London Buses route SL5

SL5
Arriva London BYD BD11 at Bromley North station in September 2025
Overview
Operator	Arriva London
Garage	Croydon
Vehicle	BYD BD11
Began service	3 February 2024
Route
Start	Bromley North station
Via	The Chinese Garage Bethlem Royal Hospital Shirley
End	Croydon
Service
Level	Daily

London Buses route SL5 is a Transport for London contracted Superloop express bus route in London, England. Running between Bromley North station and Croydon, it is operated by Arriva London. The route partially parallels route 119.

History

The route initially used single-decker Alexander Dennis Enviro200s when it launched

On 21 July 2023, a consultation for route SL5 was opened by Transport for London, and closed on 4 September the same year. On 5 December 2023, it was confirmed that the route would be introduced. ^{[1] [2]}

Route SL5 was introduced on 3 February 2024. It is operated by Arriva London from their Croydon garage. Unlike other Superloop routes, which are operated by double-decker buses, the SL5 started operation with single-decker Alexander Dennis Enviro200s due to overhanging trees on South Eden Park Road. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

As part of Transport for London's pledge to make its entire bus fleet zero-emission by 2030, double-decker BYD BD11s replaced the single-decker Alexander Dennis Enviro200s on the route. ^[6]

Current route

Route SL5 operates via these primary locations: ^[7]

• Bromley North station
• Bromley South station
• The Chinese Garage
• Bethlem Royal Hospital
• Shirley
• East Croydon station
• Croydon town centre

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. ^[8]

Reception

Route SL5 has been met with generally positive feedback. In a poll, 81% of respondents believed that the route would make their journeys faster, and 58% said they would be more likely to use the route to replace a journey made by car. ^{[2] [9]}

Conservative Councillor Thomas Turrell, who represents Hayes and Coney Hall in Bromley, has voiced his disappointment with the route, saying that it does not help to improve connectivity in the rural areas of London, and that "residents will see it as a missed opportunity to really improve public transport connectivity". ^[9]

References

1. "Proposals for a new express bus route between Bromley and Croydon (SL5 bus route), part of the Superloop". Transport for London. 21 July 2023. Retrieved 1 March 2024.
2. Huggett, Poppy (2023-12-09). "TfL confirm Superloop route SL5 from Bromley to Croydon". News Shopper. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
3. "Superloop Gets A Bit Loopier With SL5 Bromley To Croydon Bus". Londonist. 2024-02-01. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
4. Final links in Superloop confirmed Buses issue 827 February 2024
5. New Superloop route SL5 - 3 February 2024 Transport for London 3 February 2024
6. Brencher, Holly (2025-08-01). "Tfl upgrades SL5 Superloop Bromley and Croydon route". News Shopper.
7. Route SL5 Map Transport for London
8. "Route SL5 Timetable". Transport for London . Retrieved 10 March 2024.
9. Huggett, Poppy (2023-12-19). "Disappointment with Bromley Superloop route that does 'nothing' for rural communities". News Shopper. Retrieved 2024-02-14.

External links

Media related to London Buses route SL5 at Wikimedia Commons