FAQs

The proposed new Superloop services are expected to add over 4 million annual bus operated kilometres. This means the annual number of kilometres buses would run on the proposed new routes. These proposals are subject to consultation, commercial negotiation and other feasibility work still to be undertaken. No final decision on these proposed routes can be taken until those processes are complete and we will announce the outcomes of these when we are able to do so. 

Our initial estimates of additional annual bus operated kilometres are as follows:

• Route SL1 - North Finchley to Walthamstow - 700,000 kilometres per annum
• Route SL2 - Walthamstow Central to North Woolwich - 1,300,000 kilometres per annum
• Route SL3 - Bromley to Thamesmead - 1,450,000 kilometres per annum
• Route SL5 - Croydon to Bromley - 810,000 kilometres per annum
• Route SL10 - Harrow to North Finchley – 480,000 kilometres per annum

= 4,740,000 kilometres per annum in total.

 There are also plans to increase frequencies on two existing Superloop routes with increases in km as follows:

• Route SL8 (previously route 607) - Uxbridge to White City, (some increases in operating hours) – 355,000 kilometres per annum
• Route X26 (becomes route SL7 summer 2023) - West Croydon to Heathrow Airport - (increase to 4 buses per hour) – 1,100,000 kilometres per annum

These changes are subject to ongoing commercial negotiation and other assessment. 

When the Silvertown Tunnels opens in 2025, route SL4 - Canary Wharf to Grove Park (previously route X239) will add more kilometres to the Superloop total.

• Route SL1 - North Finchley to Walthamstow
• Route SL2 - Walthamstow Central to North Woolwich
• Route SL3 - Thamesmead to Bromley
• Route SL4 - Canary Wharf to Grove Park
• Route SL5 - Bromley to Croydon
• Route SL6 - Russell Square to West Croydon 
• Route SL7 - Croydon to Heathrow Airport
• Route SL8 - Uxbridge to White City
• Route SL9 - Heathrow Airport to Harrow
• Route SL10 - Harrow to North Finchley

For further information about  the proposed Superloop, please visit: tfl.gov.uk/superloop. 

We are introducing a range of other improvements as part of our Bus Action Plan to make bus travel in London better and faster. The Plan aims to increase the number of customers choosing to travel by bus across London. This will involve creating a service that supports independent and spontaneous travel with improved customer information. Those using the bus across London will see faster journeys, with an additional 25km of new bus lanes by 2025 and journey times improved by 10 per cent by 2030. 

The Plan also includes a range of customer improvements including the roll out of over 300 additional Countdown signs at bus stops distributed across all boroughs, boosting the total in the capital by 12 per cent, installation of hundreds of new or upgraded shelters and work to support our plans to make the whole London bus fleet zero emission capable, fleet from 2034 to 2030, subject to additional Government funding.

We are also looking for further bus priority opportunities in partnership with boroughs, including in boroughs proposed to be served by the Superloop. There will be improved connections with better interchanges in outer London, without compromising Londoners' proximity to a bus stop.

We are planning to expand bus services in outer London to support growth, strengthen alternatives to private cars and maximise the benefits of expanding the ULEZ. 

We have recently launched the following four consultations, which include extensions of routes to key growth areas or town centres as well as more direct and frequent services and add over 400,000 km to our network: 

• Brent Cross buses - proposed changes to routes 102, 189, 210, 232, 266, 316, 326 and C11 
• Alperton and Stonebridge Park - proposed changes to bus routes 79 and 83
• Harold Wood and Upminster - proposed changes to bus routes 346, 347 and 497  
•  Route 315 extension to Springfield Hospital 

Buses are planned to serve large developments once necessary infrastructure is in place at places such as Barnet (Brent Cross), Ealing (Alperton), Harrow (Eastman Village) and Haringey (Heartlands). These changes are still under development and subject to consultation, when more details would be published about specific route changes.

The Mayor and TfL is committed to improving the public transport offer in outer London and will continue to do so up to and after the London-wide ULEZ scheme comes into operation this August.

The Elizabeth Line is clearly a tremendous success and connects outer London areas east and west to the centre of London. The final stage of the delivery of the Elizabeth line will happen on 21 May – transforming journeys from Essex, Berkshire and outer London with key hotspots including to Heathrow airport and Canary Wharf. 

We are also investing in upgrading Tube services through the Four Lines Modernisation programme which is improving the reliability of the District, Circle, Metropolitan and Hammersmith & City lines. 

We are also making improvements to the Central line, to improve performance and reliability of all 85 trains on this line. Planned enhancements to the London Overground with new rolling stock, and the DLR with new trains, will deliver additional benefits to outer London.

We are also investing in active travel improvements in outer London, including Cycleway 1 between Enfield and Haringey, C42 between Ilford and Barking Riverside and C49 between Acton and Chiswick – all of which will be delivered by the end of August.

 We are also investing in bus lanes and bus priority measures. More than £35m has been allocated to outer London boroughs to make streets healthier and safer for all as part of TfL’s Local Implementation Plan funding. The whole programme will see 29km of bus lane schemes and is providing £10.6m to London boroughs to deliver bus journey time improvements.  

For further information about improvements to public transport and active travel, please visit: https://tfl.gov.uk/outer-london.