Transport for London has said it is working to get more modern buses on its new flagship Superloop route through southeast London as soon as possible.
The limited-stop SL11 began operating on January 24, three days after a press launch in which selected outlets and social media influencers were invited to join London’s mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, to ride the new route’s specially-branded buses between North Greenwich and Abbey Wood.
But when the public got to use the new service on the first day, most found themselves on some of the oldest vehicles on the network, with the operator, Go-Ahead, using 16-year-old plain red double-deckers.
The buses were branded “life-expired” by one industry commentator, Roger French, the former managing director of the Brighton & Hove bus company. He wrote on his Bus and Train User blog, which documents new services around the country, that the buses “must be ready for downgrading to school work somewhere or even a new life in Cornwall”.
“You don’t usually launch a high-profile new bus route with your oldest buses which have seen better days,” he added.
The Greenwich Wire understands that many of the buses that were meant to be running on the SL11 – refurbished New Routemasters owned by TfL – were deemed not fit for service after being kept in storage following withdrawal from another Superloop service, the SL3, in May last year.
TfL would not confirm how long the “Boris buses” had been in storage for, or who was meant to take responsibility for making sure they were roadworthy. When asked it also declined to confirm whether or not the buses had failed MoT tests.
While TfL would not give a date for when the elderly buses would finally be retired from the SL11, it said the newer vehicles would be in service as soon as possible. At 3.30pm on Wednesday, of the 14 buses out on the road, only five were New Routemasters, according to a tracking map.
A spokesperson told The Greenwich Wire: “Alongside the operator, Go Ahead, we are working hard to get as many of the intended vehicles on the route as soon as possible. Safety is our top priority and all buses on this route have gone through rigorous safety inspections. We hope that customers will enjoy the new service, and we look forward to making it even better in the future.”
The SL11 was the first Superloop bus not to be an addition to the network, instead replacing the all-stops 472, resulting in a reduction in service for passengers in some parts of Charlton, Woolwich and Thamesmead, skipping shops serving major supermarkets and new housing developments.
TfL advised passengers to take other services along the route, but one such route – the 229 from Thamesmead to Queen Mary’s Hospital – was cut from six to five buses an hour on the same day the SL11 was introduced.
TfL would not comment on rumours that another service – the 486 from Bexleyheath to North Greenwich – would suffer a similar reduction later this month.
According to the respected London Bus Routes website, which tracks changes to the network, a new contract to run the route will begin on February 21. While new electric double-deckers will be used, just 13 buses will operate the new contract rather than 14 as now.
TfL has not confirmed any changes. It said: “TfL regularly reviews bus services to match capacity closer to demand and increase reliability. As is standard procedure, customers and stakeholders will be notified in due course ahead of any bus frequency changes.”
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