The new limited-stop Bakerloop bus service will begin on Saturday 27 September, Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed, with free travel for the first week advertised.
Livery for the newest Superloop service was unveiled by London Mayor Sadiq Khan as the BL1 line between Waterloo and Lewisham prepares to go live.
The express service, which will be served by battery-electric buses, will be operated by Go-Ahead London.
It will mirror the proposed, currently unfunded Bakerloo Tube line extension route, linking Elephant and Castle, Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate between the termini.
The Bakerloop buses will feature USB chargers at seats and priority-seating moquette designs, and the service will run up to every 12 minutes.
The one-week free travel offer is available to pay-as-you-go travellers.
TfL says consultation showed strong support for the proposed route, with 82% satisfied it would add to convenience and 79% feeling it would speed up journey times.
BL1 is supported by more than £5 million in Section 106 funding from Southwark Council.
It forms part of the Superloop network, which comprises 10, primarily orbital routes (SL1-SL10) with another five at various stages of planning.
Plans for the Bakerloo line underground extension are still ongoing.
Mr Khan says: “A Bakerloo line extension will take years to build, and I don’t want to wait any longer to improve transport connections for Londoners.
“That’s why I’ve introduced the Bakerloop now – a faster, greener service, building on the success of the Superloop, that delivers the links people need immediately, while showcasing just how transformative the Bakerloo line extension could be for our city and economy.
“To celebrate its launch – and after overwhelming support in our consultation – the Bakerloop will be free to use for its first week. This is a chance for Londoners to experience first-hand how this service can cut journey times, reduce pollution and transform everyday travel across our capital.”
Cllr Helen Dennis, Cabinet Member for New Homes and Sustainable Development at Southwark Council, adds: “The new Bakerloop bus service is an exciting interim step, now providing much-needed additional transport capacity for South London and the increasing numbers of people living along the Old Kent Road.
“The consultation with the local community showed that this new bus route will make life easier for those commuting now in the area but it will also highlight the urgent need to move on with the Bakerloo line upgrade and extension.
“I’m proud of the role we’ve played in helping to deliver this new service through developer contributions but our attention will not divert from the ultimate goal of seeing the Bakerloo line upgrade and extension project become a reality – with the backing of 76 per cent of residents and 89 per cent of businesses, we know this will be the key to unlocking new jobs, new homes and a £1.5 billion per year economic boost for the national economy.”
