Barnes bus services – Proposed changes

Proposals

We are proposing to extend route 209, which would then take over the majority of route 533, which would no longer run. The extended 209 would maintain a direct bus service to Hammersmith. We are also proposing changes to routes 378 and 485. All other bus routes in the Barnes area remained unchanged as part of these proposals.

You can view detailed maps of the current and proposed bus routes and you can read about the proposed changes below.

(Click on map for a larger version)

Route 209

Route 209 currently runs between Castelnau, Lonsdale Road and Mortlake, Avondale Road. It runs every 30 minutes (two buses per hour). If our proposals were to go ahead it would run between Hammersmith and Barnes Pond via Chiswick Bridge, Lonsdale Road and Castelnau, replacing the majority of route 533, particularly around the Castelnau area. The route would operate at the current frequency of route 533, with a bus every 15 minutes (four buses per hour), except during Monday – Friday peaks when it would run about every 17 minutes.

(Click on map for a larger version)

Route 378

Route 378 currently runs between Mortlake, Avondale Road, and Putney Bridge. If our proposals were to go ahead, this would continue but the 378 would also run to the World Wildlife Trust London Wetlands Centre. It would continue to run every 15 minutes (four buses an hour) except during Sunday mornings when it runs every 20 minutes.

We are considering potential changes to bus stopping arrangements for route 378 at Putney Bridge.

(Click on map for a larger version)

Route 485

Route 485 currently runs between Castelnau, Lonsdale Road, and Wandsworth, Mapleton Road. If our proposals were to go ahead, the route would serve Barnes High Street, The Terrace, Mortlake High Street and terminate at Mortlake, Avondale Road. Church Road and Castelnau would no longer be served by the 485. The route would continue to run every 30 minutes (two buses an hour).

(Click on map for a larger version)

These proposals are separate from our previous consultation about route 419. We published our consultation report for this scheme in August 2025. London Borough of Richmond are continuing to work on finalising options for bus stops on the 419.

Why?

Following the closure of Hammersmith Bridge to motor traffic in 2019, we made some temporary changes to the bus network in the area to maintain step free access between Hammersmith bus station and the Barnes area - this would continue to be maintained by route 209 if our proposals go ahead. These changes included running route 533 as a new temporary route.

As it is unlikely that the bridge will reopen in the near future, we want to formalise arrangements for the bus network in the Barnes area, to provide customers and residents with greater certainty about the services they use.

We keep bus usage under review and we believe our proposals will continue to ensure that the majority of customers in the Barnes area will continue to be able to use the bus to reach where they need to go and that the proposed services match demand appropriately.

In addition, we have also been working with colleagues at Richmond council to address concerns raised by residents in the Castelnau area about high numbers of buses using some residential roads. These proposals also seek to improve this situation.

How it may affect you

Positive Impacts

We intend that our proposals will improve the reliability and efficiency of the bus network in the Barnes area. We believe our proposals will have the following positive impacts:

• The proposals will increase access to the Wetlands Centre by increasing the numbers of buses calling there from two buses per hour to four buses per hour. The Wetlands Centre would also have a direct link to the London Underground network at Putney Bridge station
  
  

  

• Customers travelling between Lower Richmond Road and the Wetlands Centre would experience faster journey times
  
  
• New links would be provided by route 485 between the area east of Putney and the area west of Station Road
  
  
• Route 209 would operate anti-clockwise towards Hammersmith along Church Road, Castelnau and Lonsdale Road, which route 533 does not currently do
• In response to local concerns, these proposals reduce the number of buses running on Howsman and Kilmington Roads from 11 buses per hour to seven buses per hour

Negative Impacts

In terms of negative impacts, we recognise that some customers will need to change buses in some cases to complete their journey and this may cause some concern.

You can find out more about how your journey may change if our proposals go ahead.

To reduce the impact of the need to change buses we would:

• Ensure that people who need to change buses can do a same stop change wherever possible
  
  
• Investigate installing bus countdown technology at key bus stops
• Promote the ‘Hopper’ fare which ensures that customers changing buses within an hour to complete their journey will only pay one fare

We have also identified the following impacts which may be considered negative:

• Passengers travelling on route 209 between Mortlake and Castelnau would notice increased journey times (of around five minutes) as the route would travel along Lonsdale Road and Castelnau, instead of Barnes High Street and Church Road
  
  

  

• Route 485 currently serves the London Wetlands Centre between 09:30 and 16:00 during the winter and between 09:30 and 17:00 in the summer. We are proposing that route 378 serves the Wetlands Centre instead of the 485 during the same hours and so customers on the 378 would notice an increase in journey times (of around three minutes) during these hours
  
• People would need to walk between the following locations, or change buses, as the current through bus links would no longer operate:
  
  
  • Church Road and Station Road/Mill Hill Road - This walk could take approximately 10 minutes and may vary depending where on the street passengers start or finish their journey
    
    
  • Queen Elizabeth Walk/The Wetlands Centre and Castelnau - This walk could take approximately 10 minutes and may vary depending where on the street passengers start or finish their journey
    
    

• There would be a total frequency reduction of 4 buses per hour on the following roads:
  
  
  • Barnes High Street
  • Church Road
  • Castelnau
  • Lonsdale Road between the junctions with Verdun Road and Castelnau
  • Kilmington Road, Howsman Road and Verdun Road

We have prepared an Equalities Impact Assessment for these proposals.

If you have concerns about the proposals and how they might impact on you, please click on the ‘Tell us your views’ tab to have your say.

More Information

We will be holding three drop-in events:

• Tuesday 30 September, 16:00 - 19:00, Rose House (Barnes Community Association), 70 Barnes High Street, SW13 9LD
• Tuesday 7 October, 14:00 - 19:00, St Mary the Virgin Church, Mortlake High Street SW14 8JA
• Saturday 11 October, 11:00 - 14:00, Main Hall, Barnes Methodist Church, Station Road, Barnes, SW13 0NH

This will give you an opportunity to get further information about the proposals and provide your thoughts and feedback, to allow us to consider your views.

You can click on Questions button above for more ways to get in touch and ask us a question.

We have also provided more information to help you respond and a set of Frequently Asked Questions:

Accessible Information

We want to make sure everyone is able to take part in our consultations. To help make it accessible to everyone we have provided:

Tell us your views

You can reply by completing our survey, which should take no more than 10 minutes to complete or if you are short on time, you can submit a quick response.

The closing date for comments is Wednesday 22 October 2025.

Questions?

You can use our question tool during the consultation period. We will respond your questions as soon as we can.

Or you can ask your question in person at our three drop-in events:

• Tuesday 30 September, 16:00 - 19:00, Rose House (Barnes Community Association), 70 Barnes High Street, SW13 9LD
• Tuesday 7 October, 14:00 - 19:00, St Mary the Virgin Church, Mortlake High Street SW14 8JA
• Saturday 11 October, 11:00 - 14:00, Main Hall, Barnes Methodist Church, Station Road, Barnes, SW13 0NH

This will give you an opportunity to get further information about the proposals and provide your thoughts and feedback, to allow us to consider your views.

You can also contact us by email, via our telephone call back service (020 3054 6037) or in writing (FREEPOST TFL HAVE YOUR SAY).

Next steps

These proposals are subject to the outcome of our consultation. Once consultation ends on Wednesday 22 October 2025, we will spend time considering all the responses we receive and will prepare a consultation report.

The consultation report will help us reach a decision about how bus routes may change.

A copy of the report will be available to everyone that takes part in the consultation and a copy will be published on our website.