The Funding Challenges Preventing the Original Launch Dates for the New Tube for London (2024 Stock) for the Bakerloo, Central, Piccadilly, and Waterloo & City Lines

A review of historical and recent Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosures outlines the development and subsequent changes to Transport for London's (TfL) plans for upgrading its deep-level Underground lines. What was originally structured as a coordinated programme across four lines has faced adjustments due to changing financial structures, funding constraints, and macroeconomic factors.

Transport for London publishes Preliminary market engagement notice for the Bakerloo line upgrade

I’ve been scrolling through the UK Government’s Find a Tender website. It caught my eye that Transport for London (TfL) has published a preliminary market engagement (PME) notice for the Bakerloo Line upgrade.

Text from UK Government Find a Tender:

Transport for London Reveals Usage and Revenue for Bakerloop BL1 Bus Route

Transport for London (TfL) has revealed the usage and costs of the Bakerloop BL1 express bus service, which runs parallel to the proposed London Underground Bakerloo line extension.

Request ID: FOI-3475-2526
Date published: 09 January 2026

Transport for London to launch Bakerloop BL1 express bus route on 27 September 2025 with free travel for first week

Bakerloop Bus
TfL Image

It has been revealed that TfL will be launching the Bakerloop BL1 route from Elephant & Castle to Lewisham. The service will be operated by Go-Ahead London, who won the bid to run the route at £4,931,033 per annum using existing electric buses. The service will be free to use for the first week after its launch.

TfL press release:

London Bus Tender Awards: Route 149 to Continue Using New Routemasters, New Electric Buses for Route 275, and Go-Ahead London Central Wins Bakerloop Express BL1 Contract – Launching in September 2025

 

Bakerloop BL1 Bus - TfL Image

In this special London Bus Tender Awards update, it has been revealed that Arriva London has retained route 149 and will continue to operate three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemasters.

The Bakerloop Express BL1 route, part of the Superloop network, has been awarded to Go-Ahead London Central, who will introduce electric buses. The service is expected to launch on 27 September 2025.

Consultation for the Bakerloop BL1 is Now Open!

Map of the proposed Bakerloop BL1 - TfL Image

Transport for London has opened the consultation for the Bakerloop BL1, which is proposed to run from Waterloo to Lewisham town centre via Elephant & Castle. TfL is beginning to fulfill the Mayor's manifesto commitment to expand the Superloop express bus services.

#TfL has launched a consultation on the ‘Bakerloop’ express bus, linking areas from Waterloo to Lewisham via Elephant & Castle. The new route, building on the #Superloop, aims to improve travel in south-east #London. Feedback is open until 14 March 2025. tfl-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/bakerlo...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 31, 2025 at 4:20 PM

BL1 – Proposed express bus route between Waterloo and Lewisham town centre

The BL1 Bakerloop would run:

• Seven days a week
• Operating between 05:00 and 00:30 (it would not operate through the night)
• Every 12 minutes during the daytime from Monday to Saturday
• Every 15 minutes in the evenings and on Sundays

TfL Releases Update on Potential Bakerloo Line Extension to Hayes (Bromley)

Map of the proposed Bakerloo line extension to Hayes (Bromley)
© TfL

I discovered on the Transport for London (TfL) website a Freedom of Information (FOI) request that caught my attention. It relates to the Bakerloo Line extension to Hayes (Bromley), a proposal from 2014.

Request ID: FOI-2774-2425
Date published: 24 December 2024

Consultation report for the Bakerloo Line Extension and London Bus tender awards

First of all, the full report for the Bakerloo Line consultation is out. This is a brief follow up to my previous article.

From TfL consultations

Results Updated 31 Jul 2017

We recently consulted on proposals to extend the Bakerloo line beyond Elephant & Castle to Lewisham, serving Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate. Thank you to those who took part.

Consultation on Bakerloo Line Extension

This is hot off the wire as TFL is currently proposing an extension for the Bakerloo Underground line.

From TFL Consultations

We are proposing to extend the Bakerloo line beyond Elephant & Castle to Lewisham, serving Old Kent Road and New Cross Gate, and would like to hear your views.