You’ve likely seen at least one of the fleet of Superloop buses with their new designs shuttling around the city since 2023. They make up the myriad express bus routes, with nine routes across the capital (and the SL4 route to make it a round 10 this year!). Now, a new loop looks like it could be coming to town, with TfL opening a public consultation for a proposed ‘Bakerloop’ bus route between Waterloo and Lewisham.
Running the consultation until March 15TfL has unveiled plans for a route that would go along the proposed route of the Bakerloo line extensionwhich would itself run through to Lewisham. The six-week consultation gives the public the chance to raise any objections and suggest any tweaks to the route, which would run through stops including: Waterloo Station, Elephant & Castle/London Road, Elephant & Castle/New Kent Road, Burgess Park/Dunton Road, Old Kent Road/Ilderton Road, New Cross Gate Station, Lewisham Centre, and Lewisham Station.
There are also set to be two further additions to the Superloop networkwhich would see an SL11 route between Abbey Wood and North Greenwich via Thamesmeadand an SL12 route that links Raiham, Ferry Lane, and Gants Hill. Should these arrive and the Bakerloop this year alongside the already-confirmed SL4 route (which is due to arrive when the Silvertown Tunnel opens), this would bring the total of new routes in 2025 to four.
If the consultation favours the plans, TfL has said that the first BL1 route could be up and running by Autumn 2025.
Speaking on the news, Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “Last year, I made a commitment to Londoners to introduce the new Bakerloop bus route, which would run between Waterloo and Lewisham. Today, I’m pleased to announce that TfL is launching this consultation as the first step towards delivering on this commitment, building on the continued success of the Superloop express bus services.
“The new proposed route will mirror the route of the potential Bakerloo line extension and better connect people around southeast London, while also helping to demonstrate how much the capital needs the Bakerloo line extension. This vital infrastructure would not only provide better transport links and upgrade the existing line, but also unlock thousands of new homes and jobs, boosting the economy and building a better, fairer and more prosperous London for all.”
There is not yet confirmation on whether the long-awaited Bakerloo line extension will go ahead, with TfL using ‘selected experts’ to examine the feasibility of adding four new stations to the line (Burgess Park, Old Kent Road, New Cross Gate, and Lewisham). Should it go ahead, it is thought work would not begin until the 2030s with an estimated finishing date in 2040. The Bakerloop would cover these areas via bus in the meantime while its viability is assessed.
The TfL consultation on the proposed Bakerloop bus route is open now until March 14, and if the move goes ahead there could be a new BL1 route this year.
