Central London route changes Part Three

Only a small change this time, just one route in fact!

At the end of September, the third stage of changes to the bus services in Central London took place. These changes are all part of TfL's ongoing review of bus services in London. Some of these changes are to match the present level of demand, whilst others are to facilitate the thinning out of bus numbers along Oxford Street to remove congestion, and a few route amendments associated with the imminent opening of the Crossrail Elizabeth Line.

An in-depth look at all the changes coming up can be found on the TfL consultation page here:
https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/buses/west-end-bus-changes/

The changes that took place on Saturday 30th September 2017 affected Route 23, with a knock-on implication for Route 11.


Routes 23
Route 23 was withdrawn between Liverpool Street bus station and Aldwych. The frequencies remained unchanged.
As a result of this cut-back, Route 11 was re-extended back to Liverpool Street bus station from Aldwych to maintain the Aldwych-Liverpool Street link. This route had been cut-back due to roadworks around Parliament Square.

The result of this means now that there is only one direct bus link [at a reduced frequency] between Trafalgar Square through to Bank and Liverpool Street in the City. It is a testament to the severe increase in congestion [caused by long-term roadworks and road amendment schemes] and dwindling passenger users that has meant that this change, whilst significant, will hardly be noticed.

DN33777 crosses Ludgate Circus towards Liverpool Street in June 2017.
This section of Route 23 has now been withdrawn
© Tommy Cooling



VNW32397 eases past Bank in June 2017.
This section of Route 23 has now been withdrawn
© Tommy Cooling

DNH39115 shows the "new" terminus for Route 23 on Oxford Street in October 2017.
Note that the Christmas lights are already up!
© Tommy Cooling



VWN32416 on Oxford Street showing the "new" terminus.
It would have been expected for the remaining VNWs on Route 23 to be withdrawn following the massive PVR cut but a few still survive as spares covering for the DNH refurbishment process at Westbourne Park
© Tommy Cooling

Route 11
The route had been (temporarily) cut-back to Aldwych following the ongoing roadworks around Parliament Square and Victoria. As a result of the 23's (permanent) cut-back to Aldwych, the 11 was re-extended back to its original terminus at Liverpool Street bus station maintaining the link lost by the 23.

Post by Tommy Cooling
Some of these images and more can be found on my Flickr page:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/127662272@N07/

Please do not reproduce any of my images without permission