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Londoners, meet the Bakerloop. No, it’s not a new pastry from Gails, it’s TfL’s brand new express bus route. Officially called the BL1, the service is officially set to launch this autumn as part of the ongoing Superloop expansion.
The loop’s route essentially just traces that of the proposed (and still unfunded) Bakerloo line extension we’ve all been dreaming of, zipping between Waterloo and Lewisham via Elephant & Castle, Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate. Basically, it’s an answer to that age old problem of trying to get anywhere from south-east London. Thank God.
The new route comes off the back of a public consultation, which found overwhelming support for the BL1: 82 percent of respondents said it’d be more convenient, and 79 percent reckoned it’d get them there faster. The people have spoken – and TfL listened, albeit with one tiny tweak. A planned stop in Lewisham’s Station Road has been scrapped to keep the journey swift and streamlined.
The Bakerloop is set to run every 12 minutes from Monday to Saturday, then every 15 minutes during off-peak hours and on Sundays. So, soon there’ll be no excuse not to visit those arty friends of yours who never leave New Cross.
This is the first central London route to join the Superloop network—a now fully operational system of rapid orbital buses designed to connect outer London without the faff of switching trains. And yes, we’ve already waxed lyrical about its southeast expansion here, so naturally we’re thrilled to see it taking shape.
But the Bakerloop isn’t just about getting from A to B. It’s a not-so-subtle nudge toward that long-promised Bakerloo line extension - an upgrade that Lewisham locals have been desperately campaigning for. While the Tube extension remains stalled in budgetary limbo, BL1 is here to prove that south-east London deserves better, faster transport, whether it’s underground, overground or Bakerlooping free. Yes, that’s a Wombles reference in 2025.
So, while the government and TfL keep negotiating the future of the Bakerloo line, at least one thing’s clear: the loop is coming. And this autumn, you’ll be able to hop on board.
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