207
Abellio London Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC at White City bus station in April 2023
Overview
OperatorAbellio London
GarageArmstrong Way
VehicleAlexander Dennis Enviro400
Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC
Alexander Dennis Enviro400H MMC
Peak vehicle requirement29
Night-timeNight Bus N207
Route
StartHayes bypass
ViaSouthall
Ealing Hospital
Hanwell
West Ealing
Ealing Broadway
Ealing Common
Acton
EndWhite City bus station
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London Buses route 207 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Hayes bypass and White City bus station, it is operated by Abellio London.

It has a limited stop equivalent route; SL8.

History

Daimler Fleetline (right) at Uxbridge bus station in June 1976
First London Mercedes-Benz O530G in Shepherd's Bush in June 2009

Route 207 originates from London United Tramways route 7 which ran between Uxbridge and Shepherd's Bush Green.[1] In 1936, this route was replaced by a trolleybus route 607 which ran until 1960. Route 207 was introduced on 9 November 1960 as part of the trolleybus replacement program stage 8, replacing trolleybus route 607 between Uxbridge and Shepherd's Bush Green, using AEC Routemasters. The route was converted to crew operated Daimler Fleetlines in 1976, reverted to Routemasters in 1980 due to unreliability. One man operation followed in 1987 using MCW Metrobuses. In 1990 limited stops route 607 began, paralleling route 207.[2]

The route, which runs along the entire length of the Uxbridge Road, was operated as two overlapping sections in the late 1990s, with a peak vehicle requirement of 35 double-deckers.[3] The proposed West London Tram paralleled much of the 207.[4]

Low floor buses replaced the MCW Metrobuses in 2001, along with six articulated buses which were on trial on the route for six months, running between Hayes bypass and Shepherd's Bush Green, from First London's Greenford garage. The trial was a success and on 9 April 2005 the route was split into two sections; the Hayes bypass to Shepherd's Bush Green section retained the number 207 and was converted to single deck articulated bus operation with Mercedes-Benz O530Gs. The section between Uxbridge and Acton was renumbered 427 using Dennis Trident 2s. A new base opened at Hayes for the 207; the Uxbridge and Acton allocations were withdrawn.[5]

In October and November 2004 the route was found to have the highest level of police callouts of any service in London.[6] Fare evasion following the conversion to bendy bus operation is also perceived to be a problem by local transport user group EPTUG.[7]

Route 207 was extended from Shepherd's Bush Green to White City bus station when Westfield London opened in November 2008.[8][9] A month earlier, passengers' organisation London TravelWatch had claimed that the route carried more passengers than any other route in Europe, although this was disputed by some commentators.[10] In 2009 it was announced by new Mayor of London Boris Johnson that articulated buses would be replaced by the end of 2011; it was initially expected that the 207 would be converted to rigid single-deck operation.[7]

In February 2011, Transport for London confirmed that the route would be converted to double-deck vehicles in December 2011, and that the frequency of the route would be increased. Similar changes were planned for night bus variant N207. The proposals were criticised by local Liberal Democrat politicians for failing to increase the seating capacity of the route while increasing the number of vehicles on the Uxbridge Road.[11]

On 10 December 2011, route 207 was converted back to double deck using Scania OmniCity double deckers. It was the last bus route in London to be operated by articulated buses.[12]

On 22 June 2013, route 207 was included in the sale of First London's Hayes garage to Metroline.[13][14][15]

Route 207 was London's fifth busiest bus route with 12.9 million passengers in 2015/16.[16] The route passed to Abellio London on 6 April 2019.[17]

Current route

Route 207 operates via these primary locations:[18]

References

  1. ↑ Craig, Zoe (15 September 2016). "How Do London's Buses Get Their Numbers?". Londonist.
  2. ↑ Aldridge, John (November 1999). "Low-floor double-deckers flood in". Buses. Ian Allan Publishing (536): 14.
  3. ↑ European Transport Conference: Uxbridge Road bus priority demonstration project
  4. ↑ Lydall, Ross (8 October 2004). "Rough ride for tram line". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012.
  5. ↑ Aldridge, John (June 2009). "Artics run at last on the 207". Buses. Ian Allan Publishing (603): 19.
  6. ↑ Lydall, Ross (25 January 2005). "Capital's most dangerous bus routes". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 25 December 2009.
  7. 1 2 Kubiak, Paloma (24 June 2009). "Ealing's bendy buses to disappear by 2011". Ealing Gazette.
  8. ↑ Westfield London - Bus Routes and Directions
  9. ↑ New White City bus station will cater for 10,000 passengers a day Transport for London 25 November 2008
  10. ↑ Aldridge, John (November 2008). "London TravelWatch says artic replacement will cost £48 million a year". Buses. Ian Allan Publishing (644): 20.
  11. ↑ Burns, Greg (8 February 2011). "Lib Dems hit out at 207 bus service increases". Fulham Chronicle.
  12. ↑ Bendy bus makes final journey for Transport for London BBC News 10 November 2011
  13. ↑ FirstGroup Announces Sale of Eight London Bus Depots Archived 5 November 2013 at the Wayback Machine FirstGroup 9 April 2013
  14. ↑ Aberdeen firm FirstGroup sells off depots for £80m BBC News 9 April 2013
  15. ↑ First quits London bus business Archived 7 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine Bus & Coach Professional 9 April 2013
  16. ↑ https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/bus-service-usage.xlsx
  17. ↑ "Metrobus and Abellio gain TfL contracts" Coach & Bus Week issue 1351 17 July 2018 page 7
  18. ↑ Route 207 Map Transport for London

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