London Buses route 152

152
Overview
Operator Abellio London
Garage Beddington Cross (BC)
Route
Start New Malden
Via Raynes Park
Wimbledon
Colliers Wood
Mitcham
End Pollards Hill
Length 8 miles (13 km)
Service
Level Daily

London Buses route 152 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between New Malden and Pollards Hill, it is operated by Abellio London.

History

Route 152 originally commenced operating from Mitcham Cricket Green to Kingston via Colliers Wood, South Wimbledon, Raynes Park, New Malden, Tolworth, Hook, and Surbiton. On 27 May 1936, it was diverted at Hook to Hampton Court Station via Hinchley Wood.

On 27 June 1951, it was extended from Hampton Court to Feltham station via Teddington, with Kingston Garage gaining an allocation in addition to the existing Merton Garage allocation. The route reverted to sole operation by Merton Garage from 9 May 1962.

Notably, on 24 January 1970, the route was diverted at Scilly Isles to Esher in lieu of Feltham. From the same date, the service was converted from RT operation to One Person Operation using single-deck AEC Merlins. From 18 May 1974, the service reverted to double-deck operation using Daimler Fleetlines.

From 27 September 1980, the route was diverted at Tolworth to Surbiton Station instead of Hampton Court, leaving the section of route to Hampton Court unserved except for some school journeys renumbered 152A. Under the major service cuts of 4 September 1982, single-deck operation returned to the route using Leyland Nationals.

The route was included in the first batch of London bus services to be put out to competitive tender under the provisions of the London Regional Transport Act 1984. The route was retained by London Buses with operation from Merton Garage, the contract commencing from 13 July 1985.

On 27 June 1987, route 152 was withdrawn between Surbiton and New Malden, diverting instead via rroute 131 to Kingston. On 26 November 1988, operation transferred to Sutton Garage as part of the 'Sutton Bus' local tender unit, but operation gradually moved back to Merton Garage.

From 30 November 1991, with Merton Garage resuming full control from this date, the route was converted to single-deck midibus operation using Optare MetroRiders. This change was made in order to facilitate an extension of the route to Pollards Hill via Eastfields Estate, an area long-deprived of a bus service and beyond the remit of larger vehicles due to roadwidth restrictions, one of the factors in earlier proposals such as the re-routing of route 118 being shelved.

On 30 November 1996, the route was converted to low floor operation with Dennis Darts.

Upon being re-tendered, the route passed to Mitcham Belle on 1 December 2001. Route 152 was included in the 27 August 2004 sale of Mitcham Belle's Transport for London bus contracts to Centra.[1]

Upon being re-tendered, route 152 passed to Travel London's Beddington Cross Garage.[2] It was originally scheduled to commence on 2 December 2006, but following Centra ceasing to trade on 22 April 2006, this was brough forward.

Route 152 was included in the 21 May 2009 sale of Travel London to Abellio London.[3][4][5] Abellio London commenced a further contract on 3 December 2011.[6]

Current route

References

  1. ↑ Tfl announces new entrant to London bus market Transport for London 27 August 2004
  2. ↑ Bus tender results Route 152 Transport for London 9 February 2006
  3. ↑ National Express Group plc agreement to sell Travel London National Express Group 21 May 2009
  4. ↑ NatEx sells London bus business Bus & Coach Professional 22 May 2009
  5. ↑ NedRailways acquisition reinforces long term commitment to UK transport market NedRailways 9 June 2009
  6. ↑ Bus tender results Route 152 Transport for London 17 March 2011

External links

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