London Buses route 55

History

The route number 55 came from tram 55, replaced by trolleybus 555, which had run between Old Street and Hackney.

In 1990, the section of the route that linked Leyton and Oxford Circus was withdrawn. It was reinstated in 1997 after a campaign by Waltham Forest residents.

On 13 October 2001 conductors were reintroduced on route 55, using standard two door double deckers that were previously one person operated. The vehicles employed generally had bell pushes that would only ding once reducing the effectiveness of the second crew member. The trial was short lived and not extended to other routes.

Stagecoach London successfully retained route 55 with a new contract starting on 27 February 2010 and a further contract starting on 28 February 2015.

New Routemasters were introduced on 28 February 2015. The rear platform remains closed at all times except for when the bus is at bus stops. On 12 October 2019, route 55 was extended to Walthamstow bus station after the withdrawal of route 48.

In 2021, the maximum frequency of the service was reduced from 11 buses per hour to 9.

Current route

Route 55 operates via these primary locations:

• Oxford Circus station
• Tottenham Court Road station
• Holborn Bloomsbury Square
• Clerkenwell
• Old Street station
• Hoxton station
• Cambridge Heath station
• Hackney Central station
• Hackney Downs station
• Clapton Pond
• Lea Bridge station
• Leyton Bakers Arms
• Walthamstow bus station *for Walthamstow Central station *

References

References

1. Craig, Zoe. (15 September 2016). "How Do London's Buses Get Their Numbers?". Londonist.
2. (30 November 2016). "Campaign hails bus and bike safety record on 'congested' Lea Bridge Road after no accidents since 2005". East London and West Sussex Guardian.
3. "Leaflet; Two heads are better than one, re-introduction of conductors to route 55, issued 13 October 2001".
4. [https://tfl.gov.uk/forms/13796.aspx?btID=593 2010 Bus Tender Result] Transport For London
5. [https://tfl.gov.uk/forms/13796.aspx?btID=1172 2015 Bus Tender Result] Transport For London
6. (26 January 2015). "Route 55 and 15 to be served by New Routemaster buses".
7. [https://web.archive.org/web/20191007082408/https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/permanent-bus-changes Permanent Bus Changes] Transport for London
8. Munro, Vicky. (2019-04-16). "The London bus routes TfL has decided to scrap".
9. Mortimer, Josiah. (2021-12-21). "The 41 London bus routes that have quietly been cut in 2021".
10. "Route 55 Map". [[Transport for London]].