Bexley residents who rely on overnight bus services will soon see a change as Transport for London (TfL) replaces the SL11 with the N472 night bus route. The decision was revealed at the Transport Users' Sub-Committee meeting on 16 October 2025, where TfL presented a summary of their responses to the council's comments on the SL11 consultation.
While the SL11 Superloop route will provide quicker journey times between North Greenwich and Abbey Wood, it will not operate overnight (approximately midnight to 5am). To maintain service during these hours, TfL will introduce the N472, which will serve all bus stops currently served by route 472. The N472 will be a night-only route, ensuring continuous service for those who depend on it during these hours.
TfL's decision to proceed with the changes as originally proposed in the consultation reflects their commitment to balancing efficient service with overnight accessibility. The council had recommended that the SL11 be provided in addition to the 472 service, but TfL concluded that retaining the 472 while introducing the SL11 would provide too much capacity and would not represent good value for money.
In response to the council's feedback, TfL stated that bus stops used by the SL11 will meet the same standards as routes used by other Superloop routes. For a Superloop stop or shelter to have Real Time Information installed, the stop/shelter has to meet certain criteria, including serving 25,000 or more customers per annum. They would also need to ensure the location has a power supply and that there were no other physical restrictions to prevent installation.
TfL has committed to monitoring bus services in the area, including route SL11, as part of their continual review of the London bus network. The London bus network is dynamic, and passenger demand and journey patterns are kept under continual review across the network. Frequency on the SL11 will also be kept under review and considered for increases subject to demand. TfL's London bus performance data uses bus network performance statistics and customer feedback. This information can be viewed on their website and covers information about performance, bus speeds, factors affecting performance and customer satisfaction.
The Transport for London (TfL) Updates report provided to the Transport Users’ Sub-Committee included a summary of TfL's responses to comments made by the Council on the SL11 Consultation, plus TfL's planned next steps.