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London Buses route 242

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242
Stagecoach London Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC in Hackney
Overview
OperatorStagecoach London
GarageAsh Grove
VehicleAlexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC
Peak vehicle requirement14
Began service28 February 1998
PredecessorsRoute 22A
Route 22B
Night-timeN242
Route
StartHomerton University Hospital
ViaHackney Central
Dalston
Shoreditch
EndAldgate bus station
Length6 miles (9.7 km)
Service
LevelDaily
FrequencyAbout every 10-12 minutes
Journey time32-65 minutes
Operates05:00 until 01:27

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 Stagecoach London.

In December 1998, it became the first double-decker route in London to solely use low-floor buses. The route re-uses the number of the historic route 242 that ran between Chingford station and Potters Bar via Waltham Abbey and Cheshunt.

History

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Original route

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Early 242 bus on display (AEC S-Type) at the Regent Street Bus Cavalcade in 2014, with the original 1934 route via Waltham Abbey on destination blind

The original London bus route 242 was launched in October 1934 between Waltham Cross and Epping Forest via Waltham Abbey. Prior to 1934, the number 306 was used. In 1940 the route was extended to Cheshunt, and then to Potters Bar via Cuffley and Goffs Oak in 1941.

From the 1960s, route 242 ran between Chingford station and Potters Bar via Waltham Abbey and Cheshunt.[1][2]

Between 1958 and 1968, variant London bus route 242A ran between Upshire and Potters Bar.

Preserved 1970s double decker with Chingford-Potters Bar 242 destination blind at Potters Bar garage

In the 1990s, route 242 was handed to Metroline as a commercial operation, thereby removing it from the Transport for London network.[3] The section between Waltham Cross and Chingford station via Waltham Abbey was also withdrawn.

Today, the original route 242 is operated commercially as a non-TfL route between Waltham Cross and Potters Bar by Metroline and Central Connect, with a reduced service.

Present route

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Route 242 was introduced in February 1998 between Homerton University Hospital and Tottenham Court Road station, replacing routes 22A and 22B.[4]

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.[5][6][7]

In 2004 it became a 24-hour service with night bus route N242 services that followed the same route renumbered 242.[8] The route of the bus was criticised by London Assembly members for its use of narrow streets.[4][9]

Alexander ALX400 bodied DAF DB250 in 2009

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.[10] The diversion to Aldgate was criticised for the reduction in access to the City of London and St Bartholomew's Hospital for residents.[11][12] The reduction in service frequency was criticised for its impacts on the deprived Clapton Park Estate, an area only served by the route.[13][14]

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

Upon being re-tendered in 2002, 2009 and 2016, the route was retained by Arriva London.[16][17]

Current route

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Route 242 operates via these primary locations:[18]

References

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  1. ^ "Route 242 timetable - LT Central Bus Timetable 1967" (PDF). mjcarchive.www.idnet.com. London Transport Board. 17 July 1967. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  2. ^ Wharmby, Matthew (2016). The London DMS Bus. Pen & Sword. ISBN 978-1-4738-6945-5. OCLC 965825577.
  3. ^ "Our Country Bus Routes - Metroline". Metroline. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  4. ^ a b Hillier, Meg; Livingstone, Ken (17 February 2003). "Route 242 [written]". Mayor's Question Time. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Start of Low floor buses - a Freedom of Information request to Transport for London". WhatDoTheyKnow. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  6. ^ Beddall, David (2020). London's low-floor buses. Stroud. ISBN 978-1-3981-0120-3. OCLC 1227701030.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  7. ^ Batten, Malcolm (15 April 2019). East London Buses: The Twenty-First Century. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4456-8068-2.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ Hillier, Meg; Livingstone, Ken (9 June 2003). "242 Bus Route". Mayor's Question Time. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  10. ^ Munro, Vicky (16 April 2019). "The London bus routes TfL has decided to scrap". MyLondon. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  11. ^ "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
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ "Clapton Park, Hackney". Hidden London. Retrieved 14 August 2021. for the most part, Clapton Park remains a disadvantaged locality.
  14. ^ "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
  15. ^ Permanent Bus Changes Transport for London 15 June 2019
  16. ^ "Bus tender results - Transport for London - Route 242/N242 - award announced 06 August 2009". tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Bus tender results - Transport for London - Route 242/N242 - award announced 29 July 2016". tfl.gov.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  18. ^ Route 242 Map Transport for London
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Media related to London Buses route 242 at Wikimedia Commons

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