“Transportation improvement” despite some problems and when the last route will be launched

Transport for London (TfL) has insisted that the Superloop of London buses is “improving transport” in the capital, despite some services experiencing problems such as being stuck in traffic jams. The express route network started rolling out last year and now forms a circuit around the city.

Officials today released the latest ridership figures for each active leg as they claim the Superloop is “helping to increase bus patronage” in London. Faster services link major city centers and transport hubs such as London Underground and Elizabeth stations.

They stop at fewer stops, with the idea of ​​getting people where they want to go faster. Sadiq Khan claims they have already “transformed” the way people navigate outside of London.

READ MORE: Sadiq Khan rules out double-decker on ‘very busy’ London bus route Superloop 2 will miss

The latest passenger numbers

Here are the latest ridership figures for the Superloop, according to TfL:

• The SL7, which replaced the previous X26 route between West Croydon and Heathrow Airport, saw the biggest increase in Superloop patronage between June 2023 and May 2024, with a 91% increase in journeys as a result of doubling the service frequency. Once the change in patronage on parallel routes is taken into account, demand for corridors increased by 21%.

• Patronage on the SL6 route from Russell Square to West Croydon also increased by 20% over the same period. In addition, growth on the five most recent launch routes, SL1, SL2, SL3, SL5 and SL10 was 16% higher in May than in June 2023 in terms of average weekday corridor demand.

However, it has emerged that the routes have encountered problems since their launch. Officials say roadworks, bus problems and traffic have kept services from running as they should.

On one route, bosses even plan to reduce its length to improve reliability. On others, traffic slows down services.

There were also problems with the buses themselves. You can read more details about these road bumps here.

It comes after London’s mayor announced in April that he plans to introduce a second phase of the project – Superloop 2. All routes will be subject to consultation, but initial plans include exploring routes including:

• Harrow to Barnet via Edgware

• South Havering to Leytonstone via Romford

• Hounslow to Hammersmith

• Streatham to Eltham via Catford

• Ealing to Kingston via Richmond

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