London Buses route 497
London Buses route 497 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Harold Hill and Harold Wood station, it is operated by Stagecoach London.
497 | |
---|---|
Overview | |
Operator | Stagecoach London |
Garage | Romford |
Vehicle | Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC |
Peak vehicle requirement | 2 |
Night-time | No night service |
Route | |
Start | Harold Hill |
Via | Gallows Corner |
End | Harold Wood station |
Length | 3 miles (4.8 km) |
Service | |
Level | Monday to Saturday |
Frequency | Every 30-60 minutes |
Journey time | 18 minutes |
Operates | 05:40 until 00:18 |
History
The route was first proposed in a review by Transport for London published in September 2016. A two-month consultation was held in 2017.[1] It had been expected to start service in May 2019, however it was delayed.[2] It began service on 25 January 2020.[3][4] A review found that passenger numbers were insufficient for the route to be sustainable. In autumn 2021, Transport for London opened a consultation requesting opinions on if the route should be extended, or withdrawn.[5][6][7]
In March 2022, Transport for London confirmed that the Sunday service would be withdrawn in the summer and that the route would be extended to Dagnam Park Square.[8]
Current route
Route 497 operates via these primary locations:[9]
- Harold Wood station
- Gallows Corner Tesco
- Harold Hill Hilldene Avenue
- Dagnam Park Square
Operation
The route is operated at a frequency of one bus every thirty minutes during the day Monday to Saturday, and hourly in the early mornings and evenings. It does not run on Sundays.[4] It is operated by Stagecoach London using Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC buses.[3]
References
- Roach, April (13 September 2019). "TfL confirms new bus route 497 from Harold Wood to Harold Hill will be coming to the borough". Romford Recorder. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- "Elizabeth Line changes will see more cross-border cuts". Buses Magazine. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- "Over three years on … new route 497 begins". BusAndTrainUser. 25 January 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- "New bus route starts running in Harold Hill". Time 107.5 fm. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- Boyle, Caislin (8 September 2021). "Harold Wood to Harold Hill bus at risk as consultation opens on its future". Romford Recorder. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- Billson, Chantelle (19 October 2021). "Future of bus route hangs in the balance as consultation ends". Romford Recorder. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- "Are TfL about to ditch new route 497?". BusAndTrainUser. 3 October 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
- Marius, Callum (22 March 2022). "Iconic London bus route 1 saved as TfL announces service changes across capital". MyLondon. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
- "Route 497 Map". Transport for London. Retrieved 1 January 2023.