Transport for London (TfL) is set to expand its Superloop express bus network into Havering for the first time, with a new service linking Gants Hill, Romford, Elm Park and Rainham from
Saturday, 5 September.
The new SL12 route will provide faster and more direct connections across north-east and east London, including links to major transport hubs, hospitals, employment areas and shopping destinations. To mark its launch, pay-as-you-go passengers will be able to travel free on the service during its first week.
The route will be operated by a fleet of new fully electric, zero-emission buses. The vehicles will feature air conditioning, improved real-time travel information and charging points for passengers' devices.
TfL's Director of Buses, Lorna Murphy, said the new service represented another step in expanding the Superloop network across the capital.
“We're thrilled to be able to deliver yet another Superloop express bus service for Londoners, with services on the game-changing network now expanding into Havering for the first time.”
The SL12 is designed to improve access to Romford, providing connections for people travelling to the area's shops, workplaces and leisure facilities, as well as onward journeys on the Elizabeth line.
Passengers will also gain connections to the District line at Elm Park and the Central line at Newbury Park. At Gants Hill, the new service will connect with the Central line and Superloop's SL2 route.
The route will also offer direct bus services to King George Hospital and Queen's Hospital. In another first, buses will enter the Ferry Lane Industrial Estate, bringing public bus services directly into the employment area and making it easier for workers and businesses to access the network.
TfL said the latest expansion builds on the growing popularity of Superloop, with more than 81 million journeys recorded across the network since its launch.
The wider impact of the network has also been reflected in passenger growth. Figures published in December 2025 showed that passenger numbers across Superloop corridors, including parallel routes, had increased by an average of 12 per cent compared with the wider London bus network.
The addition of SL12 will contribute around 9.6 million bus kilometres a year to London's public transport system.
The new service will run every day from approximately 5.30am until 12.30am. Buses will operate every 12 minutes during the daytime from Monday to Saturday, while evening services and Sunday operations will run every 15 minutes.
The introduction of SL12 will require a limited number of changes to bus stops used by routes 86, 498 and night bus N86 in Romford town centre. TfL has updated its journey-planning tools with information on the new route and the affected stops so passengers can check their journeys before travelling.
The expansion comes as TfL continues to develop the wider Superloop network. The frequency of SL9, which runs between Heathrow and Harrow, is also being increased, while new electric buses have been introduced on SL2 between Walthamstow and North Woolwich.
Electric vehicles are also being rolled out on SL7, connecting Heathrow with West Croydon, with electric buses planned for SL11 between Abbey Wood and North Greenwich later this year.
TfL has further Superloop expansion in the pipeline. Routes SL14, linking Stratford with Chingford Hatch, and SL15, connecting Clapham Junction with Eltham, are currently planned for launch in 2027.
Meanwhile, TfL is considering feedback from its consultation on proposed route SL13 between Ealing Broadway and Hendon. The final decision on that service is expected to be announced separately.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "Our Superloop network has been a gamechanger for bus travel in outer London, offering quicker, more convenient journeys around the capital. I'm delighted that our latest Superloop express route, SL12, will now be connecting communities in Gants Hill and Rainham and providing faster links between town centres, railway stations and hospitals.
"TfL will be offering a week of free travel on the new Superloop service from 5 September, giving Londoners the chance to try the SL12 for themselves and transform their everyday journeys.
"The success of the Superloop is one of my proudest achievements as Mayor, and I'll continue to explore how we can keep improving London's bus network and build a better, fairer London for everyone."
Lorna Murphy, TfL's Director of Buses, said: "We're thrilled to be able to deliver yet another Superloop express bus service for Londoners, with services on the game-changing network now expanding into Havering for the first time. The SL12 will boost travel and journey times in northeast and east London, taking people across the area to local shops and amenities and onwards to fast and convenient Elizabeth line and Tube connections at Romford, Newbury Park, Elm Park and Gants Hill. We're also excited to be able to offer customers free journeys on the SL12 for the first week and I'd encourage everyone in the area to try out this new, sustainable, accessible transport link."
Ilker Dervish, Chairman, London Riverside BID, said: "The London Riverside BID has been lobbying for many years for improved transport into Rainham's employment zone, which accommodates over 600 businesses and thousands of jobs. On behalf of the businesses in Ferry Lane, we welcome the introduction of the new route. It will greatly help to connect local residence to jobs, and we look forward to continuing to work with TfL to bring yet more transport solutions to all of the BID."
Margaret Mullane, MP for Dagenham and Rainham, said: "This is good news for constituents across the Havering part of my constituency. Finally providing a much-needed link for people to get to work at Ferry Lane, improving access to both King George's Hospital and Queen's for residents across the piece, and filling the transport gap whilst we wait for Beam Park station to be delivered. It's also great to see that the new route will be free for the first week. Delivering infrastructure alongside new homes is key to ensuring new and existing communities can thrive. I look forward to trying the SL12 myself in the coming weeks!". Photo by Jack's Transport Photos, Wikimedia commons.
