TfL announce new bus routes

WEST London will be getting four new bus routes by the end of the year, including two connecting Acton and two more ways to reach Heathrow.

A spokesman for TFL said there were no launch dates yet, but all four routes would be operating by the end of the year.

A London transport watchdog has welcomed the new routes, particularly as they will relieve pressure on the often-disrupted 266 service between Brent Cross and Hammersmith.

The new route numbers are:

■■278 from Ruislip to Heathrow

Starting at Ruislip Underground Station, this route will run north up the High Street, before turning onto Ickenham Road.

It will continue onto Long Lane, before turning left onto Uxbridge Road and right onto Church Road. As it approaches Hayes and Harlington Station, it will turn onto High Street and continue onto Bath Road, terminating at Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3.

■■218 from Hammersmith to North Acton

Starting in Hammersmith, the new route will go up King Street before turning right onto Paddenswick Road.

It will then travel north up Askew Road, before turning left onto The Vale.

From there it will travel onto the High Street, turn right up Twyford Avenue, travel up Noel Road, turn onto Eastfields Road, and terminate at North Acton Station.

■■306 from Acton to Sands End

Starting close to Acton Central Underground Station, this route will travel east along The Vale.

The 306 will then turn right down Askew Road, go down Paddenswick Road, and along Glenthorne Road. The route will then travel down Hammersmith Road, before turning onto North End and continuing onto Fulham and Sands End.

■■X140 from Harrow to Heathrow

Starting in the north, this route will run from Harrow-on-the-Hill Station, down Northolt Road and Mandeville Road before joining Church Road.

From there it will continue down Yeading Lane, Coldharbour Lane and join Bath Road. It will also terminate at Heathrow’s Terminal 2 and 3.

Overall, London Travel Watch has welcomed the new routes.

Operations manager Richard Freeston-Clough said at present the 266 is one of the most unreliable routes and therefore welcomed the new routes that partially replace it.

He said: “Generally this is positive as the new routes should hopefully help reduce congestion and improve reliability.”

Mr Freeston-Clough said all the new routes will serve the new Crossrail stations at Hayes and Harlington and Acton mainline and the X140 is a good addition as an orbital express service to and from Heathrow.

“The only downside is that some through journeys will be affected as the 266 is being curtailed and some people will have to change bus if they want to continue their journey,” he said.

Route 266 currently runs between Brent Cross and Hammersmith serving Cricklewood, Willesden, Harlesden, Old Oak Common, North Acton, Acton High Street, Askew Road and Hammersmith.

The 266 is currently a 24-hour orbital route, but suffers from poor reliability due to it running through a number of congested areas.

The route would be restructured to run between Brent Cross and Acton and would no longer connect to Hammersmith.

At night the N266 would be unchanged and continue to operate between Brent Cross Shopping Centre and Acton High Street.

TFL says the new routes will help achieve the mayor’s ambition of 80% of trips made by bicycle, on foot or by public transport by 2041.

Geoff Hobbs, director of public service planning at TfL, said: “We are committed to improving and growing the bus network in outer London and introducing more convenient routes to help our customers connect to key local amenities more easily.”