Sadiq Khan has been urged to do more to improve public transport for people travelling within and between outer London boroughs, as the capital's Superloop express bus network grows more slowly than first promised.
Keith Prince, a Reform UK member of the London Assembly who sits on its transport committee, credited City Hall with increasing the capital's passenger capacity in recent years, particularly with the Elizabeth line. But he said it remains too difficult to travel between different parts of outer London by public transport.
"The challenge now, and what the Mayor has tried to do with the Superloop, is boost connectivity," he said.
Where Walthamstow fits in
The Superloop, first proposed in 2008 under Boris Johnson, is intended to connect town centres and transport hubs across outer London. There are now 12 operational routes, including one launched between Gants Hill and Rainham earlier this month, with three more in the pipeline.
However, the Enfield Dispatch revealed in July that TfL had dropped plans for a Superloop route between Barnet and Stratford via Enfield Town, Chingford and Walthamstow.
Khan pledged during the 2024 City Hall election campaign to double the number of Superloop services from 10 to 20. Current plans would take the total to 15.
Alternatives on the table
Mr Prince suggested two more ambitious options: an orbital Superloop following the route of the North Circular, and an express bus along the M25. Citing his own borough of Havering, he said the new SL12 Superloop route does not go far enough to solve connectivity problems.
He argued that without the services people need, they will keep using their cars, and that restrictions on driving lead to more pollution rather than fewer car journeys.
TfL's response
A TfL spokesperson said: "We are committed to providing a comprehensive, reliable bus service across the breadth of London and keep the network under constant review."
The spokesperson said the mayor had previously outlined plans for further Superloop routes and that TfL continues to look at implementing them. On the M25 proposal, TfL said a multi-lane motorway with a national speed limit would not be suitable for scheduled bus services.
