Electric express bus service connects Gants Hill to Rainham via Romford, King George and Queen’s Hospitals, with free rides available until 12 September
Transport for London is launching a new Superloop express bus route on Saturday 5 September 2026, offering free travel for the first week of operation as the capital’s growing network of fast cross-London bus services expands into north-east and east London for the first time.
The SL12 will run between Gants Hill in Redbridge and Rainham in Havering, passing through Newbury Park, Hainbridge Road, Romford, and a series of key destinations in between. TfL is offering free travel on the route from 5 September to 12 September, giving residents along the corridor an opportunity to try the service without cost.
What the SL12 Route Covers
The SL12 fills a gap in the Superloop network by creating direct express connections across north-east and east London that previously required multiple changes or significantly longer journey times.
Key connections the route provides:
- Gants Hill — Central line interchange and connections with existing Superloop route SL2
- Newbury Park — Central line interchange for journeys into central London
- Elm Park — District line interchange for south-west London connections
- Romford — Elizabeth line interchange, town centre shopping, employment, and leisure
- King George Hospital and Queen’s Hospital — Direct bus connections to both major hospitals serving east London, a route that previously lacked direct express provision
- Ferry Lane Industrial Estate — The first bus route to serve this employment area, providing access for workers and employers in a location previously unconnected to the wider bus network
The combination of Tube interchange points, hospital access, and a major employment estate gives the SL12 a more diverse purpose than a straightforward commuter route — it connects healthcare workers and patients, industrial estate employees, and residents making cross-borough journeys that have historically been slow and indirect.
Service Times and Frequency
The SL12 will operate seven days a week throughout the year:
- Operating hours: Approximately 05:30 to 00:30 daily
- Daytime frequency (Monday to Saturday): Every 12 minutes
- Evening frequency and Sundays: Every 15 minutes
The 12-minute daytime frequency places the SL12 in line with other Superloop routes and significantly above the frequency of most standard outer London bus routes, which typically operate every 15 to 20 minutes or less frequently at off-peak times.
The Fleet: New Electric Buses
The SL12 will operate exclusively with new electric, zero-emission buses — continuing TfL’s programme of deploying electric vehicles on Superloop routes as the wider bus network transitions away from diesel.
The new buses on SL12 include:
- Real-time customer information — Updated displays providing current arrival times, next stops, and service information
- Air conditioning — Passenger comfort during hot weather, relevant given London’s increasingly frequent summer heatwaves
- Device charging points at seats — USB charging for passengers travelling with mobile phones, tablets, or other devices
The air conditioning element has added practical value following the summer of 2026, during which London experienced five official heatwaves and temperatures reaching 38°C — conditions that make air-conditioned bus travel a meaningful passenger benefit rather than a luxury.
Changes to Existing Routes in Romford
To accommodate the SL12 and improve interchange arrangements in Romford town centre, a small number of stop changes will affect existing routes 86, 498, and Night Bus N86.
TfL has updated its journey planning tools — including the TfL Go app and tfl.gov.uk — to reflect the new stop locations for all affected routes. Passengers who regularly use routes 86, 498, or N86 in Romford are advised to check their usual stops before travelling after 5 September to confirm whether their boarding or alighting point has changed.
The Superloop Network: Growth and Performance
The SL12 becomes the latest addition to the Superloop network, which launched its first route in July 2023 and has expanded steadily across outer London since.
Current performance data confirms the network is generating meaningful passenger growth:
- More than 81 million trips made on Superloop routes since the network launched
- Average passenger growth across all Superloop corridors is 12 percent higher than the London bus network average — based on December 2025 figures
- The addition of SL12 brings the Superloop network’s total contribution to 9.6 million additional bus kilometres per year across the capital
These figures suggest the Superloop model — higher frequency, longer-distance express routes operating on key cross-London corridors with modern vehicles — is generating genuine additional demand rather than simply redistributing existing passengers from slower routes.
What Else Is Changing Across the Superloop Network
The SL12 launch is accompanied by several additional improvements to the existing Superloop network:
SL9 (Heathrow to Harrow) — TfL is increasing frequency at all times on this route, improving connections between Heathrow Airport and Harrow town centre throughout the day and evening.
SL2 (Walthamstow to North Woolwich) — New electric buses have already been introduced on this route, replacing older diesel vehicles.
SL7 (Heathrow to West Croydon) — Electric bus rollout is currently underway on this south-west London corridor.
SL11 (Abbey Wood to North Greenwich) — Electric buses are planned for introduction later in 2026.
Future Superloop Routes Planned
TfL has also confirmed plans for further Superloop expansion beyond the current network:
SL14 (Stratford to Chingford Hatch) — Planned to enter service during 2027, extending express bus provision into north-east London.
SL15 (Clapham Junction to Eltham) — Also planned for 2027, creating a new south London express corridor connecting two major transport hubs.
SL13 (Ealing Broadway to Hendon) — Currently under consideration following public consultation, with the outcome expected to be published later in 2026.
These additions will bring the Superloop network closer to TfL’s vision of a comprehensive orbital express bus network linking outer London’s town centres, transport hubs, and employment areas without requiring passengers to travel into central London to change routes.
Why the Superloop Matters for Outer London
The Superloop concept addresses a long-standing structural weakness in London’s public transport network — the relative difficulty of travelling between outer London destinations compared to travelling into and out of central London.
London’s Underground and rail network is largely radial, designed to move passengers between outer zones and the centre efficiently. Cross-London orbital journeys — for example, from Romford to Gants Hill, or from Heathrow to Harrow — have historically required either multiple changes or slow bus journeys on standard routes that stop frequently and cover less direct paths.
The Superloop network uses express bus services on key orbital corridors to fill this gap, providing faster connections between outer London destinations that are genuinely competitive with driving for many journeys and significantly more sustainable.
For communities along the SL12 corridor specifically — covering parts of Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, and Havering — the new route represents improved connectivity to both the Underground network and the Elizabeth line, strengthening access to employment opportunities across a much wider area of London than was previously accessible by public transport without significant journey time penalties.
