New Orbital Bus Express Bus Service Proposed for London

Local councillors unhappy Superloop not serving stops in Hounslow Borough

New bus service would have a distinctive red and white livery. Picture: TfL

March 28, 2023

The Mayor of London has announced a proposed ‘Superloop’ bus service which will provide limited-stop express bus routes around outer London.

The launch is designed to meet Sadiq Khan’s pledge that bus services outside the centre of London would be boosted to give people improved public transport provision ahead of the expansion of the ULEZ in August.

The Superloop brand is designed to work with the iconic London Buses brand by using a new Roundel and bus livery to ensure clear identification of the new service, but still recognisable as part of the London Buses network. The new branding will also feature on maps, timetables and other pieces of customer information. Photos supplied by TfL suggests the buses will have a white upper deck and a red lower deck to distinguish them from other services.

£6 million has been provided by the Mayor for the orbital route to be launched in stages with some routes that would become part of the Superloop already in operation. This includes the X140 connecting Heathrow and Harrow, and a more frequent route X26 connecting Heathrow and West Croydon. The next part of the outer London bus network will be the route linking Harrow with North Finchley, subject to consultation. TfL is working with the relevant boroughs on initial proposals for this next section and will consult on the route in the coming months.

The 607 bus which runs between Uxbridge and White City through Ealing and Acton will also be rebranded as a Superloop service. We have asked TfL to confirm if there will be any increase in regularity when the rebranding takes place.

The buses will provide limited stop services in outer London. Picture: TfL

Following that, views will be sought on future sections of the orbital network. These proposed future sections include a limited-stop express link between North Finchley and Walthamstow and between Walthamstow and the Royal Docks via Ilford. Links are also proposed between Bexleyheath, Bromley and Croydon. Some of the benefits of the proposed Superloop will be realised later this year, with the X26 doubling in frequency so that buses run every 15 minutes instead of every 30 minutes.

TfL data shows that the most recently introduced limited-stop express route, the X140, delivered a 10-15 per cent increase in weekday demand and that frequencies at the busiest stops served by the 140 was increased. Surveys found that customers had increased satisfaction with their journey times and nearly four in five said they would use the X140 more often.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said, “When I made the tough decision to expand the ULEZ London-wide, one of my key commitments to Londoners was to improve transport links in outer London. Today I am delivering on that commitment as we announce the Superloop, the game-changing new network of express buses that will add over four million additional kilometres to our bus network in outer London, linking stations, town centres, hospitals and transport hubs. These new routes will make it much easier for Londoners to get around the capital, and help build a better, greener London for everyone.”

James Murray, Member of Parliament for Ealing North, said, “In outer London, it is especially important for us to have quick and reliable bus routes. I very much welcome the Mayor’s new Superloop, and its more direct services between many of our town centres and stations. I hope this will make it easier and faster for many people living in outer London to get around the city by public transport.”

City Hall Conservatives were quick to describe the initiative a ‘superflop’ and mainly a rebranding exercise rather than a substantial expansion of services, while councillors in Hounslow were unhappy that the service would have no stops in their borough with the nearest service at Hatton Cross.

“Sadiq Khan’s Superloop announcement is a Superflop, amounting to nothing more than a repackaging of existing routes and vague promises that will not be delivered before his ULEZ expansion hits Londoners,” said Nick Rogers, London Assembly Member for South West London.

“This is a microscopic level of investment compared to the cross-party £100 million investment plan we proposed last month, which was blocked by Labour. The Mayor’s rushed plans have been thrown together in a panic, and do nothing to help address the devastating impact of his ULEZ tax. Sadiq Khan should think again, adopt our cross-party bus plan, and listen to the overwhelming majority of Londoners who want him to scrap his ULEZ expansion.”

Hounslow Council has previously promised to work with the Mayor of London to improve public transport ahead of the rollout of the ULEZ expansion, which is estimated to impact up to 42% of drivers in the borough.

“Today’s announcement seems to confirm that Hounslow Council has failed in its promise to upgrade public transport in our borough ahead of ULEZ, forcing thousands of residents in the west of the borough to pay up to £4,500 per year just to get to work,” said Jack Emsley, Conservative Councillor for Chiswick Homefields.

“Instead of focussing on trying to get an exemption for its own vehicles, our council should have been fighting for a better bus network in Hounslow. The Labour Party and Sadiq Khan have let our borough down, putting bad policy ahead of the interests of local people and businesses.”

TfL is also continuing work on plans for further expansion across outer London, including in Southall. These packages of bus enhancements, complement other plans to improve the outer London public transport network, including introducing the full peak timetable on the Elizabeth line this May and introducing new trains on the DLR and Piccadilly line.

In addition, TfL confirmed yesterday that more than £35m of further funding 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.

TfL is holding a consultation to gather views about the superloop service.