London Buses route 242

History

Original route

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

Between 1958 and 1968, variant London bus route 242A ran between Upshire and Potters Bar.[[File:Au Morandarte Flickr IMG 8128 (14413665049).jpg|thumb|Preserved 1970s double decker with Chingford-Potters Bar 242 destination blind at Potters Bar garage|left]]In the 1990s, route 242 was handed to Metroline as a commercial operation, thereby removing it from the Transport for London network. The section between Waltham Cross and Chingford station via Waltham Abbey was also withdrawn.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

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

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.

In 2004 it became a 24-hour service with night bus route N242 services that followed the same route renumbered 242. The route of the bus was criticised by London Assembly members for its use of narrow streets.[[File:Arriva London North DLA112 T312 FGN.JPG|thumb|[[Alexander ALX400]] bodied [[VDL DB250|DAF DB250]] in 2009|left]]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. The diversion to Aldgate was criticised for the reduction in access to the City of London and St Bartholomew's Hospital for residents. The reduction in service frequency was criticised for its impacts on the deprived Clapton Park Estate, an area only served by the route.

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

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

Current route

Route 242 operates via these primary locations:

• Homerton University Hospital
• Clapton Square
• Hackney Central station
• Dalston Junction station
• Haggerston station
• Hoxton station
• Shoreditch High Street station
• Aldgate East station
• Aldgate bus station

References

References

1. (17 July 1967). "Route 242 timetable - LT Central Bus Timetable 1967". [[London Transport Board]].
2. Wharmby, Matthew. (2016). "The London DMS Bus". [[Pen & Sword]].
3. "Our Country Bus Routes - Metroline".
4. (2003-02-17). "Route 242 [written]".
5. (2013-12-02). "Start of Low floor buses - a Freedom of Information request to Transport for London".
6. Beddall, David. (2020). "London's low-floor buses".
7. Batten, Malcolm. (2019-04-15). "East London Buses: The Twenty-First Century". [[Amberley Publishing]].
8. (12 October 2004). "Corporation of London to benefit as Mayor unveils £10bn investment programme to transform London's transport network".
9. (2003-06-09). "242 Bus Route".
10. Munro, Vicky. (2019-04-16). "The London bus routes TfL has decided to scrap".
11. (April 2019). "Central London Bus Services Review Appendix I: Kingsland Road (Routes 67, 149 & 242)".
12. Alwakeel, Ramzy. (2018-08-16). "48 could be cut altogether under plans to reduce or remove dozens of bus routes across London".
13. "Clapton Park, Hackney".
14. (April 2019). "Central London Bus Services Review Appendix I: Kingsland Road (Routes 67, 149 & 242)".
15. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190616160526/https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/permanent-bus-changes Permanent Bus Changes] Transport for London 15 June 2019
16. "Bus tender results - Transport for London - Route 242/N242 - award announced 06 August 2009".
17. "Bus tender results - Transport for London - Route 242/N242 - award announced 29 July 2016".
18. [https://www.tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/242 Route 242 Map] Transport for London