Route X26 will be known as the SL7 from Saturday 19 August
"The  Superloop will be a gamechanger for travel around outer London, delivering quicker links between transport hubs, town centres, schools and hospitals."
Sadiq Khan
The Mayor of London
  • The route connects communities between Heathrow Central and West Croydon and will boost public transport options for people travelling in the area
  • From tomorrow, the SL7 will double in frequency to one bus every 15 minutes
  • The SL7 will be the third route to become part of the Superloop express bus network
  • And from Saturday 26 August, customers will benefit from a number of other improvements to bus routes in outer London, including the introduction of new night bus services every day of the week 

Customers using the Route X26 between Heathrow Central and West Croydon will see this bus renumbered to SL7 from tomorrow (Saturday 19 August) offering customers an instantly recognisable express bus service between west and south London. In March, the Mayor announced plans for the Superloop, a transformative network of express bus services in outer London to strengthen and improve public transport options to maximise the benefits of the London-wide ULEZ expansion.

The SL7 will double in frequency to one bus every 15 minutes instead of every 30 minutes providing more frequent public transport options for those travelling to and from Heathrow Airport. Other improvements to follow on many of the buses include improved customer information, USB charging and luggage racks. Buses on the SL7 route will call at the same stops, with some of the bus stop names changing to better reflect their locations, such as Wood Street, which will now become Kingston Wood Street.

On 15 July, the first bus route to become part the network, running from Uxbridge and White City, was renumbered SL8 and rebranded as a Superloop service. From tomorrow, the timetable will be extended to provide more early morning and evening buses.

More than 95 per cent of Londoners live within 400 metres of a bus stop, and thanks to the Mayor's Hopper fare, customers can take unlimited journeys within an hour for just £1.75.

The Mayor of London and TfL are committed to enhancing the bus network and supporting more Londoners to travel more sustainably. The Superloop network is a major expansion of outer London's network circling London and connecting town centres, hospitals, schools and transport hubs. Supported by funding provided by the Mayor, the Superloop is a key part of his commitment to improving the bus network in outer London and could add more than four million additional bus kilometres to London's bus network. Last month, as he welcomed the first Superloop bus to the road, the Mayor confirmed that the full loop will be complete by Spring 2024, subject to consultation and with the exception of route SL4 which will start when the Silvertown tunnel opens in 2025.

This is complimented by the wider work that TfL is doing to enhance outer London's bus network. From Saturday 26 August, customers in outer London will also be able to take advantage of other improved bus services including: 

  • Route 123 will now be a 24-hour service, seven-days-a-week travelling between Wood Green Station and Ilford
  • Route 158 will now be a 24-hour service, seven-days-a-week travelling between Stratford Bus Station and Chingford Mount
  • Route 86 travelling between Stratford Bus Station and Romford Station will see its frequency increased on Sundays. It will run every 8-9 minutes instead of every 10 minutes during the day
  • Route 141 travelling between London Bridge and Palmers Green will see its frequency increased at certain times. It will run every 10 minutes instead of every 12 minutes in the evening every day of the week, and all day on Sundays buses will be running every 10 minutes instead of every 12 minutes.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "The  Superloop will be a gamechanger for travel around outer London, delivering quicker links between transport hubs, town centres, schools and hospitals. Last month, we launched the first Superloop buses to our roads, and from today, even more Londoners will benefit from a doubling in Superloop journeys between Heathrow Central and West Croydon. These new services will provide Londoners with even stronger alternatives to private car use, and help us to build a better, greener London for everyone."

Louise Cheeseman, Director of Buses at TfL, said: "We are very pleased to be able to offer the newly branded SL7 to our customers travelling between Heathrow and Croydon with a more frequent service. Customers should start looking out for it in their local area and the upgraded frequency will make it even easier for people to travel using public transport. Buses remain the most accessible, available and affordable form of public transport connecting outer London's network to town centres, hospitals, schools and transport hubs."

David Cutts, Go-Ahead London's Managing Director, said: "The SL7 is a welcome addition to the bus network and it joins a growing number of Superloop express services offering a value for money alternative to private transport. SL7 users will benefit from an improved timetable that doubles in frequency and, over the coming months, an enhanced journey experience as USB chargers are fitted to buses."

Tim Leech, Head of Surface Access Strategy at Heathrow, said: "Bus routes are vital for thousands of colleagues and passengers travelling to Heathrow. We welcome the Superloop service that will provide quicker connections and deliver vital connectivity in outer London."

In July, TfL launched route SL8, the very first route to carry the Superloop branding, followed by route SL6 which runs between West Croydon and Russell Square. From 26 August, X140 will become the SL9 offering an instantly recognisable express bus service between Heathrow and Harrow and bringing the number of Superloop routes in operation to four. TfL is currently consulting on proposed Superloop services which would connect Walthamstow and North Woolwich, Thamesmead and Bromley, and Bromley and Croydon. For more information about the proposed Superloop express bus network, please visit: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/superloop  

Notes to editors

  • The SL7 service connects Heathrow Central (serving Terminals 2 and 3) to West Croydon and will run every 15 minutes. Buses will now start at 04:15 from Croydon and the last bus from Heathrow will now depart at 00:40
  • Customers have been informed of the changes with branded posters and timetables being placed at bus stops and bus stations plus updated spider maps. Regular users of the routes have received two emails ahead of the changes taking place
  • SL7 bus stop name changes are as follows:
  • North Cheam/Queen Victoria to North Cheam/London Road
  • New Malden/The Fountain to New Malden/Kingston Road
  • New Malden/The Fountain to New Malden/Fountain Roundabout
  • Wood Street to Kingston/Wood Street
  • SL7 will serve the newly transformed Kingston Cromwell Road bus station once work has been completed. Work will begin from 28 August until summer 2024. Buses will not stop in the bus station while work is carried out and customers are reminded to plan ahead
  • Routes 123 and 158 were suspended in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic. However, following a review of both routes and demand levels on all days of the week, a night service will now run every day of the week. Buses will run every 30 minutes throughout the night, between the times of the current last and first buses, offering connections with the Night Tube service at weekends and other Night Bus services throughout the week. Both routes will continue to serve the same stops and frequencies at other times will not change
  • Route 86 will run every 8-9 minutes instead of every 10 minutes during the day on Sundays. There are no changes to the frequency at any other time or first and last buses on any day of the week
  • Route 141 will have its evening frequency increased on all days of the week running every 10 minutes instead of every 12 minutes. Buses will also run more frequently all day on Sunday with buses running every 10 minutes instead of every 12 minutes. There will be changes to the times of the first buses on Sundays with services running earlier. There are no changes to the frequency at any other time
  • TfL keeps the bus network under constant review to ensure service levels are in line with demand and will monitor these changes once they have been introduced. The flexible nature of the bus network means changes can be made at relatively short notice if required. Customers of the affected routes will be notified by email ahead of the changes and bus stop publicity will be updated. Customers are encouraged to check their journeys using the planning tools on TfL's website or the TfL Go app
  • TfL continues to deliver the Bus Action Plan, which aims to increase the number of customers choosing to travel by bus across London by making bus travel better, faster and greener