SL11 - Proposed express bus service between North Greenwich and Abbey Wood

Proposals

The SL11 would operate as an express bus service with limited stops between North Greenwich and Abbey Wood, via Woolwich and Thamesmead, reducing journey times and providing quicker connections between the Elizabeth line, DLR, London Underground, National Rail and other Superloop services.

The SL11 would follow the same line of route as the 472 does now except for Woolwich town centre where its route would be more direct.

Click on map for larger version

As part of the Superloop family, the SL11 service would be frequent, simple, inclusive, and reliable. Subject to the outcome of consultation, we would like the SL11 to operate using double deck buses with the usual Superloop accessibility features and on-board facilities such as USB charging points and travel information.

The following map shows proposed route SL11 and how this would fit into an expanded Superloop network.

Click on map for larger version

More about the SL11

As the SL11 would be a limited-stop service, some bus stops on current route 472 would not be served. These bus stops would continue to be served by other local bus routes already operating a high frequency service, including routes 161, 177, 180, 244, 301 and 380.

The SL11 is not proposed to operate through the night.

Between approximately 00:00 and 05:00, a standard night bus service would operate, which would be numbered N472. The N472 would continue to serve all existing stops on the current route 472, including in Woolwich town centre.

Times shown are indicative for consultation purposes. Timetables would only be developed following consultation, and once a decision as to how to proceed is made.

Woolwich town centre

The following map focuses on route SL11 in Woolwich town centre. We propose to simplify the route through the town centre, via Beresford Street in both directions. The SL11 would stop at Woolwich Station (Stops K and D). This allows for a more direct eastbound routeing, towards Abbey Wood, further reducing journey times.

Click on map for larger version

In Woolwich town centre, eastbound towards Abbey Wood, the SL11 would serve bus stop K, Woolwich Station.

It would not serve the following bus stops:

• Bus stop Y for John Wilson Street/Powis Street
• Bus stop T for Thomas Street/Green Ends
• Bus stop N for Woolwich Arsenal Station

In Woolwich town centre westbound towards North Greenwich, the SL11 would serve bus stop D, Woolwich Station.

It would not serve the following bus stops:

• Bus stop U for Beresford Square/Woolwich Arsenal station
• Bus stop A for Woolwich Ferry
  
  

Proposed routeing and bus stops in more detail

The SL11 express service would run:

• Seven days a week
• Operating between approximately 05:00 and 00:30
• Every 8 minutes during Monday to Saturday daytimes and every 10 minutes on Monday to Saturday evenings
• Every 12 minutes during Sundays

At night, the N472 stopping service would run:

• Seven days week
• Operating between approximately 00:00 and 05:00
• Every 30 minutes, Monday to Sunday

The frequencies are indicative and set out the minimum frequency at which we expect the SL11 to operate. Subject to the outcome of consultation, the indicated frequencies may change.

Timings are approximate. Timetables would only be developed following consultation, and once a decision as to how to proceed is made.

The following maps show current route 472 and proposed bus stops on route SL11 eastbound and westbound:

Click on map for larger image

The SL11 route aims to create direct journey links between North Greenwich, Woolwich, Thamesmead, and Abbey Wood. This would improve journey times and provide quicker outer London connections between Elizabeth line, DLR, London Underground, National Rail and other Superloop services.

The SL11 would connect with Superloop route SL3 at Abbey Wood and at Thamesmead for onward journeys between Bexleyheath, Sidcup, Bickley, and Bromley. We selected bus stop locations with this in mind.

However, we would like your feedback on whether these are the right places and bus stops for the new route.

Please visit the ‘tell us your views’ tab to take part in the consultation survey .

How it impacts you

We have completed an initial Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA). We recognise these proposals may have positive and negative impacts and have summarised these below.

However, we also want to hear how you think the proposals may impact you, positively or negatively. Please visit the ‘tell us your views’ tab to take part in the consultation survey.

Our initial EqIA identifies in more detail:

• The affects these proposals could have on people
• How we propose to minimise any negative impacts

We use the EqIA to help us decide if, and how, we should proceed with these proposals.

After we’ve considered all comments, the EqIA will be reviewed and updated.

Positives

We believe the introduction of the SL11 could benefit most existing passengers who use the bus network in this area; including older people, disabled people, and people on low incomes. We consider the SL11 would:

• Provide quicker connections between key locations at North Greenwich, Charlton, Woolwich, Thamesmead, and Abbey Wood and beyond towards Bromley via route SL3
• Enable lower cost travel options. When changing bus, our ‘Hopper’ bus fare would enable passengers to make a second bus journey within 60 minutes of boarding the first, at no additional cost
• Encourage more sustainable journeys in outer south-east London
  
  

How your journey may change

The SL11 would not serve all bus stops on route 472. As a result, passengers currently using the 472 may need to switch to other high frequency parallel bus routes or change bus, to complete their journey.

Our EqIA document shows that:

• Around 31% of current route 472 passengers would benefit from quicker journey times as their journey would be the same on route SL11 with no change to the bus stops they use now
  
  
• Around 60% of current route 472 passengers would be able to use a different, parallel route with no need to change bus to make their journey if they did not want to change which stop they board or alight at currently. However, the majority of these passengers would still be within a 400 metre walk or wheel to a proposed SL11 stop and would benefit from quicker journey times
  
  
• Around 7% of current route 472 passengers would need to change buses to complete their journey if they did not want to change which stop they board or alight at currently. However, the majority of these passengers would still be within a 400 metre walk or wheel to a proposed SL11 stop and would be able to complete their trip with one bus

Around 2% of current route 472 passengers would not be within a walkable / wheelable distance to a proposed SL11 stop and would need to change bus to complete their trip would have to walk or wheel for more than 400 metres to access parallel routes or the SL11.

Potential concerns

The following concerns may arise for passengers that need to change bus for local journeys. This may affect older, younger, and disabled people and passengers with luggage, young children, and buggies:

• A longer overall journey time due to the need to change bus
• Concern about the interchange environment (for example, lack of seating and shelter while waiting for the next bus)
• Concern about crowding when joining the bus (for example, less space or less chance of a seat being available)
• Concern at having to change bus at night, in hours of darkness
• Concern journeys would become more expensive if using more than one bus

To help mitigate against these concerns:

• Where passengers may require a change of bus, interchange on to all parallel routes would be possible through same stop interchange at Woolwich Station

• As mentioned above, when changing bus, our ‘Hopper’ bus fare would enable passengers to make a second bus journey within 60 minutes of boarding the first, at no additional cost
  
  
• All our Superloop proposals are designed to provide quicker journey times with routes stopping less frequently, while serving key places such as town centres, hospitals, schools, and transport interchanges

• When planning for Superloop services, our approach is designed to serve the busiest bus stops, ensuring access to bus services is maintained for large numbers of existing passengers
  
  
• Where passengers are transferring to alternative routes, we believe there is sufficient capacity to accommodate them. We keep this under continuous review
  
  

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Background

The Superloop launched in 2023. It is helping to make buses a more popular option for more people. There are currently nine routes in service, with the SL4 between Canary Wharf - Grove Park planned to start service once the Silvertown Tunnel opens on 7 April 2025.

The Superloop is a key part of the Mayor of London and TfL’s commitment to improve the bus network in outer London. We are keen to build on its success by connecting more parts of London.

This would enable even more people to benefit from improved public transport connections and journey times

Visit the Superloop expansion web page for further details about how the Superloop may expand, including future consultation dates and latest news.

Buses in London

London’s bus network is our most affordable, accessible, and available form of public transport and offers the main sustainable alternative to cars for those journeys that cannot easily be walked or cycled. It is also London’s most flexible mode of public transport.

We continuously review and adapt the bus network to reflect changing customer needs. This includes proposing changes to existing bus routes, so services operate in areas where our customers need them most. This includes areas such as Greenwich and the Thamesmead development area where new and existing homes and amenities are creating more demand for public transport as a genuine and affordable alternative to private car use.

Read more about how we are increasing the number of bus journeys by making bus travel better, faster, and greener in our Bus action plan.

Thamesmead bus transit scheme

Regeneration plans for Thamesmead rely on new public transport to better connect the area to the rest of London and help unlock the maximum opportunity for new homes.

The Government announced funding in the 2023 Autumn Statement for a bus transit scheme in Thamesmead to support this regeneration, subject to business case approval. We have supported Homes England in preparing the business case and expect to receive the funding this spring. Bus transit schemes use a combination of express bus services with changes to the roads to ensure a quick and reliable service.

Our proposals for the SL11 would support the early stages of development in Thamesmead and proposals to extend the DLR. We are also working with local authorities to develop plans for highway and bus infrastructure. Subject to funding, these plans would be shared for public consultation at a later date.

Read more about our plans to support new jobs and homes in Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead.

More Information

We have 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 April 2025.

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Questions?

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

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 April 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 whether to renumber route 472 to new Superloop route SL11 and if so, where bus stops may be placed.

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

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