Superloop Expansion Rejected for Two South London Boroughs
Transport hopes have been dashed for residents in Sutton and Merton after London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared there is currently "no further need" for Superloop express bus routes in these South London boroughs. This statement comes despite ongoing concerns about limited access to rapid transit services in both areas.
Political Backlash Over Transport Neglect
The Mayor's position has drawn sharp criticism from local politicians who argue that transport infrastructure in these outer London boroughs remains inadequate. Sutton and Cheam's Liberal Democrat MP Luke Taylor challenged the claim directly, suggesting the Mayor "might change his mind" if he attempted to travel from Morden to North Cheam or from Sutton town centre to South Wimbledon.
Conservative London Assembly Member Neil Garratt went further, stating that Sutton has the worst public transport of any London borough. "The London Mayor seems to spend half his time telling people here to stop using their car, and the other half confirming he has no plans to extend the Tram, the Overground, or anything else into Sutton," Garratt told reporters.
Question Time Exchange Reveals Policy Stance
The controversy emerged following a question from Labour London Assembly Member Elly Baker during Mayor's Question Time on February 26. Baker specifically asked what work Transport for London (TfL) had undertaken to review bus services in Merton and Sutton against planning criteria to assess whether introducing express services like the Superloop would be appropriate.
In his formal response published on March 3, Mayor Khan acknowledged that TfL continuously reviews the bus network across the capital, including the viability of new Superloop routes. However, he confirmed there was no current requirement for additional feasible Superloop routes alongside existing local services in these boroughs.
Existing Services and Alternative Proposals
The Mayor pointed to the existing Superloop SL7 route that already serves Sutton, noting that many parts of neighboring Merton are accessible either on foot or via local bus connections to this service. He highlighted that the frequency of the SL7 was doubled in summer 2023 to four buses per hour.
Despite this, MP Luke Taylor identified specific corridors that would benefit from express bus services:
- The A217 between North Cheam and Morden
- Rose Hill between Sutton and St Helier
- A potential route from the new London Cancer Hub in Belmont to Sutton Town Centre and South Wimbledon
Taylor advocated for a "Bakerloop-style express route" similar to the Superloop connection that serves Lewisham, New Cross Gate and Old Kent Road, arguing this could deliver significant benefits at much lower cost than rail extensions.
Transport Accessibility Concerns
Taylor referenced TfL's WebCat 3.0 tool, which identifies large areas of North Cheam, Worcester Park, Stonecot, Belmont and South Cheam where public transport connections remain limited. These areas all receive PTAL (Public Transport Accessibility Level) ratings of 1a, indicating poor access to the transport network on a scale where 6b represents excellent connectivity.
The MP noted that in February 2020, TfL identified sufficient demand to develop the Sutton Tramlink project to a preferred option, but found the cost prohibitive. He suggested express bus services could provide a more affordable alternative to improve connectivity.
Mayor's Office Defends Transport Investment
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London defended the administration's record, stating: "The Mayor remains committed to making it easier for even more people to choose sustainable and affordable modes of transport in outer London. The London Borough of Sutton has benefited from millions of pounds in transport investment in recent years."
The spokesperson highlighted several achievements since 2016 including the Barking Riverside extension, the new Elizabeth line, and the orbital Superloop network that is already having significant impact in outer London. They also noted that bus and Tram fares have been frozen for the seventh consecutive time as a cost-of-living measure funded by City Hall.
Despite these investments, the debate over adequate transport connections in Sutton and Merton continues, with local politicians maintaining that more needs to be done to address what they describe as long-standing neglect of these boroughs' transport infrastructure.
