Sir Sadiq Khan is to launch a “Bakerloop” extension to his growing network of Superloop express buses this autumn, it was confirmed on Monday.
The new route – which will be known as BL1 – will follow the route of the proposed – but unfunded – Bakerloo line Tube extension to Lewisham, though it will start at Waterloo rather than Elephant and Castle.
The mayor made the decision to press ahead with the route after “positive feedback” from Londoners who took part in a consultation.
However respondents made clear their “continued support or preference for the London Underground Bakerloo line to be extended” and for the Bakerloop buses to only be used as a “stop gap”.
Brenda Dacres, the mayor of Lewisham, said: “This must be just the beginning. With growing public support, we will continue to press for the Bakerloo Line upgrade and extension - a game-changing project that will mean faster journeys and new opportunities for our community as well as thousands of homes, jobs and economic growth unlocked for the UK.”
Concerns were also expressed that the buses – which will run along Old Kent Road – are at risk of being delayed due to the level of traffic congestion.
An exact launch date will be announced nearer the time. The buses will run every 12 minutes between Monday and Saturday and every 15 minutes on a Sunday.
However there will be reductions in frequency to route 453, which runs along part of the same route.
The route will also call at Burgess Park (Dunton Road), Old Kent Road (Ilderton Road), New Cross Gate, Lewisham station and town centre.
The aim is to build the economic case for extending the Bakerloo line by helping to boost the number of jobs and homes in this part of south-east London.
There were 1,298 responses to the consultation. Asked how often they would use the Bakerloop, the most common answer – from 37 per cent of respondents – was “a few times each month”.
A total of 23 per cent of respondents said they would use route the Bakerloop “every day” if it were to be introduced, while 59 per cent said they would be more likely to use it than a private car.
However 29 per cent of respondents said the Bakerloop would make no difference to their journeys.
The route will operate between 5am and 12.30am, using double deckers – but these may not be not “zero emission” electric buses at the outset.
Asked about pollution, TfL said: “While we anticipate the BL1 will operate with electric vehicles, it may not be possible at the time of its launch.
“If this is the case, we will continue to keep bus fleet, power and infrastructure availability under review and introduce an electric fleet as soon as practical.”
The Superloop network was first launched by the mayor in the summer of 2023 as a “trade off” to suburban Londoners forced from their cars by the Londonwide expansion of the Ulez ultra-low emission zone.
The last of the 10 core routes, the SL4, started running in April with the opening of the Silvertown tunnel.
TfL has now revealed plans for three further Superloop routes.
Subject to consultation, these will be a SL13 service between Ealing Broadway and Hendon, a SL14 between Stratford bus station and Chingford Hatch, and a SL15 between Clapham Junction and Eltham station.
Consultations on these proposals are set to begin in autumn 2025.
Two other Superloop routes are already in the works- the SL11, which would run between Abbey Wood and North Greenwich, and the SL12, which would run between Rainham, Ferry Lane and Gants Hill.
TfL is working with Lewisham and Southwark councils to develop plans for the Bakerloo line extension, including tunnel design, station designs and plans for a possible extension beyond Lewisham.
The Bakerloop will be part-funded by Southwark through Section 106 funding from development in the borough.
Geoff Hobbs, TfL’s Director of public transport service planning, said: “We know from the success of the Superloop that express bus services are providing a hugely valuable way for Londoners to travel and from the feedback we received, we expect some passengers currently using other bus routes will take their journeys on the BL1 instead.”
