A major London bus route is about to be scrapped as a new Superloop service prepares to launch in southeast London.
The 472, which has long connected Abbey Wood and North Greenwich, will make its final journey on Friday. In its place, the new SL11 Superloop will start running from Saturday 24 January. To mark the launch, all journeys on the SL11 will be free for the first week.
The SL11 offers limited stop, express travel between Abbey Wood and North Greenwich, going through Thamesmead and Woolwich. It is designed to be faster and more reliable, connecting passengers to the Elizabeth line and DLR stations. With a higher frequency and fewer stops, the Superloop SL11 aims to cut down journey times for thousands of daily commuters.
Image © TfL
The change comes after the government confirmed funding for a new extension of the DLR to Thamesmead. Consultation showed strong support for the project, which is expected to bring thousands of new homes and jobs to the area. Regeneration plans in Thamesmead are gathering pace, and the introduction of the Superloop SL11 is being seen as a vital piece of the puzzle for improving sustainable transport and economic growth in the region.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said, “Replacing the 472 with this faster, more direct service will help to support early regeneration plans in Thamesmead and boost transport links in a historically underserved part of London. From 24 January to 30 January Londoners can give the SL11 a go and see for themselves how choosing this quicker bus can transform their everyday journeys.”
The Superloop Network’s Growing Impact
The new Superloop service will run every six minutes during the day from Monday to Saturday, and every ten to twelve minutes at other times. The buses are modern, featuring priority seating and USB chargers at most seats, with Superloop branding making them easy to spot. The SL11 will also connect easily with the Superloop SL3 at Abbey Wood, providing onward journeys to Bexleyheath, Sidcup, Chislehurst and Bromley North.
Image © TfL
TfL’s Director of Buses, Lorna Murphy, said, “The SL11 will boost travel and journey times and mean faster connections between the Elizabeth line, DLR, London Underground and National Rail. All bus rides on the SL11 will be free for customers for the first week.”
The Superloop network has carried around sixty million passengers since it launched. With the addition of the SL11, the network now stretches to 218 kilometres of routes, adding more than eight million bus kilometres a year to London’s transport system. Other Superloop routes, such as the BL1 from Waterloo to Lewisham, have already proved popular, bringing in nearly 28,000 journeys in their first week.
Not everyone is happy about losing the 472. The SL11 stops only at key locations, and some passengers will need to change buses or walk further. To help, a new night service, the N472, will cover all the former stops between midnight and just before dawn. Other local bus routes such as the 161, 177, 180, 244, 301 and 380 will also serve the area, and passengers can use the Hopper fare for unlimited journeys within an hour for £1.75.
Some passengers welcome the faster route, but others worry about the extra changes. There are concerns for older and less mobile people who might have to walk further, and for families who may have to juggle more connections. TfL says it will closely monitor travel patterns and demand to ensure the network meets the needs of all Londoners.
The SL11 Superloop is about preparing for the area’s future growth. The new route supports plans for more homes and jobs in Thamesmead and aims to make southeast London a better place to live, work and travel. For now, Londoners have a week to try out the new service for free and decide if the Superloop lives up to its promise of a faster, fairer city.
As the 472 fades into history, the SL11 is being closely watched as a test case for modernising London’s bus network. TfL and City Hall say they will keep looking at ways to improve services and keep London moving for everyone.
