242 | |
---|---|
Overview | |
Operator | Stagecoach London |
Garage | Ash Grove |
Vehicle | Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC |
Peak vehicle requirement | 14 |
Began service | 28 February 1998 |
Predecessors | Route 22A Route 22B |
Night-time | N242 |
Route | |
Start | Homerton University Hospital |
Via | Hackney Central Dalston Shoreditch |
End | Aldgate bus station |
Length | 6 miles (9.7 km) |
Service | |
Level | Daily |
Frequency | About every 10-12 minutes |
Journey time | 32-65 minutes |
Operates | 05:00 until 01:27 |
London Buses route 242 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Homerton University Hospital and Aldgate bus station, it is operated by Stagecoach London.
In December 1998, it became the first double-decker route in London to solely use low-floor buses. The route re-uses the number of the historic route 242 that ran between Chingford station and Potters Bar via Waltham Abbey and Cheshunt.
The original London bus route 242 was launched in October 1934 between Waltham Cross and Epping Forest via Waltham Abbey. Prior to 1934, the number 306 was used. In 1940 the route was extended to Cheshunt, and then to Potters Bar via Cuffley and Goffs Oak in 1941.
From the 1960s, route 242 ran between Chingford station and Potters Bar via Waltham Abbey and Cheshunt. [1] [2]
Between 1958 and 1968, variant London bus route 242A ran between Upshire and Potters Bar.
In the 1990s, route 242 was handed to Metroline as a commercial operation, thereby removing it from the Transport for London network. [3] The section between Waltham Cross and Chingford station via Waltham Abbey was also withdrawn.
Today, the original route 242 is operated commercially as a non-TfL route between Waltham Cross and Potters Bar by Metroline and Central Connect, with a reduced service.
Route 242 was introduced in February 1998 between Homerton University Hospital and Tottenham Court Road station, replacing routes 22A and 22B. [4]
In December 1998, the introduction of Alexander ALX400 bodied DAF DB250 buses on the route made it the first double-decker route in London to solely use accessible, low-floor buses. [5] [6] [7]
In 2004 it became a 24-hour service with night bus route N242 services that followed the same route renumbered 242. [8] The route of the bus was criticised by London Assembly members for its use of narrow streets. [4] [9]
In 2017, the route was diverted to terminate at St Paul's, before being cut back on 15 June 2019 to Aldgate bus station with a service frequency reduction. [10] The diversion to Aldgate was criticised for the reduction in access to the City of London and St Bartholomew's Hospital for residents. [11] [12] The reduction in service frequency was criticised for its impacts on the deprived Clapton Park Estate, an area only served by the route. [13] [14]
The night route continues to serve Tottenham Court Road station, and from 15 June 2019 was renumbered route N242. [15]
Upon being re-tendered in 2002, 2009 and 2016, the route was retained by Arriva London. [16] [17]
Route 242 operates via these primary locations: [18]
Dalston is an area in London, England and is located in the London Borough of Hackney. It lies in North East London and is four miles northeast of Charing Cross. Dalston began as a hamlet on either side of Dalston Lane, and as the area urbanised the term also came to apply to surrounding areas including Kingsland and Shacklewell, all three of which being part of the Ancient Parish of Hackney.
Homerton is an area in London, England, in the London Borough of Hackney. It is bordered to the west by Hackney Central, to the north by Lower Clapton, in the east by Hackney Wick, Leyton and by South Hackney to the south. In 2019, it had a population of 14,658 people. In terms of ethnicity it was 43.9% White, 33.0% Black, 10.9% Asian and 7.8% Mixed. It covered an area of 0.830 sq kilometres. Homerton ward on Hackney Borough Council is currently represented by three Labour councillors. There are fifty listed buildings located within the boundaries of the ward.
Old Street is a 1-mile (1.6 km) street in inner north-east Central London, England that runs west to east from Goswell Road in Clerkenwell, in the London Borough of Islington, via St Luke's and Old Street Roundabout, to the crossroads where it meets Shoreditch High Street (south), Kingsland Road (north) and Hackney Road (east) in Shoreditch in the London Borough of Hackney.
Cheshunt is a town in the Borough of Broxbourne in Hertfordshire, England, 12 miles (19 km) north of Central London on the River Lea and Lee Navigation and directly south of Broxbourne. It contains a section of the Lee Valley Park, including much of the River Lee Country Park. To the north lies Broxbourne and Wormley, Waltham Abbey to the east, Waltham Cross and Enfield to the south, and Cuffley to the west.
Clapton is a railway station on the Chingford branch of the Lea Valley lines, located in Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney, in north-east London. It is 3 miles 78 chains (6.4 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and is situated between Hackney Downs and St. James Street. The station has been operated by London Overground since 2015.
Hackney Central is a London Overground station on the North London line in Hackney Central, north-east London. It lies between Dalston Kingsland and Homerton and is in Travelcard Zone 2. The station and all trains serving it are operated by London Overground services which are managed by Transport for London.
Waltham Abbey is a town and civil parish in the Epping Forest District of Essex, within the metropolitan and urban area of London, England, 13.5 miles (21.7 km) north-east of Charing Cross. It lies on the Greenwich Meridian, between the River Lea in the west and Epping Forest in the east, with large sections forming part of the Metropolitan Green Belt.
Hackney Downs is a London Overground and National Rail station in Hackney Central and serves the old common land of Hackney Downs in Lower Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney, it is on the Lea Valley lines and West Anglia Main Line. It is 2 miles 78 chains (4.8 km) down the line from London Liverpool Street and has a direct passenger link to Hackney Central station, providing interchange with the North London line of the Overground network.
The Lea Valley lines are two commuter lines and two branches in north-east London, so named because they run along the Lower Lea Valley of the River Lea. They were part of the Great Eastern Railway, now part of the Anglia Route of Network Rail.
The West Anglia Main Line is one of the two main lines that operate out of Liverpool Street. It runs generally north through Cheshunt, Broxbourne, Harlow, Bishop's Stortford and Audley End to Cambridge, with branches between serving Stratford, Hertford and Stansted Airport. The line runs along the boundary between Hertfordshire and Essex for much of its length.
Hackney Central is a sub-district of Hackney in the London Borough of Hackney in London, England and is four miles (6.4 km) northeast of Charing Cross.
London Buses route 30 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Hackney Wick and Marble Arch station, it is operated by Metroline.
Hertfordshire bus route 84 is a commercial bus service running in Hertfordshire. Running between St Albans and Potters Bar station, it is operated by Sullivan Buses.
London Buses route 38 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Clapton Pond and Victoria bus station, it is operated by Arriva London.
London Buses route 22 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Putney Common and Oxford Circus, it is operated by London General.
London Buses route 42 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between East Dulwich and Shoreditch, it is operated by London Central.
London Buses route 149 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Edmonton Green and London Bridge bus stations, it is operated by Arriva London.
The London Night Bus network is a series of night bus routes that serve Greater London. Services broadly operate between the hours of 23:00 and 06:00.
The Hall Farm Curve is a disused 500 m (1,600 ft) length of railway line in Walthamstow, East London, that connected Chingford station with Stratford station until the closure of the section of line in September 1968. The track was lifted in 1970.
Homerton University Hospital is a teaching hospital in Homerton in the London Borough of Hackney. It is managed by Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)Concern proposed changes will make it harder to access hospitals, especially St Bart's
The worst affected will be left with no direct route to London Bridge or the City.
for the most part, Clapton Park remains a disadvantaged locality.
Route 242 is the only route serving the Clapton Park Estate in King's Park ward, an area with a high level of deprivation
Media related to London Buses route 242 at Wikimedia Commons