Superloop reaches first anniversary

London’s Superloop express bus network has reached its first anniversary.

One year ago, TfL launched the SL8, the very first route to carry the Superloop branding. New data shows the average increase in passengers on all Superloop corridors (including parallel routes) since the June 2023 baseline is 11%, 9% higher than the network average.

The SL8 route, which runs between Uxbridge and White City, was the first of four existing routes to be renumbered over the summer last year to provide customers with an instantly recognisable express bus service in outer London. The route has the highest average weekday demand of all Superloop routes as patronage increased by 18% between June 2023 and May 2024. 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.

The Superloop network is helping to increase bus patronage around London, TfL reports. The SL7, which launched on 19 August 2023 and replaced the previous X26 route between West Croydon and Heathrow Airport, saw the largest increase in Superloop patronage between June 2023 and May 2024, with there being 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%. Patronage on the SL6 route from Russell Square to West Croydon also increased by 20% in the same period. Furthermore, 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.

The final route in the new Superloop network, SL4, will begin operating between Canary Wharf and Grove Park once Silvertown Tunnel opens in 2025.

“The Superloop is making a real difference improving public transport in Outer London” – Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan

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.”

“The data shows it’s already transforming travel with millions of journeys each year” – Nick Owen, TfL’s Director of Buses

Nick Owen, TfL’s Director of Buses, said: “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.”