London Buses route SL1

Last updated

SL1
Arriva HA8 (LK65BZE) Arnos Grove 07.05.2024.jpg
Arriva London Alexander Dennis Enviro400H City at Arnos Grove station
Overview
Operator Arriva London
Garage Palmers Green
Vehicle Alexander Dennis Enviro400H City
BYD BD11
Peak vehicle requirement11
Began service9 December 2023
Route
Start North Finchley bus station
Via Friern Barnet
Arnos Grove
Palmers Green
Meridian Water
South Chingford
End Walthamstow bus station
Service
LevelDaily

London Buses route SL1 is a Transport for London contracted Superloop express bus route in London, England. Running between North Finchley and Walthamstow, it is operated by Arriva London.

Contents

The route partially parallels routes 34 and 221. [1]

History

The route was first proposed by Transport for London in June 2023 as the second proposed new route in the Superloop express bus network. At the time of the consultation, the route was proposed to be numbered X34. It was proposed to partially parallel routes 34 and 221. [2] Having been renumbered SL1, it was introduced on 9 December 2023. [3] [4] [5] It is operated by Arriva London as a variation to its route 34 contract that it parallels between New Southgate and Walthamstow. [6]

After a competitive tendering process, the contract was retained by Arriva London from November 2024 with the Alexander Dennis Enviro400H Citys to be replaced by brand new BYD BD11s. [7] [8] According to internal TfL reliability metrics from July 2024, the route is performing well and better than the contractual minimum standards, with bus speeds in line with expected performance. [9]

New electric double deckers will be introduced during 2025. [10]

Current route

Route SL1 operates via these primary locations: [11]

Operation

The route operates at a frequency of a bus every 12 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays and a bus every 15 minutes on Sundays. [12]

Reception

Route SL1 has been criticised for not offering a direct link to North Middlesex University Hospital in Edmonton. [13]

Former route SL1

From June 1996 until August 2002, a previous route SL1 ran in Central London connecting the mainline railway stations at Paddington, Marylebone, Euston, St Pancras, King's Cross, Liverpool Street, Fenchurch Street, London Bridge, Waterloo and Victoria. [14] [15] The route was operated by Thorpes and was branded as Stationlink, running an hourly (clockwise) circular service with route SL2 operating in the reverse direction. Both were replaced by routes 205 and 705 respectively in August 2002. [14] [15]

References

  1. ↑ Lydall, Ross (5 December 2023). "Superloop bus network is 'game changer'". The Evening Standard . ProQuest   2898019616 . Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  2. ↑ Proposals for a new limited stop express bus route between North Finchley and Walthamstow (X34 bus route), part of the Superloop Transport for London July 2023
  3. ↑ TfL confirms new routes and next steps for the next phase of the Superloop network in outer London Transport for London 7 September 2023
  4. ↑ Superloop buses will form orbital route around London by spring 2024 Evening Standard 20 October 2023
  5. ↑ New route SL1 introduced - 9 December 2023 Transport for London
  6. ↑ Superloop takes shape Buses issue 823 November 2023 page 20
  7. ↑ "Route SL1 - award announced 23 February 2024". Transport for London. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  8. ↑ Rigby, Andy (19 January 2025). "Superloop-ing". Buses . Retrieved 20 June 2025. Upon tender renewal, Stagecoach will deploy ADL Enviro400 EVs onto the SL3, with Go Ahead London using EBD-class BYD B11E02s on the SL4 and SL7. Arriva will be using a mix of the two, with ED-class BYDs on the SL1 and EE-class ADLs on the SL6 (which transfers from Go Ahead on March 29, 2025) with the SL5's allocation yet to be confirmed.
  9. ↑ Toms, Adam (8 July 2024). "Superloop 'hit with challenges' amid disruptions ahead of new Superloop 2 routes". MyLondon . London: Reach plc . Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  10. ↑ "Contract info for SL1".
  11. ↑ Route SL1 Map Transport for London
  12. ↑ "Route SL1 Timetable". Transport for London . Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  13. ↑ "'Superloop' express bus service arrives in Enfield this weekend". Enfield Dispatch. 7 December 2023. Retrieved 15 January 2024.
  14. 1 2 Enhancement of Accessible Bus Service Linking London's Mainline Railway Stations London Regional Transport 27 June 1996
  15. 1 2 Latest service changes Transport for London 31 August 2002

Commons-logo.svg Media related to London Buses route SL1 at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.