Another Local Bus Ranks as London's Slowest


Number 11 'overtakes' the 14 with an average speed of just 6.4mph

The number 11 bus stuck in traffic
The number 11 bus stuck in traffic

London’s slowest bus has lost its crown – and the new route is so slow it can take up to 80 minutes to get to from Fulham to Central London.

The number 11 bus is now officially London’s slowest bus, according to the latest Transport for London (TfL) data. TfL’s most recent bus speed figures show that the average speed on the route was just 6.4mph – roughly a medium jogging pace.

The bus arrives every seven to 10 minutes and CityMapper data shows it can take up to 80 minutes to get from Fulham Town Hall to Primrose Street during rush hour. Alternative routes on the London Underground take a fraction of the time.

The London bus is currently facing delays as cranes operate close to Fulham Broadway Station and it is having to stop at Chelsea World’s End before starting again from Fulham Town Hall.

Its route starts at Fulham Broadway before passing through Chelsea to Victoria Coach Station, making it a key transport link.

It then continues to snail up to Westminster Abbey before crossing the West End. The route passes Covent Garden and heads to St Paul’s Cathedral before coming to its resting spot at Liverpool Street.

The bus narrowly edges out the number 14 bus, which travels at speeds of 6.5mph. The number 14 recently became even slower as Transport for London cut the frequency of the service to every 10 minutes.

In rush hour the bus is expected to take an hour and a half to make a short eight-mile journey. A petition has been set up by Chelsea and Fulham MP Greg Hands and Kensington and Chelsea councillors to try and make the bus more frequent.

But TfL has said cutting the bus times will help it to save costs and allow it to invest in services customers rely on.


Jacob Phillips - Local Democracy Reporter

 

March 21, 2022