New London Superloop bus route to launch

A new Superloop express bus route linking Abbey Wood and North Greenwich will launch on Saturday, with passengers able to travel for free during its first week.

The SL11 service will run as a limited-stop route via Thamesmead and Woolwich to cut journey times and improve connections to the Elizabeth line, DLR and London Underground.

Transport for London (TfL) said pay-as-you-go customers would not be charged on the route between 24 and 30 January, although passengers must still touch in with an Oyster or contactless card.

The SL11 replaces the daytime service on route 472 and will run more frequently, with buses every six minutes during the day on weekdays and Saturdays.

A new night service, N472, will also operate overnight every 30 minutes.

TfL said the route would support regeneration plans in Thamesmead and align with proposals to extend the DLR from Gallions Reach to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead, which received government funding in the Autumn Budget.

The launch follows a public consultation on the SL11 plans, which TfL said showed strong support. More than half of respondents said the new route would be more convenient, while nearly two-thirds believed it would result in quicker journeys.

The SL11 becomes the latest addition to the Superloop network of express bus services around outer London, which TfL says has carried around 60 million passengers since its introduction.

With the new route, the network will cover a total distance of 135 miles (218km).

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said the service would provide faster and more direct connections in an area that has lacked public transport.

"Replacing the 472 with this faster, more direct service will help to support early regeneration plans in Thamesmead and boost transport links in a historically under-served part of London," he said.

TfL's director of buses, Lorna Murphy, said the service would improve links between rail, Tube and bus networks in south-east London and encouraged passengers to take advantage of the free travel offer in its first week.

A spokesperson for London TravelWatch, the statutory transport watchdog for London, described the new SL11 bus route as a "gamechanger" for south London residents who might be "underserved by public transport at present".

They added: "However we are keen that TfL ensures any new routes are not at the detriment of existing routes, and we will continue to lobby for a robust bus service across the capital."

Passengers who previously used stops on route 472 that are not served by the SL11 may need to change buses.

TfL said those stops would continue to be served by other frequent routes, and passengers could use the Hopper fare to make unlimited bus journeys within an hour for £1.75.

Further Superloop routes are also being planned, including proposed services in east, west and south London, with consultations either recently closed or under review.

London TravelWatch added: "The existing Superloop network of buses has been really positive for Londoners, helping to enhance services in areas that most need better local transport services."

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