Sadiq Khan reveals plans for new 'Bakerloop' bus route

Evening Standard

Lewisham is all set to join the Superloop network after Transport for London launched a consultation into a fast bus to follow the route of the planned Bakerloo Line extension.The BL1 “Bakerloop” bus would run between Waterloo and Lewisham via the Old Kent Road. On the way, it would stop at the Elephant & Castle, Burgess Park, Ilderton Road and New Cross Gate, roughly following where the planned Tube route would stop. It would serve the same stops as route 21 in Lewisham town centre.

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00:00We already have the Superloop and now we're getting the Bakerloop.

00:08TfL has launched consultation on Sir Sadiq Khan's latest express bus and this one will

00:14mirror the Bakerloo line extension and go between Waterloo and Lewisham.

00:19What we're doing with the Bakerloop bus service, consulting today, a six-week consultation

00:26and if people are supportive of the idea, a Bakerloop service would be an express service.

00:31So yes, there are different buses that run along the Old Kent Road that go from Waterloo

00:36through Elephant Castle all the way to Lewisham through Burgess Park and Lewisham Town Centre.

00:41This would be a fast, quick Bakerloop but also what it does, really importantly, is

00:47it's a precursor potentially to the Bakerloop line extending south.

00:51Almost if you're a developer thinking about building new homes, you can have the confidence

00:56that there's going to be infrastructure there.

00:58So this could be the precursor to more jobs, more homes and regeneration.

01:03The Bakerloo line extension would cost a fortune though, isn't this almost a way of doing it

01:08on the cheap and therefore it would actually take away the argument for the Bakerloo line

01:12extension because you say, let's just have a fast Superloop bus instead, that does it

01:16at a fraction of the cost.

01:18It's the opposite.

01:19It shows the DFT and the Treasury that we in London have put our money where our mouth

01:23is by investing in a Bakerloop.

01:25I want to thank Southwark Council who have contributed financially, and also Lewisham

01:29Council for their support.

01:32What it does is show there is a demand for extending the Bakerloop line south, which

01:36doesn't cost a fortune because actually the money is returned in terms of increased council

01:41tax for the new homes, the money is returned in relation to the new money through new businesses,

01:45through business rates and corporation tax.

01:47The money returned in terms of regeneration bears huge dividends.

01:51The Superloop network was launched back in the summer of 2023 as an alternative to drivers

01:57being forced from their cars by the US expansion.

02:00There are currently nine routes, but a 10th Superloop route will launch in April on the

02:05same day as the Silvertown tunnel opens.

02:08That will be the SL4 Superloop, which will take people from Grove Park up to Canary Wharf

02:13and back.

02:14In addition to the Bakerloop or BL1 just behind me, which should launch around autumn time,

02:19there will be two other Superloop routes.

02:21They will be the SLE Liban, which will run between Abbeywood and North Greenwich, and

02:27the SL12 between Raynham and Gants Hill.

02:30The big question though is, will these Superloop buses get stuck in traffic like other conventional

02:36London buses?

02:37TfL knows that delays are the biggest disincentive to getting Londoners back on the bus, and

02:43the average bus speed in London has fallen below 10 miles an hour.

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