TfL's Central London Bus Review 2022
On the 1st June 2022, Transport for London (TfL) in light of the current financial climate announced a wide amount of changes to bus services across zones 1, 2 and 3 in London. This has wide impacts across the city as sixteen (yes, you read that right) bus routes around the city are being proposed for complete withdrawal, with around 75 others being subject to large scale re-routes, diversions and cut backs. We also will include for wider context, changes already confirmed to be happening to a number of routes in South and North London.
The purpose of this post is to try and simplify the changes for you in an easier to understand way, to let you know how you can make your comments heard and to potentially better explain TfLs rationing behind these changes.
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| Route 205 is one of over 75 bus routes subject to change |
You can leave all your comments on the Transport for London website here. The consultation process is running until the 12th July with the aim of implementing service changes from the end of this year.
This list will be updated regularly throughout the coming days so keep refreshing and revisiting this page and feel free to post comments and share with those who may be interested.
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Bus changes in Islington borough
Routes 4, 56 and 236
Route 4 is being proposed for complete withdrawal. It currently runs between Archway and Blackfriars, having been diverted from Waterloo in 2019. Metroline currently operate this from Holloway (HT) garage. The route operates via Whittington Hospital, Tufnell Park, Finsbury Park, Highbury, Islington, Barbican and Blackfriars.
It is being proposed that the route is replaced on the northern end with single decker route 236 (currently Hackney Wick to Finsbury Park), which currently parallels the route between Highbury and Finsbury Park. Route 236 would be extended from Finsbury Park Station via the current route 4 to terminate at Archway Station.
On the southern end, route 56 (currently St. Bartholomew's Hospital to Whipps Cross, near Walthamstow) would be extended to Blackfriars via current route 4. By doing this, it would allow for the links between Angel Islington and Blackfriars to be retained. Passengers needing to travel north of Islington would need to get a 19 (which follows the 4 to Finsbury Park), or the 43 to Holloway and Archway (albeit a different route).
Current routes:
4 - Archway to Blackfriars
56 - St. Bartholomew's Hospital to Whipps Cross
236 - Hackney Wick to Finsbury Park
Proposed routes:
4 - WITHDRAWN
56 - Blackfriars to Whipps Cross
236 - Archway to Hackney Wick
This is expected to take place between the end of 2022 and the start of 2023.
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Bus changes in Brent, Barnet and Camden boroughs
Routes 31, 113, 189 and N189
It is being proposed that route 31 is withdrawn. Route 31 currently is operated by Metroline from Willesden Junction (WJ) garage and operates between White City and Camden Town, via Notting Hill Gate, Westbourne Park, Kilburn, Swiss Cottage and Chalk Farm. The 31 has a 24-hour service between Camden Town and Notting Hill Gate numbered 'N31' which then continues onto Clapham Junction via Kensington. Both 31 and N31 would no longer run and would be replaced by restructured routes 113 and 189. Passengers on N31 would be required to use the N28 and change where necessary to continue onto Clapham Junction.
Route 113 currently operates between Edgware and Marble Arch, having been cut back from Oxford Circus a few months ago. The route follows the A41 Watford Way for much of its length, providing an 'express' route into Central London from the most suburban parts of the borough of Barnet. It is being proposed to restructure the route so that it operates between Edgware and Swiss Cottage as it does now, before being diverted via the current 31 route via Kilburn and Notting Hill to terminate at White City. Night service N113 would remain unaffected.
Those wishing to travel between Swiss Cottage and Marble Arch would need to use the 13 instead, changing anywhere along the section of Finchley Road that the 113 would continue to use.
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| Proposals could see the 189 re-routed to Camden |
Route 189 currently operates between Brent Cross and Marble Arch. The route would be cut back to operate between Brent Cross and Kilburn, before following the current 31 route to Camden Town via Swiss Cottage and Chalk Farm. This change would only apply to the day service, with the night service continuing to run into Marble Arch as now, but numbered N189. Passengers needing to go via Lisson Grove and Baker Street would need to change to the 139 at the eastern end of Quex Road.
Current routes:
31 - White City to Camden Town
N31 - Clapham Junction to Camden Town
113 - Edgware to Marble Arch
189 - Brent Cross to Marble Arch
Proposed routes:
31/N31 - WITHDRAWN
113 - Edgware to White City
189 - Brent Cross to Camden Town
N113 - Edgware to Trafalgar Square
N189 - Brent Cross to Camden Town
Our best guess is that these set of changes would most likely take place around the end of March 2023 when the current route 31 contract is set to expire.
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Routes 6, 16, N16, 23, N32, 98 and N98
It is proposed that routes 16 and N16 are withdrawn. Route 16 currently operates between Cricklewood, Bus Garage and Victoria, with the night service starting from Edgware and following route 32 to Cricklewood before following its namesake into Victoria. Metroline currently operate the 16 and N16 (as one of their flagships) from the terminus at Cricklewood Bus Garage (W).
Routes 98 and N98, which mirrors the current routes 16 and N16 between Kilburn High Road and Marble Arch, would be diverted from Oxford Circus and Holborn to instead serve Hyde Park Corner and Victoria following the 16/N16 route. This means the 98/N98 would no longer service Oxford Street. This would make the 98 a Willesden, Bus Garage to Victoria route, and the N98 a Stanmore to Victoria route.
24-hour route 6, which currently runs between Willesden, Bus Garage and Aldwych would be re-routed (again) to serve Oxford Street and the lost section of the 98 through to Holborn. This would partially reverse the changes of 2019, as route 6 used to go via Oxford Street and Regent Street prior to 2019.
Route 23 would also see a partial reversal of the 2019 bus changes, with the route set to make a return to the West End to retain the links lost by the diversion of route 6 to Holborn. The 23, which currently operates between Westbourne Park and Hammersmith via Paddington, Marble Arch and High Street Kensington would be diverted after Hyde Park southbound via the current route 6 - taking in the sights of Piccadilly Circus and Trafalgar Square before terminating at Aldwych. This is a 24 hour service.
New night route N32 would operate every night between Edgware and Oxford Circus, following the 32 to Kilburn High Road and following the current N98 to Oxford Circus. Day route 32 would remain unchanged.
Current routes:
6 - Willesden, Bus Garage to Aldwych
16 - Cricklewood, Bus Garage to Victoria
N16 - Edgware to Victoria
23 - Hammersmith to Westbourne Park
98 - Willesden, Bus Garage to Holborn
N98 - Stanmore to Holborn
Proposed routes:
6 - Willesden, Bus Garage to Holborn
16 - WITHDRAWN
N16 - WITHDRAWN
23 - Aldwych to Westbourne Park
N32 - Edgware to Oxford Circus
98 - Willesden, Bus Garage to Victoria
N98 - Stanmore to Victoria
These set of changes is expected to take place between the second half of 2022 and the first half of 2023.
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Routes 24, 88, 205, 214, N88 and N205
It is proposed that stalwart route 24, between Hampstead Heath and Pimlico, Grosvenor Road would be withdrawn in its entirety. The route has operated for over 100 years using the exact same route, and as of late is operated by Abellio London from their Battersea (QB) depot using the first prototype batch of 'Boris Johnson' New Routemaster buses first introduced in 2013.
The 24 runs 24 hours a day and currently links Hampstead, Camden, West End, Victoria and Pimlico. Route 29 parallels the 24 between Camden Town and Trafalgar Square. It is proposed to withdraw the 24, and replace it with a number of restructured routes in the Camden area.
Route 88 currently runs between Omnibus Clapham (Clapham Common) and Parliament Hill Fields 24 hours a day, via Stockwell, Vauxhall, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly, Regent Street, Oxford Circus, Regent's Park, Camden Town and Kentish Town. It is proposed that it would replace the leg of the 24 between the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead Heath and Trafalgar Square. Route N88 would run the same as the revised 88 but after Camden Town would go Parliament Hill Fields as is the case now, and will not serve Hampstead Heath. This would leave Hampstead Heath without a night bus.
This means the 88 would be withdrawn between Camden Town and Parliament Hill Fields (having been sent there in 2019 to replace the now-withdrawn C2) and diverted to Hampstead Heath. The 88 would also see a major re-route to follow the current 24 route between Camden and Westminster via Warren Street, Tottenham Court Road and Leicester Square instead of going via Regent's Park and Regent Street.
Route 214 would replace this section of the 88 and the southern part of the 205, no longer running between Camden Town and Moorgate and instead run via the current 88 route to Trafalgar Square before following the current 24 route to Pimlico via Westminster and Victoria.
Route 205 would replace the section of the 214 between King's Cross and Camden Town, and replace the 88 between Camden Town and Parliament Hill Fields. This means it would no longer run between King's Cross and Paddington. The 205 would also be cut back from Bow Church to terminate at Mile End. This would mean Liverpool Street loses its bus link to Euston, Baker Street and Paddington. Route N205 would also be diverted to terminate at Parliament Hill Fields.
Current routes:
24 - Hampstead Heath to Pimlico
88 - Parliament Hill Fields to Clapham Common
205 - Paddington to Bow Church
214 - Highgate Village to Moorgate, Finsbury Square
N205 - Paddington to Leyton, Drapers Field
Proposed routes:
24 - WITHDRAWN
88 - Hampstead Heath to Clapham Common
205 - Parliament Hill Fields to Bow Church
214 - Highgate Village to Pimlico, Grosvenor Road
N205 - Parliament Hill Fields to Leyton, Drapers Field
N214 - Highgate Village to Pimlico
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These set of changes could take place as early as November 2022 but may be within the following few months after.
Bus routes in Tower Hamlets and Hackney boroughs and the City of London (Square Mile)
To keep it in one place, all route 205/N205 changes including the changes within Bow have been documented underneath Camden's entry.
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Bus routes in Haringey and Enfield boroughs
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Bus routes in Hammersmith & Fulham, Kensington & Chelsea and Wandsworth boroughs
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Bus routes in the City of Westminster
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Bus routes in Lambeth and Southwark
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