What To Expect This Month (November 2016)

Unfortunately, this will be the last post until mid-December, as I have more important things to deal with before returning to the bus blogging scene. However, this post should outline what will be going on in the next month and it should allow you to enjoy the bus network as much as possible this Autumn, even if you can't read brand new posts from my blog (I know it's going to be hard!).

Unfortunately, there are some areas you will need to avoid this November, unless you don't mind sitting in traffic for hours on end. The first of these is London Bridge/West Bermondsey (if that's what you call it), because Tower Bridge has been closed since October  and the whole area is full of traffic  at rush hour. Pedestrians can walk across on the left-hand side of the bridge, apart from on the 26th and 27th of November and the 3rd/4th/10th/11th of December, where a free cross-river ferry service will be provided. The bridge reopens on New Years Eve, thankfully.

If you do need to travel to this area, then I strongly suggest you take the underground to the closest tube station and walk, it really is worth it. The Northern and Jubilee Lines serve London Bridge (a short walk from the Southern side of Tower Bridge), as well as National Rail services provided by Thameslink, Southern Railway and Southeastern. For destinations North of the river, the District and Circle Lines serve Tower Hill, which is right next to Tower Bridge. The Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan Lines serve Aldgate East and Aldgate respectively, in case you need to reach these areas.

Lots of bus routes travelling through the area are currently delayed (so if the service has been unreliable lately, you know why!), these include the 15, 40, RV1, 100, 115, 254, 135, 205, 344, 381, 21, 35, 40, 133, 343, C10, 1, 188, 42, 78,  17, 47, 48, 141, 149 and 521. The following routes are curtailed or on diversion due to the road closure:

• Route 42 is only running between East Dulwich Sainsbury's and City Hall, not serving Aldgate or Liverpool Street. Passengers wishing to travel to these areas should alight at the last stop and walk straight up Tower Bridge and through to Aldgate and Liverpool Street (please use google maps if you need specific directions), or change at Bricklayer's Arms and use bus route 78 towards Liverpool Street, making use of your hopper fare.
• Route RV1 (Covent Garden-Tower Gateway) is currently on diversion due to the works, not serving Tooley Street, City Hall or Tower Bridge. Passengers wishing to travel to Tooley Street and City Hall should alight at London Bridge and walk the rest of the way.  The route is using London Bridge and Great Tower Street to reach Tower Hill Station, where it terminates. This is round the corner from Tower Gateway and the bus stop for heading Westbound is literally opposite the Tower Of London. 
• Route 78 has been curtailed to Liverpool Street Station and is on diversion between Grange Road and Aldgate, not serving City Hall or Shoreditch. The route is travelling through Bricklayer's Arms, Borough, London Bridge and Fenchurch Street before reaching Aldgate. Passengers wishing to travel to City Hall should alight at Grange Road/Caledonian Market and walk up Tower Bridge Road until you reach your destination. Please use google maps for specific directions. Passengers for Liverpool Street Station and Shoreditch should alight the 78 at London Bridge and change for routes 35, 48, or 149 to reach your destination (the 344 and 133 take you to Liverpool Street but not Shoreditch). Even though the 78 is still serving Liverpool Street, it is MUCH quicker to change at London Bridge, as this way you bypass Aldgate, saving around 15 minutes journey time. With the new hopper fare, it will still cost the same amount of money!
• Route 47 has been curtailed to City Hall, not serving London Bridge, Liverpool Street or Shoreditch. Passengers wishing to travel to Liverpool Street and Shoreditch should alight at the last stop, walk up Tower Bridge and Minories to Aldgate and catch a 135 or 205 bus to your destination. Passengers wishing to travel to London Bridge should also alight at the last stop, but walk up Tooley Street instead of turning right onto Tower Bridge.

One of the affected routes is the 381.

For a map showing all of the bus diversions, then please click here. If you need more information on the closure then please visit https://tfl.gov.uk/status-updates/major-works-and-events/tower-bridge-closure and hopefully you will be able to find what you need.



The other major road closure is in Upper Holloway, on the A1, whilst the London Overground bridge is replaced. Bus routes using this section of road are either being turned short of their normal destination, or being diverted via Tufnell Park Road and Junction Road. A temporary shuttle bus is in place, running between Upper Holloway Station and Holloway Road, Odeon Cinema free of charge.

If you need to travel to somewhere along the section of Holloway Road that is closed, I suggest you alight your normal bus service at either Holloway Nags Head (if you're heading Northbound on a 17, 43, 271 or N41) or at Archway Station (if you're heading Southbound on a 43, 263, 271 or N41). Until 24th December, the road is closed heading Southbound only, apart from on the weekends of the 19th/20th and 26th/27th of November, where a full closure takes place. Buses will be diverted heading Southbound only (routes 43, 271 and N41) From 25th December-16th January, the road is closed in both directions. Buses will be diverted heading both ways. The free shuttle service will be running throughout the closure.

Go-Ahead London SE147 works the free shuttle service between Upper Holloway and Nags Head (almost).

• Route 43 is on diversion between Archway Station and Holloway Road Station, via Junction Road and Tufnell Park Road. As mitigation for the delays caused by the diversion, the 43 is only running between Friern Barnet and Moorgate Finsbury Square, not serving Bank or London Bridge. Passengers wishing to travel to these areas should change buses at Moorgate and catch a 141, which serves all the stops the 43 is currently missing out. In most cases, you should be able to use the hopper fare on the 141, meaning you get the second journey for free! However, if you are travelling from Friern Barnet and Muswell Hill you might be better off walking between Moorgate and Bank/London Bridge if you need to save money, as the journey time between the two areas and Moorgate is unfortunately over 60 minutes, unless you're travelling early in the morning or late at night.
• Route 271 is on diversion between Archway Station and Holloway Road Station, via Junction Road and Tufnell Park Road. As mitigation for the delays caused by the diversion, route 271 is only running between Highgate Village and Old Street Station, not serving Moorgate Finsbury Square. If you need to visit Moorgate, just walk from Old Street, as it really isn't that far. However, if you need to use the bus routes 21 and 141 will take you there from the same stop as the 271 at Old Street. You can also use the hopper fare here, meaning you get to ride the second bus for free!
• Route 17 is only running between London Bridge and Holloway Nags Head, not serving the rest of Holloway Road and Archway. Passengers wishing to travel to these areas should alight the 17 at the last stop and walk the rest of the way, or use temporary route 563 to reach your final destination.
• Route 263 is only running between Barnet Hospital and Archway, not serving Holloway Road or Highbury & Islington. Passengers wishing to travel to these areas should alight at Archway Station and transfer to bus routes 43 and 271, which will take you to all stops the 263 used to serve after Holloway Nags Head. If your destination is between Upper Holloway and Nags Head, then you should walk to your final destination after Archway Station down Holloway Road.
• Temporary route 563 is running between Upper Holloway Station and Holloway, Odeon Cinema free of charge, at a frequency of every 10 minutes. It takes 3 minutes end to end and doesn't actually serve Nags Head Shopping Centre itself, but it is only a few minutes down the road from the last stop. You can catch it from all the existing stops on Holloway Road (Tufnell Park Road, Manor Gardens, Alexander Road, Wedmore Street) and the temporary dolly stops by Upper Holloway Station.  

If you need more information on the closure of the A1, then please click here for a link to the TFL help page, where you should be able to find what you need. Thankfully, there aren't any other long-term road closures, because if there were even more bus routes would be disrupted!

For all of you hardcore bus enthusiasts, here are some of the key changes taking place over the next 4 weeks:

• Route 307 (Barnet Hospital-Brimsdown) will start running on Friday and Saturday nights, in conjunction with the introduction of night tube services on the Northern Line. A connection can be made at High Barnet Station.(18th November)
• Route 319 (Sloane Square-Streatham Hill, Telford Avenue) will start running on Friday and Saturday nights, in conjunction with the introduction of night tube services on the Northern Line. (18th November). A connection can be made at Tooting Bec Station.
• Route 436 will no longer serve Victoria, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch and Paddington. The route will be diverted from Vauxhall to Battersea Park Station, via Nine Elms Lane. Route 36 (running between Queen's Park and New Cross Gate) will have its frequency increased in the peak hours to compensate. (19th November)
• Route 452 will be extended from Wandsworth Road Station to Vauxhall Bus Station. (19th November)
• Route W19 (Walthamstow, Argall Avenue-Ilford, Hainault Street) will be awarded to CT Plus (originally Go-Ahead London) with brand new Enviro 200 "classic" buses. (19th November)
• Route H20 (Hounslow, Civic Centre-Ivybridge Tesco) retained by Abellio London with new Enviro 200 MMC buses. (19th November)
• Route 152 (Pollards Hill-New Malden, Fountain Roundabout) will be awarded to Go-Ahead London (previously Abellio London) with existing buses from route 42 or D8. The allocation is still not decided at present. (3rd December)
• Route 157 (Morden-Crystal Palace) will be awarded to Arriva London (originally Abellio London) with existing Enviro 400 buses from route W3. (3rd December)
• Route 413 (Morden-Sutton, Bushey Road) will be awarded to Quality Line (formally Go-Ahead London) with new Mercedes Citaro K vehicles. (3rd December)

That's all the new stuff you can cover whilst I'm away for this month. Short New Routemasters are gradually being introduced on route 13, the 74, 430 and 1 are converting to Gemini 3 operation and the 63/363 are receiving new MCV EvoSeti's and Enviro 400 MMC's at present. Hopefully I will be able to catch up on all the service changes eventually, even if it is after the Christmas holidays! For now, please stay safe and enjoy yourselves during my month of absence. Farewell readers!