287 and 687 - proposed changes to routes

Proposals

We are proposing to re-route the 287 and 687 bus routes along Maplestead Road and Goresbrook Road. We want to do this between the Lodge Avenue roundabout and Chequers Lane / Heathway junction. This means the 287 and 687 would no longer serve a section of the A13. Please see map A below for details.

( Map A - Click on map for a larger version)

Route 173 would continue to provide a high frequency bus route on the section of A13 that the 287 and 687 would no longer serve.

The proposal requires changes to be made to local roads to enable the buses to be re-routed. This consultation sets out both the proposed bus changes and highway changes.

About this consultation

This consultation is being carried out by us, Transport for London (TfL), in partnership with the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (LBBD).

• Bus service changes proposed in this consultation are the responsibility of Transport for London
  
  
• Changes to roads and pavements are being proposed by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
  
  

We’re working together to gather your views and make improvements that benefit everyone in the community.

More information on the proposed changes to bus routes 287 and 687

Bus route 287 runs between Barking Station and Rainham, Abbey Wood Lane, with a bus in each direction every 15 minutes Monday-Saturday daytimes, and a bus every 20 minutes on Sundays and in the evenings. Typically the hours of operation of the 287 are from approximately 05:45 to 00:30.

The 687 is a school service running between Barking Station and Dagenham Park School on school days only. It runs eastbound in the morning and westbound in the afternoon.

At present, both routes run along the A13 and the A1306 between Lodge Avenue roundabout and Chequers Lane/Heathway Junction, as does route 173.

Under these proposals, the 287 and 687 would continue to access Lodge Avenue Roundabout from Barking, but would then re-route along Lodge Avenue, turn right onto Maplestead Road, continue along Goresbrook Road and join the A1306 New Road at Chequers Corner eastbound (and vice versa for westbound journeys).

No changes are proposed to the route of the 173 as a result of this scheme.

(Map B - Click on map for a larger version)

(Map C - Click on map for a larger version)

More information on the proposed changes to the road and pavements

To improve the way buses serve Goresbrook Road and the communities that live along and close to it, we would need to make changes to roads in the area. This includes:

• Install a bus gate at the junction of Goresbrook Road and the Heathway at Chequers Corner. This is pedestrianised with no access to vehicles at present. General traffic would not be permitted to use the bus gate: See Highway map 21 and Bus map C for details
  
• Make changes to an emergency services access only barrier in the middle section of the scheme on Maplestead Road to allow buses to run along the road in both directions. A bus gate would be installed here allowing access to buses and the emergency services but not general traffic: See Highway map 3 and Highway map 4 for details
  
• Amend the Maplestead Road/Lodge Ave junction to better facilitate bus movements: See Highway map 1 and Bus map B for details
  
• Install accessible bus stops on Maplestead Road and Goresbrook Road. Indicative locations are shown on the accompanying maps. Final locations will be confirmed once feedback from the consultation has been analysed and incorporated: See Highway maps 1-21 and Bus map A, B and C for details
  
• Make changes to the current car parking provision to accommodate these changes. Around 11 spaces are expected to be impacted: See Highway maps 1-21 for details
  
• Install one way systems on a series of roads that have junctions with Maplestead and Goresbrook Roads – namely Aconbury Road, Canonsleigh Road, Ellerton Road, Flamstead Road, Greenfield Road, Wix Road, Elstow Road, Treswell Road, Rowdowns Road, Coombers Road: See Highway maps 1-21 for more details
  
  

Please note: Because the length of the road under the scope of this scheme is a long distance, we have divided this into sections to help you identify where you need to look. We move from east to west, starting at Lodge Avenue and ending at the Heathway junction at Chequers Corner.

Click on each section below to access detailed information and maps.

Section one – Lodge Avenue to Surmans Close – featuring junction realignment, raised tables, a bus stop, removal of parking, a no-entry point, a one-way system and a ‘bus gate’

Section two – Surmans Close to Gale Street – featuring raised tables, a Zebra crossing, bus stops, removal of parking, no-entry points and one-way systems

Section three – Gale Street to Elstow Road – featuring bus stops, removal and reallocation of parking, raised tables, a no-entry points, one-way systems and a Zebra crossing

Section four - Elstow Road to Rowdens Road – featuring addition and reallocation of parking, a no-entry point, one-way systems and bus stops

Section five - Rowdens Road – Junction of Goresbrook Road and the Heathway at Chequers Corner – featuring a Zebra crossing, one-way systems, no-entry points, raised tables, removal and reallocation of parking, bus stops and a ‘bus gate’

Why?

Providing a good quality public transport experience is a key objective for Transport for London. Bringing the bus closer to where people live encourages more bus travel by making it more accessible and more convenient.

• We want to bring bus routes 287 and 687 closer to where people live in the Becontree Estate, north of the A13. We think this will help to make the bus network more accessible for people
  
• We also think that providing bus stops on Goresbrook Road will make for a more pleasant experience when waiting for a bus compared to the A13. However, we will continue to provide bus access to the A13 through high frequency route 173
  
  
• We also want to help mitigate the impact to local buses from the works to replace Lodge Avenue Flyover (LAF) which will be taking place from late 2025 and is expected to last 18 months. Re-routeing the 287 and 687 away from the A13 works will improve reliability, punctuality and journey times for passengers
  
  
• We expect that many people will benefit from easier access to the 287 and benefit from the opportunity to travel to places such as Barking town centre, Rainham and local schools. We think that those with mobility issues and school children will especially benefit
  
• The bus cannot physically access Maplestead & Goresbrook Road at present. In order to re-route the bus changes to the highway are needed. In making these highway changes, the opportunity has been taken to also improve the road for pedestrians and cyclists as well as bus users. We have tried to minimise negative impacts for example by ensuring rat-running does not occur
  
  
• Other benefits include a more consistent journey time for passengers (because the bus routes will avoid the often queueing traffic on the A13

How it impacts you

There will be some positive impacts from the scheme:

• We have carried out an Equality Impact Assessment for the bus service changes
  
• We expect that for many people, the walk to catch a bus will reduce and become more attractive
  
• There may also be wider benefits to passengers through more consistent journey times and therefore more reliable
  
• Other road users may also benefit from some of the highway interventions
  
  

There will be some negative impacts from the scheme:

• Those travelling to and from areas to the south of the A13 (including Scrattons Farm Estate, the industrial estates and Asda) will be further away from the 287 bus service, although they will remain directly served by the high frequency 173. Some passengers would therefore have to walk further to catch their bus or alternatively need to change buses. Some passengers may stop using the 287 bus route
  
• Some other road users may also be negatively impacted by the highway interventions

More Information

We will be holding two drop-in events:

• Wednesday 18 June at Capita Room - Castle Green, Gale Street, Dagenham, RM9 4UN (16:00 - 20:00)
• Wednesday 25 June at Capita Room - Castle Green, Gale Street, Dagenham, RM9 4UN (16:00 - 20:00)

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.

If you are unable to make this date and time and would like to discuss the proposals further with us, please get in touch and we can respond to your queries directly.

We have also provided more information to help you respond.

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 Sunday 13 July 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 two drop-in events:

• Wednesday 18 June at Capita Room - Castle Green, Gale Street, Dagenham, RM9 4UN (16:00 - 20:00)
• Wednesday 25 June at Capita Room - Castle Green, Gale Street, Dagenham, RM9 4UN (16:00 - 20:00)

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.

If you are unable to make this date and time and would like to discuss the proposals further with us, please get in touch and we can respond to your queries directly.

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 Sunday 13 July 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 287 and 687 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.