possible extension beyond Lewisham,” TfL said, referring to the possible adoption of existing rail lines from Lewisham on to Beckenham Junction.
If that extension extension were to happen, it would provide a link to the Croydon Tramlink network – meaning the trams would link to the Tube in the west, at Wimbledon, and at its the most eastern station.
“The Mayor of London and TfL continue to discuss with the government how the extension could be funded,” TfL said this morning.
“The extension from Elephant and Castle to Lewisham would not only upgrade the existing line and connect a historically under-served part of London to the Tube network but would also unlock thousands of new homes and support new jobs and economic growth.”
Surveys and consultations have shown that 76% of Londoners and 89% of businesses in the capital support the plans to upgrade and extend the Bakerloo Line.
In the meantime, there’s to be a Tube replacement service, the Bakerloop.
The Superloop routes have been generally welcomed since their introduction in 2023, a 120-mile network of express bus services, including three serving Croydon.
“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,” the transport authority said today.
Two other express routes are already proposed, following a recent consultation. The SL11 between Abbey Wood and North Greenwich, and the SL12, which would run between Rainham, Ferry Lane and Gants Hill. The two proposed routes would enable interchange with existing Superloop routes, with the SL11 connecting to the SL3 at Abbey Wood and Thamesmead, and the SL12 allowing easy interchange with SL2 at Gants Hill.
Subject to consultation, the next phase of the expansion would include a SL13 service between Ealing Broadway and Hendon; a SL14 service, travelling between Stratford bus station and Chingford Hatch; and a SL15 service travelling between Clapham Junction and Eltham station. Consultations on these proposals are to begin later this year.
“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,” TfL said.
The Bakerloop bus – given route number BL1 – will run every 12 minutes during Monday to Saturday daytimes and every 15 minutes during Sundays, evenings and early mornings, increasing capacity along the whole route. But there will be implications for existing bus routes.
The 453 will operate at a reduced frequency during Monday to Saturday daytimes and increasing Sunday early morning frequency.
TfL says that there are several other routes along the BL1 “corridor” providing additional frequency, claiming that there will be a net increase in bus capacity overall from 58 to 60 buses per hour at the busiest times on the Old Kent Road.
TfL is claiming a 11% increase “in passengers on all Superloop corridors (including parallel routes)”, a marked improvement on other parts of the bus network, “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”.
Read more: SuperLoop route to Heathrow will continue to serve Croydon
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
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I dunno man, Lewisham, Old Kent Road, New Cross Gate, all shit areas that won’t get any better just because of yet another bloody bus route. We’re not talking Newham levels of “London’t toilet” but not far off.