please empty your brain below
Amazing less buses in London, recently I had to travel to Toting Bec by bus from the Elephant & Castle and the trip was so slow due to the 20 mph speed limits on the roads.

Robert Kirchner | 29.11.25 - 7:06 a.m. | #

I love your bus route change diagrams, they make the changes so much easier to understand.

Mikey C | 29.11.25 - 7:42 a.m. | #

15 years ago it would have been unthinkable to have Seven Sisters Road served by the 259 alone. Indeed, until 1998 the full length of the proposed 259 was served as part both the 259 (Holborn Circus - Ponders End) and the 279 (Holloway - Waltham X). Demand for buses towards Tottenham at Manor House filled every bus that left from about 5 til 7. I moved out of the area a few years ago and patterns of travel and activity were already changing, I can imagine that has only continued since. The two primary schools either side of the 259-freehold bit 7SR have closed down due to low roll numbers.

Nico | 29.11.25 - 8:15 a.m. | #

How many riders used the X68 before it was Superlooped into the SL 10?

dg writes: The X68 became the SL6

Petras409 | 29.11.25 - 8:39 a.m. | #

I note the current arrangement for route 38 is to have extra 'short' buses operate between roughly 6am and 7pm every 10 minutes between Victoria and Hackney (not as far as Clapton). Source - londonbusroutes website.

These are disappearing and overall I expect costs are being cut, even though the 10 number is coming into use. There will be a dramatic reduction in journeys numbered 38 and also a reduction in 19s

Former 38 user | 29.11.25 - 8:51 a.m. | #

According to the LHRG books, the 19 was introduced on 21st July 1906, it ran between Highbury Barn and Clapham Junction, and was extended to Finsbury Park on 16th March 1927, the Bassom stuff resulted in it being the 19D with a summer Sunday 119.

Considering its limited times of operation, could the SL6 usage be considered good given that the SL5 operates approx 19.5 hours out of 24, 7 days a week.

In terms of passenger numbers, the pre-Covid levels show no sign of returning, but going through the history of 'London Transport' there have always been highs and lows, I think that the economy and London is in the downturn.

Still Anon | 29.11.25 - 9:05 a.m. | #

The 349 change sounds like the one proposed before by TfL as part of the huge list of mostly central London changes a few years ago, mostly shelved then.

The 349 was introduced when bendibuses were put on the 149, presumably as it would have been difficult to turn them in Ponders End Garage forecourt and there was money then for an overlapping route.

Your comment about the 19 and 38 shortening sounding like sacrilege could slso apply to the 279 not going down Seven Sisters Road any more.

The 149, 259 and 279 are all the successors to the orginal tram routes 49, 59 and 79 (and later trolleybuses 649, 659, 679) from Waltham Cross to Liverpool Street, Holborn, Smithfield respectively.

But long routes are fairly hopeless in today's traffic and the 259 and 279 have already been shortened over the years and the 279 ran in overlapping section at one time.

Chris Atkins | 29.11.25 - 10:39 a.m. | #

I think the SL4 figures have a lot to do with it being free at the moment - I get the bus between Lee and Blackheath at least twice a week and I'll let 202s pass and get the SL4 for free as long as I don't have to wait more than 10 mins extra.

On the flip side, I have to go through the Blackwall tunnel each way at least once a week too, so like to think the free rides on the SL4 make up for that.

The lord giveth and the lord taketh away......

Jay | 29.11.25 - 10:47 a.m. | #

Interesting to note that the SL8 and SL9 are effectively static in passenger count, but the SL7 is up by double digits over the two year span. What was the frequency of the 8 and 9? I know the big change around these parts was the SL7 going from 2 an hour to four, making it effectively a turn up and go service.

Chz | 29.11.25 - 2:48 p.m. | #

Is there a simple way of including a column in your superloop table showing pax/PVR (number of buses used) to give a fairer ranking in relation to the resource deployed?

Al | 29.11.25 - 10:10 p.m. | #

pax/PVR

SL8: 22,767÷21 = 1084
SL9: 13,085÷13 = 1007
SL10: 9,677÷13 = 744
SL1: 7,339÷11 = 667
SL2: 9,443÷16 = 590
SL7: 11,228÷21 = 535
SL3: 7,120÷15 = 475
SL5: 4,680÷10 = 468
SL4: 8,300÷18 = 461
SL6: 1,629÷10 = 163

So the SL8 and SL9 are the most efficient use of resources (over 1000 passengers per vehicle per day) and the rush-hour only SL6 is the least efficient (just 160 passengers per vehicle per day).

The SL4 being 9th suggests that the new (free) Silvertown Tunnel route isn't being well used given the considerable resource thrown at it.

diamond geezer | Homepage | 30.11.25 - 8:09 a.m. | #

Did the report include an all London bus ranking by ridership?

dg writes: no

MilesT | 30.11.25 - 9:09 a.m. | #

TfL seem to be jumping the gun on the 38 change. I would've expected something like this to happen post opening of crossrail 2, as that will parallel the current 38 to all its most important destinations. TfL seem to have a foible for upheaval and changing central London termini of long standing routes.

I'm not particularly keen on either change as I have a close connection to both areas . But only because of the numbering. A 79 service Waltham Cross to Finsbury Park goes way back to the 1910s (as does a 59). The Stamford Hill service has always been been a 49 variant. There, I think it would cause less confusion to withdraw a 279 service and keep the 349 number.

On the 19/38 changes, again I think the choice of route number is the problem. Battersea served by a 19 since 1908. Finsbury Park 'only' since 1924. Victoria served by a 38 since 1912. Hackney 'only' since 1968. The proposed numbers should be jigged around. New 10 remains 19, 38 covers the proposed 19 to Finsbury Park and 10 for the Clapton > Holborn service.

Steve | Homepage | 30.11.25 - 9:32 a.m. | #











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