FAQs

The Superloop is made up of express bus routes some of which join together to circle the entire capital, connecting key outer London town centres, stations and transport hubs. It’s designed to provide quicker journey times with routes stopping less frequently, while serving key places such as town centres, hospitals, schools, and transport interchanges.

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.

Yes, normal bus fares will apply on the Superloop. Freedom and concessionary passes will also be valid, subject to the usual restrictions.

Subject to the outcome of the consultation, buses could potentially start running in autumn 2025.

We are still reviewing what type of bus would run on the proposed Superloop routes included in the expansion as route tests will be required. The type of bus would be confirmed before the route starts running.

We have announced initial plans for three proposed new routes – the Bakerloop, route BL1, SL11 and SL12. We will consult on proposals for routes SL11 and SL12 in spring 2025. 

We are developing proposals for the next phase of the Superloop expansion. This requires further investigation into route planning, feasibility, and infrastructure requirements. We will also work closely with the relevant London boroughs to develop these proposals.  Once we have concluded this work, we will announce next steps for consultation. 

There are no immediate plans to extend the Superloop network beyond outer London.

The proposed bus service would follow the same route as the proposed Bakerloo line extension from Elephant and Castle to Lewisham. The prefix for the route number is derived from the Bakerloo line as the bus route number is inspired by the proposals to extend the tube service.

Buses operating on the proposed Bakerloop service, route BL1, would be branded with unique design features inspired by the Bakerloo line. This would include a white and brown bus wrap with a route map and Bakerloo line moquette on interior seats.  

Buses operating on the proposed routes SL11 and SL12, would be branded with the Superloop Roundel as well as the red and white bus wrap. 

Branding would also be used on bus stop shelters and customer information tools such as TfL Go, Journey Planner, printed maps and timetables. We would also seek to introduce other customer experience enhancements, such as USB chargers.

The final route in the existing Superloop network, route SL4, will begin operating between Canary Wharf and Grove Park on 7 April, the planned opening date for the Silvertown Tunnel.

The necessary tree pruning work on South Eden Park Road, that would allow double decking the service has now between completed. We are planning further route test but expect double deck buses to enter service this year.

We are developing plans to extend the Bakerloo line to improve transport connections in south east London and to enable growth in homes and jobs. An extension of the line to Lewisham via the Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate has been chosen as the best option to achieve those goals.

The Old Kent Road Opportunity Area in the London Borough of Southwark has the potential to deliver at least 20,000 new homes and 10,000 new jobs.

There are two Opportunity Areas in the London Borough of Lewisham:

1. New Cross, Lewisham and Catford
2. Deptford Creek and Greenwich Riverside

These offer the potential for another 27,500 new homes and 6,000 new jobs. 

Some of the benefits these proposals would bring to these areas includes providing a new direct link into central London, with connections to every other Underground line, providing capacity for extra journeys, relieving congestion on roads, while also reducing CO emissions and air pollution, and improving journey times along the extension to central London. 

We consulted on these proposals in 2014, 2017 and autumn 2019. Just under 9,000 people responded to the consultation. Most respondents (89%) made positive or supportive comments about our proposals. There was also support (82%) for a possible further extension to Hayes and Beckenham Junction.

The scope and costs of the Bakerloo line extension are still under development in the project’s feasibility stage. Government contribution will be required to deliver the scheme and its associated benefits. In addition, TfL along with the Greater London Authority, and local boroughs continue to work together to explore local funding sources that could contribute to covering the scheme’s costs.

The start of construction works on the Bakerloo line extension is subject to the provision of planning and adequate funding being available, with construction timescales also subject to further design development. It is currently anticipated that work on an extension could begin in the early 2030s.

Thamesmead and Beckton Riverside sit at the heart of the largest concentration of Opportunity Areas in London. These two areas have the potential to support up to 30,000 homes, subject to the delivery of suitable transport infrastructure and services.

In November 2023, we secured Government funding for a bus transit scheme, which is planned to run from Woolwich to Abbey Wood via Thamesmead. This would use dedicated bus infrastructure, such as bus lanes to provide quicker, more reliable journeys, and an affordable and accessible transport option with frequent connections to the Elizabeth Line and DLR services. It would also support the early phases of development at Thamesmead, ahead of the proposed DLR extension becoming operational. We are developing these proposals further, separate to the proposals for the extension of the DLR from Gallions Reach.

Bus transit schemes use a combination of express bus services with changes to the roads to ensure a quick and reliable service. Such schemes can feature dedicated infrastructure, such as bus lanes as well as traffic light priority at junctions, which helps to protect buses from the effects of traffic congestion. These schemes can also feature enhanced bus stops as well as healthy streets and cycling infrastructure.

We consulted on proposals to extend the DLR to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead in 2024. We received 1,283 responses to the consultation: 1,254 responses from the public and 29 responses from a range of stakeholder groups, including pan-London transport user groups, local businesses, environmental groups, politicians, and adjacent boroughs. We have now published our report on the outcomes of the consultation and the response to issues raised.

Having considered all feedback, we are progressing with work to develop the DLR extension to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead. 

We are now working with our partners to develop the case for the scheme. This work includes developing a funding and financing strategy for the project, which would likely require funding from the private and public sectors. This review will also look at how we can make the project more affordable and delivered more quickly. We will also progress discussions with Government on the potential removal of safeguarding for the Thames Gateway Bridge.

With support from our partners, we will progress the development of an interim Outline Business Case (OBC), with work anticipated to be completed in spring 2025. The OBC will respond to Government feedback to the Strategic Outline Case and form the basis of future development and funding discussions for the scheme.