NEW SUPERLOOP SL12 TO TRANSFORM HAVERING BUS TRAVEL — AND IT’S FREE FOR A WEEK!
Havering is set to get a major public transport boost from Saturday 5 September as the brand-new SL12 Superloop service launches, connecting Gants Hill, Romford, Elm Park and Rainham with faster links to hospitals, Tube stations, the Elizabeth line and thousands of jobs.
The new express bus service marks the first expansion of the Superloop network into Havering and will create new direct connections across north-east and east London.
And there is even better news for residents — SL12 journeys will be free for pay-as-you-go passengers for the first week after launch.
The service will run between approximately 5.30am and 12.30am every day, with buses every 12 minutes during the daytime from Monday to Saturday and every 15 minutes during evenings and all day Sunday.
The new route will provide quicker access to Romford for shopping, jobs, leisure and connections with the Elizabeth line.
It will also link residents with the District line at Elm Park and the Central line at Newbury Park, while Gants Hill will provide access to the Central line and connections with Superloop route SL2.
Perhaps one of the biggest changes for Havering residents will be the new direct links to King George’s Hospital and Queen’s Hospital.
The service will also enter the Ferry Lane Industrial Estate for the first time, providing a bus connection for an area home to more than 600 businesses and thousands of jobs.
The new buses will be fully electric and zero emission, with air conditioning, improved real-time passenger information and charging points at seats.
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.”
He added:
“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 Mayor said the success of Superloop was one of his proudest achievements and that he would continue looking at ways to improve London’s bus network.
TfL’s Director of Buses, Lorna Murphy, said the new service would provide a “sustainable, accessible transport link” for residents across the area.
The Superloop network has already seen more than 81 million journeys since it was introduced, with figures from December 2025 showing passenger numbers across Superloop corridors were on average 12 per cent higher than the network average.
For Rainham, however, the new route could have a particularly significant impact.
Ilker Dervish, Chairman of London Riverside BID, said businesses in Ferry Lane had been lobbying for better public transport for many years.
“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.”
He welcomed the new route and said it would help connect local residents with employment opportunities.
Margaret Mullane, MP for Dagenham and Rainham, also welcomed the announcement.
She 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.”
She also highlighted the importance of transport infrastructure keeping pace with housing development.
“Delivering infrastructure alongside new homes is key to ensuring new and existing communities can thrive.”
And for residents wanting to try out the new service, the first week could be the perfect opportunity.
The SL12 launches on Saturday 5 September — and pay-as-you-go passengers can travel for FREE during its first week.
There will also be changes to where routes 86, 498 and Night Bus N86 stop in Romford town centre to accommodate the new service and make interchanges easier.
TfL’s journey-planning tools have been updated with the new stops and changes.
And the Superloop expansion isn’t stopping with SL12.
Further routes are planned, including SL14 between Stratford and Chingford Hatch and SL15 between Clapham Junction and Eltham, which are currently planned for 2027.
For Havering, though, the arrival of SL12 represents something residents have been asking for for years:
better connections across the borough, easier access to hospitals and employment, and a new public transport link into Ferry Lane.
Now residents have the chance to try it for themselves — completely free for the first week.
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Kudos to Mayor Khan.
The GLA have listened to Havering residents and delivered on their wishes.
This is another example of things we’d lose if we pursued that idiotic ‘Hexit’ idea.