FAQs
- Buses every 12 minutes Monday to Saturday, and
- Buses every 15 minutes on evenings and Sundays
- It would be timetabled to run at similar times as a regular day service would
Why have you chosen these limited stops for the proposed SL2?
These new express routes are designed to minimise journey times by stopping less, while maximising access to the route by serving interchanges with other bus and rail routes, and key attractors such as town centres.
We think the stops proposed for the SL2 would give people more transport options to move between key locations in Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking & Dagenham and Newham. It connects town centres, schools and transport hubs with a quicker bus service than existing routes, and would encourage more sustainable journeys in outer London. The stops proposed would also provide extra capacity.
We think we are proposing the right stops where there is the most demand for more transport options, however we want your feedback on whether these are the right places for a new express route.
Will my journey be quicker?
We have designed our proposals to provide quicker journey times by stopping less frequently.
How often would the SL2 run?
The SL2 would run with:
What will happen to the existing 123-bus routes?
We are not proposing any changes to the frequency of the 123 bus route.
When could the SL2 be running?
Our aim is that the SL2 could be operating by Spring 2024. This is dependent on the outcome of this consultation, and further feasibility and commercial terms.
What type of bus route run on the route?
We are still reviewing what type of bus would run on the proposed Superloop routes, as this can depend on any restrictions on roads, for example bridges or low tree branches. The type of bus would be confirmed before the route starts running.
What is Superloop?
We are proposing to introduce the Superloop, which would be made up of express bus routes that circle the entire capital, connecting key outer London town centres, stations and transport hubs.
The Superloop would be designed to provide quicker journey times with routes stopping less frequently, while serving key places such as town centres, hospitals, schools and transport interchanges.
What is an express bus service?
Express bus services in London are generally routes that skip stops to speed up passenger journey times. The express bus services we operate generally stop as little as possible while maximising connectivity when they do by serving the busiest bus stops along the route such as town centres, and interchanges with other bus routes and rail lines.
Will the Superloop cost the same as regular buses and will they be included in the Hopper fare and can Freedom Passes/concessionary passes be used?
Yes, normal bus fares will apply on the Superloop. Freedom and concessionary passes will also be valid, subject to the usual restrictions.
What are these new bus routes and which parts of London would they serve?
The Mayor has asked us to propose a system of express bus routes that would create an orbital link across outer London, known as the Superloop. The network is currently in development, but routes could serve Barnet, Barking & Dagenham, Bexley, Bromley, Brent, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Hammersmith & Fulham, Hillingdon, Greenwich, Kensington & Chelsea (100 metres to nearest Superloop route SL8) Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Richmond, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest and Westminster. Route SL7, which links Heathrow and West Croydon, also operates through North Cheam and Worcester Park with bus stops that are a short distance from the London Borough of Merton. While route X26 does not stop in the London Borough of Hounslow, it does stop at Hatton Cross station which is 100 metres from the borough boundary.
Route SL4 will also form part of the Superloop and will start operating in 2025 when the Silvertown Tunnel opens. Route X239 will run between Canary Wharf and Grove Park via Blackheath and Lee, running non-stop between Leamouth and Sun in the Sands (Greenwich).
