London Buses route 263

Last updated

263
Overview
Operator Metroline
Garage Potters Bar (PB)
Night-time N20, N263
Route
Start Barnet Hospital
Via Whetstone
North Finchley
East Finchley
Highgate Village
Archway
Holloway
Highbury & Islington
EndHighbury Barn

London Buses route 263 is a Transport for London (TfL) contracted bus route in London, England. It runs between Barnet Hospital and Highbury Barn via North Finchley, East Finchley, Highgate Villagea, Archway, Holloway and Highbury & Islington, and is operated by Metroline from Potters Bar garage. [1] [2] Night service on the corridor is provided by routes N20 and N263. [3] [4]

Contents

History

Route 263 was introduced on 16 January 1971 by London Transport, running from Barnet High Street to Farringdon Street via North Finchley, East Finchley, Archway, Holloway, King's Cross and Gray's Inn Road, replacing the withdrawn northern section of route 17 at that time. It was initially worked by crew-operated AEC Routemaster buses from Finchley and Holloway garages, converting to one-person operation with Daimler Fleetlines on 15 July 1972. [2]

On 23 April 1983, the route was withdrawn south of Archway station and extended north from Barnet to Potters Bar (garage on Sundays, and Potters Bar station on Mondays to Saturdays), partly replacing withdrawn sections of route 134. From 21 June 1986 the service was cut back from Potters Bar station to Potters Bar garage, with the station link provided by revised route 84; at the same time, short workings to Barnet Church were extended to Barnet General Hospital (Barnet Hospital). Subsequent fleet updates in the late 1980s saw Metrobuses replaced by Scania double-deckers, and a Sunday cutback between Barnet and Potters Bar took effect on 2 February 1991. On 25 June 1994, the route was withdrawn between Barnet and Potters Bar entirely, that section being replaced by new route 234; from then the 263 ran between Barnet Hospital and Archway station. [2]

Upon retendering on 3 February 1996, operation transferred to Leaside Buses (Arriva) from Wood Green. It was subsequently awarded to First Capital on 28 April 2001 (Northumberland Park), before passing to Metroline on 2 February 2002 and moving to Potters Bar garage; subsequent allocations in 2003–2004 briefly included Holloway before returning to Potters Bar. [2]

On 7 February 2009, TfL extended route 263 from Archway to Holloway Nag’s Head, and Metroline introduced new Alexander Dennis Enviro400 double-deckers on the service. [2] A further extension from Nag’s Head to Highbury Barn commenced on 26 July 2014 to boost capacity on Holloway Road and improve interchange at Highbury & Islington. [5] [6] A temporary curtailment at the southern end operated from 13 February 2016, with buses terminating at Highbury Corner; full service to Highbury Barn was restored on 4 November 2017. [2]

Following consultation linked to the withdrawal of route 271, TfL re-routed the 263 via Highgate Village (Highgate Hill, Highgate High Street, North Road and North Hill) in place of Archway Road from 4 February 2023, retaining termini at Barnet Hospital and Highbury Barn. At the same time, route 234 was extended to Archway to cover Archway Road. [7] [8] [2]

As part of TfL’s tendering programme, the route was retained by Metroline with a new contract starting in April 2025. TfL announced the contract on 2 September 2024, with the new term including provision for new electric double-deck buses on routes 263/N263. [9] [10] (Official tender result listings are held by TfL’s bus tender search and programme documents.) [11]

Current route

Route 263 operates via these primary locations: [1]

References

  1. 1 2 "263 bus route". Transport for London. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Armstrong, Ian. "London Bus Route 263". London Bus Route Histories. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  3. ↑ "N20 bus route". Transport for London. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  4. ↑ "N263 bus route". Transport for London. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  5. ↑ "Route 263 is extended to Highbury Barn" (Press release). Transport for London. 22 July 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  6. ↑ "No 263". London City Hall. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  7. ↑ "Proposed changes to routes 21, 143, 263 and 271". TfL Have Your Say. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  8. ↑ "FAQs – Proposed changes to routes 21, 143, 263 and 271". TfL Have Your Say. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  9. ↑ "London Bus Tender Awards: New Electric Buses For Routes 31, 263, 270 and G1". CLondoner92. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  10. ↑ "London Bus Services Limited tender results – 2 September 2024". Lessavine Blog. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
  11. ↑ "Bus tender search". Transport for London. Retrieved 1 August 2025.
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