London Buses route 242

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242
Arriva London bus DW262 (LJ59 GUA), 18 September 2010.jpg
Arriva London Wright Gemini 2 in September 2010
Overview
OperatorArriva London
GarageClapton (CT)
Peak vehicle requirement20 (February 2017)
Began serviceFebruary 1998
Predecessors22A, 22B
Night-timeN242
Route
StartHomerton University Hospital
ViaHackney Central station
Dalston Junction station
Shoreditch High Street station
EndAldgate bus station
Service
LevelDaily

London Buses route 242 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Homerton University Hospital and Aldgate bus station, it is operated by Arriva London. In December 1998, it became the first double-decker route in London to solely use low-floor buses.

History[]

Alexander ALX400 bodied DAF DB250 in 2009

Route 242 was introduced in February 1998 between Homerton University Hospital and Tottenham Court Road station, replacing routes 22A and 22B.[1]

In December 1998, the introduction of Alexander ALX400 bodied DAF DB250 buses on the route made it the first double-decker route in London to solely use accessible, low-floor buses.[2][3][4]

In 2004 it became a 24-hour service with night bus route N242 services that followed the same route renumbered 242.[5] The route of the bus was criticised by London Assembly members for its use of narrow streets.[1][6]

In 2017, the route was diverted to terminate at St Paul's, before being cut back on 15 June 2019 to Aldgate bus station with a service frequency reduction.[7] The diversion to Aldgate was criticised for the reduction in access to the City of London and St Bartholomew's Hospital for residents.[8][9] The reduction in service frequency was criticised for its impacts on the deprived Clapton Park Estate, an area only served by the route.[10][11]

The night route continues to serve Tottenham Court Road station, and from 15 June 2019 was renumbered route N242.[12]

Upon being re-tendered in 2002, 2009 and 2016, the route was retained by Arriva London.[13][14]

Current route[]

Route 242 operates via these primary locations:[15]

Previous use[]

The historic route 242 ran between Potters Bar and Waltham Abbey, operated by London Transport.[16][17] Following privatisation in the late 1980s, the route is now run by Metroline as a commercial operation, as the route is outside of the Transport for London area.[18]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Hillier, Meg; Livingstone, Ken (17 February 2003). "Route 242 [written]". Mayor's Question Time. Retrieved 13 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "Start of Low floor buses - a Freedom of Information request to Transport for London". WhatDoTheyKnow. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  3. ^ Beddall, David (2020). London's low-floor buses. Stroud. ISBN 978-1-3981-0120-3. OCLC 1227701030.
  4. ^ Batten, Malcolm (15 April 2019). East London Buses: The Twenty-First Century. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4456-8068-2.
  5. ^ "Corporation of London to benefit as Mayor unveils £10bn investment programme to transform London's transport network". Transport for London. 12 October 2004. Retrieved 13 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Hillier, Meg; Livingstone, Ken (9 June 2003). "242 Bus Route". Mayor's Question Time. Retrieved 14 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Munro, Vicky (16 April 2019). "The London bus routes TfL has decided to scrap". MyLondon. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Central London Bus Services Review Appendix I: Kingsland Road (Routes 67, 149 & 242)" (PDF). Transport for London. April 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2021. Concern proposed changes will make it harder to access hospitals, especially St Bart's{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ Alwakeel, Ramzy (16 August 2018). "48 could be cut altogether under plans to reduce or remove dozens of bus routes across London". Hackney Gazette. Retrieved 14 August 2021. The worst affected will be left with no direct route to London Bridge or the City.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ "Clapton Park, Hackney". Hidden London. Retrieved 14 August 2021. for the most part, Clapton Park remains a disadvantaged locality.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Central London Bus Services Review Appendix I: Kingsland Road (Routes 67, 149 & 242)" (PDF). Transport for London. April 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2021. Route 242 is the only route serving the Clapton Park Estate in King's Park ward, an area with a high level of deprivation{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ Permanent Bus Changes Transport for London 15 June 2019
  13. ^ "Bus tender results - Transport for London - Route 242/N242 - award announced 06 August 2009". tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "Bus tender results - Transport for London - Route 242/N242 - award announced 29 July 2016". tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ Route 242 Map Transport for London
  16. ^ "Route 242 timetable - LT Central Bus Timetable 1967" (PDF). mjcarchive.www.idnet.com. London Transport Board. 17 July 1967. Retrieved 14 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ Wharmby, Matthew (2016). The London DMS Bus. Pen & Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-6945-5. OCLC 965825577.
  18. ^ "Our Country Bus Routes - Metroline". Metroline. Retrieved 13 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links[]

Media related to London Buses route 242 at Wikimedia Commons

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