It is a year ago since Transport for London (TfL) launched the first route to carry its new Superloop branding, the SL8. The operator says that new data shows an average increase in passenger numbers on all Superloop corridors, including parallel routes, since the June 2023 baseline of 11%, some 9% higher than the network average.
TfL says the new Superloop services have added more than six million bus kilometres per year to the capital’s network, more than the four million originally forecast.
The SL8 between Uxbridge and White City, was the first of four existing routes to be renumbered in summer last year, and has the highest average weekday demand of all Superloop routes with a patronage increase of 18% between June 2023 and May 2024, reports TfL. Improvements on the SL8 included a change to the timetable with improved frequencies and expanded operating hours to provide more early morning and evening services, as well as USB charging and new priority seating.
Route SL7, which launched on 19 August 2023 and replaced the previous X26 between West Croydon and Heathrow Airport, saw the largest increase in Superloop patronage between June 2023 and May 2024, says TfL, with a 91% increase in journeys as a result of the doubling in service frequency. Once the change in patronage on parallel routes was taken into account, corridor demand increased by 21%, according to TfL’s data. Patronage on the SL6 from Russell Square to West Croydon also increased by 20%, TfL reports, whilst growth on the five most recent routes to launch (SL1, SL2, SL3, SL5 and SL10) was 16% higher in May than June 2023 in terms of average weekday corridor demand, according to the figures.
TfL reports that bus ridership continues to grow across its network, with 1.86 billion bus journeys made in 2023/2024.
The final route in the new Superloop network, SL4, will begin operating between Canary Wharf and Grove Park once Silvertown Tunnel opens in 2025.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “The Superloop is making a real difference improving public transport in Outer London, adding more than six million additional bus kilometres per year to the capital’s bus network and linking stations, town centres, hospitals and transport hubs.
“This new data shows that if you build it, people will come and use it, and this is just the start. I have bold ambitions to deliver even more improvements to London’s bus network, including Superloop 2 which would double the number of Superloop services and support my aim to build a fairer, greener London for all.”
TfL’s Director of Buses Nick Owen added: “It is encouraging to see customer demand continuing to grow in response to a new express service in outer London within its first year of inception. The data shows it’s already transforming travel with millions of journeys each year. Initial feedback is looking very positive and proving popular with customers as many of the Superloop routes are still relatively new. Work is not done however, and we continue to review customer demand and feedback to make sure we are always adapting to customers’ needs and making improvements where needed.”
