Barely a few weeks after London’s speedy new Superloop bus network was officially made an actual ‘loop’ (though it still isn’t completely finished), plans have already been laid out to extend it. Today (April 2), mayor Sadiq Khan revealed intentions to extend the Superloop in southeast London, running as an alternative to the as-yet-unfunded Bakerloo line extension.
Dubbed the ‘Bakerloop’, the service will simply be a limited-stopping route running between Elephant and Castle and Lewisham, stopping at the likes of Burgess Park, Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate.
While earlier this year it looked like the long-awaited extension of the Bakerloo was getting a bit closer to becoming reality, TfL has since failed to secure £10 billion in funding for the project. While it’s currently unclear whether the extension is totally off the cards, it certainly is for the time being.
We haven’t any further details about when the Bakerloop might launch or how much the project may cost. We do know that the buses would be fitted with a Bakerloo-style colour scheme, matching the brown line’s moquette.
Khan has promised to bring forward the plans if he is re-elected London mayor in May. About the Bakerloop, he said:
‘The new Superloop services have been a huge success in outer London so far, and if I’m re-elected the new Bakerloop express will help Londoners get between Elephant and Castle, Old Kent Road, New Cross and Lewisham much quicker and more easily.’
The original Superloop network began its roll-out last year. The idea behind the limited-stopping bus network is that it gives London’s outer borough residents easier, cheaper and quicker ways to get around the city – without having to go in and out of the centre of town. You can find out more about the current state of the Superloop on Time Out here.
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