London Bus Route Usage 2022/2023

[Trafalgax]

Tfl have released the Bus Route Usage Data for 2022/2023.


tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/buses-performance-data

Top 30 Busiest Routes (rounded)

1. Route 18 - 12.63 million (=)
2  Route 149 - 12.03 million (=)
3. Route 29 - 11.25 million (=)
4  Route 25 - 10.46 million (+1)
5. Route 86 - 10.08 million (+1)
6. Route 5 - 9.98 million (-2)
7. Route 36 - 9.77 million (=)
8. Route 279 - 9.58 million (+2)
9. Route 243 - 9.50 million (+1)
10. Route 207 - 9.36 million (-2)
11. Route 35 - 9.13 million (+1)
12. Route 53 - 8.68 million (+2)
13. Route 109 - 8.61 million (-2)
14. Route 55 - 8.60 million (-2)
15. Route 141 - 8.38 million (=)
16. Route 183 - 8.34 million (+3)
17. Route 38 - 8.27 million (=)
18. Route 185 - 8.23 million (+3)
19. Route 43 - 8.12 million (-3)
20. Route 158 - 8.02 million (+2)
21. Route 182 - 7.90 million (-1)
22. Route 140 - 7.59 million (+1)
23. Route 65 - 7.56 million (+7)
24. Route 93 - 7.51 million (new)
25. Route 254 - 7.43 million (-7)
26. Route 453 - 7.41 million (-2)
27. Route 205 - 7.41 million (new)
28. Route 133 - 7.41 million (-1)
29. Route 21 - 7.21 million (-1)
30. Route 98 - 7.13 million (new)


Top 30 Usage per Bus km Operated (rounded):


1. Route W7 - 8.54 (+4)
2. Route 149 - 8.27 (+1)
3. Route 238 - 8.08 (-1)
4. Route 35 - 7.73 (+5)
5. Route 29 - 7.71 (+1)
6. Route 98 - 7.59 (+2)
7. Route 41 - 7.28 (=)
8. Route 109 - 7.09 (+2)
9. Route 58 - 6.89 (+2)
10. Route 69 - 6.83 (+2)
11. Route 18 - 6.79 (+2)
12. Route 25 - 6.73 (+2)
13. Route 205 - 6.71 (+16)
14. Route 104 - 6.68 (-9)
15. Route 94 - 6.56 (new)
16. Route 115 - 6.54 (=)
17. Route 330 - 6.53 (-17)
18. Route 16 - 6.52 (+5)
19. Route 44 - 6.51 (+6)
20. Route 243 - 6.46 (=)
21. Route 220 - 6.44 (-4)
22. Route 133 - 6.42 (+4)
23. Route 141 - 6.36 (+4)
24. Route 279 - 6.36 (-9)
25. Route 147 - 6.26 (-6)
26. Route 120 - 6.26 (new)
27. Route 36 - 6.20 (new)
28. Route 254 - 6.19 (=)
29. Route 250 - 6.19 (+1)
30. Route 253 - 6.13 (-8)


Top 30 Busiest Night Routes (rounded)

1. Route N15 - 1.34 million (=)
2. Route N25 - 961,000 (+1)
3. Route N29 - 917,000 (-1)
4. Route N18 - 890,000 (+1)
5. Route N207 - 863,000 (-1)
6. Route N279 - 707,000 (=)
7. Route N9 - 700,000 (=)
8. Route N8 - 657,000 (=)
9. Route N98 - 581,000 (=)
10. Route N87 - 571,000 (+1)
12. Route N38 - 510,000 (=)
13. Route N140 - 489,000 (+3)
14. Route N155 - 478,000 (-4)
15. Route N205 - 436,000 (-1)
15. Route N1 - 423,000 (=)
16. Route (N)243 - 411,000 (-3)
17. Route (N)35 - 403,000 (=)
18. Route (N)149 - 370,000 (+2)
19. Route N73 - 356,000 (+11)
20. Route N253 - 350,000 (+1)
21. Route N133 - 346,000 (+2)
22. Route N68 - 344,000 (-4)
23. Route N109 - 330,000  (+4)
24. Route (N)453 - 329,000 (-2)
25. Route N63 - 328,000 (-6)
26. Route (N)14 - 327,000 (-2)
27. Route N136 - 327,000 (new)
28. Route N26 - 326,000 (=)
29. Route N16 - 309,000 (new)
30. Route N2 - 309,000 (new)


Top 30 Usage per Night Bus km Operated (rounded):


1. Route (N)35 - 4.03 (=)
2. Route (N)149 - 3.35 (=)
3. Route (N)238 - 3.23 (+3)
4. Route N205 - 3.22 (-1)
5. Route N109 - 2.78 (+6)
5. Route (N)453 - 2.72 (+2)
6. Route N279 - 2.71 (-1)
7. Route (N)243 - 2.65 (-3)
8. Route N18 - 2.64 (+1)
9. Route (N)69 - 2.62 (+5)
10. Route N25 - 2.58 (+3)
11. Route (N)12 - 2.54 (-1)
12. Route N140 - 2.46 (new)
13. Route N253 - 2.39 (+3)
14. Route N207 - 2.37 (-2)
15. Route N63 - 2.37 (=)
16. Route N133 - 2.36 (+5)
17. Route N9 - 2.36 (+3)
18. Route N155 - 2.32 (-10)
19. Route N2 - 2.31 (=)
20. Route N15 - 2.31 (-2)
21. Route (N)105 - 2.31 (new)
22. Route N250 - 2.29 (+7)
23. Route (N)36 - 2.28 (+3)
24. Route (N)176 - 2.23 (=)
25. Route N38 - 2.18 (-3)
26. Route N29 - 2.15 (-9)
27. Route (N)390 - 2.13 (new)
28. Route N171 - 2.07 (new)
29. Route N16 - 2.07 (-4)
30. Route (N)344 - 2.06 (new)


Top 30 Busiest Single Decker Routes (rounded)

1. Route 235 - 4.60 million (=)
2. Route 170 - 4.16 million (=)
3. Route 316 - 4.00 million (+3)
4. Route 195 - 3.96 million (+1)
5. Route C10 - 3.96 million (-2)
6. Route W15 - 3.89 million (-2)
7. Route 214 - 3.65 million (+4)
8. Route 366 - 3.63 million (+5)
9. Route 276 - 3.62 million (-2)
10. Route 358 - 3.49 million (=)
11. Route 450 - 3.47 million (-3)
12. Route 112 - 3.46 million (+2)
13. Route 46 - 3.34 million (+3)
14. Route C11 - 3.32 million (-11)
15. Route 108 - 3.34 million (-3)
16. Route 493 - 3.18 million (+2)
17. Route 33 - 3.13 million (new)
18. Route 184 - 3.12 million (-3)
19. Route 236 - 3.10 million (+1)
20. Route H37 - 3.02 million (+10)
21. Route E6 - 3.01 million (+1)
22. Route 70 - 2.96 million (+5)
23. Route 39 - 2.92 million (new)
24. Route 181 - 2.92 million (-1)
25. Route 490 - 2.89 million (new)
26. Route 192 - 2.86 million (+2)
27. Route 226 - 2.85 million (-1)
28. Route 244 - 2.84 million (new)
29. Route 410 - 2.84 million (new)
30. Route W4 - 2.81 million (-1)




Phew..... If I've made any mistakes, let me know.

[SILENCED]

Does seem a little crazy. By judging from above, the 450 is an new entry at No7 in the Top 30 busiest single deck routes and has just had a substantial pvr cut on renewal.

[enviroPB]

Be under no illusion, the 205 having massive passenger growth in the last financial year is almost exclusively down to the Tube & rail strikes.

P.S. Trafalgax, the C10 appears twice in the busiest single deckers list.

[borneobus]

Oct 4, 2023 22:28:32 GMT Trafalgax said:

Tfl have released the Bus Route Usage Data for 2022/2023.


tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/buses-performance-data

Top 30 Busiest Routes (rounded)

1. Route 18 - 12.63 million (=)
2  Route 149 - 12.03 million (=)
3. Route 29 - 11.25 million (=)
4  Route 25 - 10.46 million (+1)
5. Route 86 - 10.08 million (+1)
6. Route 5 - 9.98 million (-2)
7. Route 36 - 9.77 million (=)
8. Route 279 - 9.58 million (+2)
9. Route 243 - 9.50 million (+1)
10. Route 207 - 9.36 million (-2)
11. Route 35 - 9.13 million (+1)
12. Route 53 - 8.68 million (+2)
13. Route 109 - 8.61 million (-2)
14. Route 55 - 8.60 million (-2)
15. Route 141 - 8.38 million (=)
16. Route 183 - 8.34 million (+3)
17. Route 38 - 8.27 million (=)
18. Route 185 - 8.23 million (+3)
19. Route 43 - 8.12 million (-3)
20. Route 158 - 8.02 million (+2)
21. Route 182 - 7.90 million (-1)
22. Route 140 - 7.59 million (+1)
23. Route 65 - 7.56 million (+7)
24. Route 93 - 7.51 million (new)
25. Route 254 - 7.43 million (-7)
26. Route 453 - 7.41 million (-2)
27. Route 205 - 7.41 million (new)
28. Route 133 - 7.41 million (-1)
29. Route 21 - 7.21 million (-1)
30. Route 98 - 7.13 million (new)


Top 30 Usage per Bus km Operated (rounded):


1. Route W7 - 8.54 (+4)
2. Route 149 - 8.27 (+1)
3. Route 238 - 8.08 (-1)
4. Route 35 - 7.73 (+5)
5. Route 29 - 7.71 (+1)
6. Route 98 - 7.59 (+2)
7. Route 41 - 7.28 (=)
8. Route 109 - 7.09 (+2)
9. Route 58 - 6.89 (+2)
10. Route 69 - 6.83 (+2)
11. Route 18 - 6.79 (+2)
12. Route 25 - 6.73 (+2)
13. Route 205 - 6.71 (+16)
14. Route 104 - 6.68 (-9)
15. Route 94 - 6.56 (new)
16. Route 115 - 6.54 (=)
17. Route 330 - 6.53 (-17)
18. Route 16 - 6.52 (+5)
19. Route 44 - 6.51 (+6)
20. Route 243 - 6.46 (=)
21. Route 220 - 6.44 (-4)
22. Route 133 - 6.42 (+4)
23. Route 141 - 6.36 (+4)
24. Route 279 - 6.36 (-9)
25. Route 147 - 6.26 (-6)
26. Route 120 - 6.26 (new)
27. Route 36 - 6.20 (new)
28. Route 254 - 6.19 (=)
29. Route 250 - 6.19 (+1)
30. Route 253 - 6.13 (-8)


Top 30 Busiest Night Routes (rounded)

1. Route N15 - 1.34 million (=)
2. Route N25 - 961,000 (+1)
3. Route N29 - 917,000 (-1)
4. Route N18 - 890,000 (+1)
5. Route N207 - 863,000 (-1)
6. Route N279 - 707,000 (=)
7. Route N9 - 700,000 (=)
8. Route N8 - 657,000 (=)
9. Route N98 - 581,000 (=)
10. Route N87 - 571,000 (+1)
12. Route N38 - 510,000 (=)
13. Route N140 - 489,000 (+3)
14. Route N155 - 478,000 (-4)
15. Route N205 - 436,000 (-1)
15. Route N1 - 423,000 (=)
16. Route (N)243 - 411,000 (-3)
17. Route (N)35 - 403,000 (=)
18. Route (N)149 - 370,000 (+2)
19. Route N73 - 356,000 (+11)
20. Route N253 - 350,000 (+1)
21. Route N133 - 346,000 (+2)
22. Route N68 - 344,000 (-4)
23. Route N109 - 330,000  (+4)
24. Route (N)453 - 329,000 (-2)
25. Route N63 - 328,000 (-6)
26. Route (N)14 - 327,000 (-2)
27. Route N136 - 327,000 (new)
28. Route N26 - 326,000 (=)
29. Route N16 - 309,000 (new)
30. Route N2 - 309,000 (new)


Top 30 Usage per Night Bus km Operated (rounded):


1. Route (N)35 - 4.03 (=)
2. Route (N)149 - 3.35 (=)
3. Route (N)238 - 3.23 (+3)
4. Route N205 - 3.22 (-1)
5. Route N109 - 2.78 (+6)
5. Route (N)453 - 2.72 (+2)
6. Route N279 - 2.71 (-1)
7. Route (N)243 - 2.65 (-3)
8. Route N18 - 2.64 (+1)
9. Route (N)69 - 2.62 (+5)
10. Route N25 - 2.58 (+3)
11. Route (N)12 - 2.54 (-1)
12. Route N140 - 2.46 (new)
13. Route N253 - 2.39 (+3)
14. Route N207 - 2.37 (-2)
15. Route N63 - 2.37 (=)
16. Route N133 - 2.36 (+5)
17. Route N9 - 2.36 (+3)
18. Route N155 - 2.32 (-10)
19. Route N2 - 2.31 (=)
20. Route N15 - 2.31 (-2)
21. Route (N)105 - 2.31 (new)
22. Route N250 - 2.29 (+7)
23. Route (N)36 - 2.28 (+3)
24. Route (N)176 - 2.23 (=)
25. Route N38 - 2.18 (-3)
26. Route N29 - 2.15 (-9)
27. Route (N)390 - 2.13 (new)
28. Route N171 - 2.07 (new)
29. Route N16 - 2.07 (-4)
30. Route (N)344 - 2.06 (new)


Top 30 Busiest Single Decker Routes (rounded)

1. Route 235 - 4.60 million (=)
2. Route 170 - 4.16 million (=)
3. Route 316 - 4.00 million (+3)
4. Route 195 - 3.96 million (+1)
5. Route C10 - 3.96 million (-2)
6. Route W15 - 3.89 million (-2)
7. Route 214 - 3.65 million (+4)
8. Route 366 - 3.63 million (+5)
9. Route 276 - 3.62 million (-2)
10. Route 358 - 3.49 million (=)
11. Route 450 - 3.47 million (new)
12. Route 112 - 3.46 million (+2)
13. Route 46 - 3.34 million (+3)
14. Route C10 - 3.32 million (-11)
15. Route 108 - 3.34 million (-3)
16. Route 493 - 3.18 million (+2)
17. Route 33 - 3.13 million (new)
18. Route 184 - 3.12 million (-3)
19. Route 236 - 3.10 million (+1)
20. Route H37 - 3.02 million (+10)
21. Route E6 - 3.01 million (+1)
22. Route 70 - 2.96 million (+5)
23. Route 39 - 2.92 million (new)
24. Route 181 - 2.92 million (-1)
25. Route 490 - 2.89 million (new)
26. Route 192 - 2.86 million (+2)
27. Route 226 - 2.85 million (-1)
28. Route 244 - 2.84 million (new)
29. Route 410 - 2.84 million (new)
30. Route W4 - 2.81 million (-1)




Phew..... If I've made any mistakes, let me know.

Thanks for sharing, really interesting 

[Trafalgax]

Oct 5, 2023 0:36:50 GMT enviroPB said:

Be under no illusion, the 205 having massive passenger growth in the last financial year is almost exclusively down to the Tube & rail strikes.

P.S. Trafalgax, the C10 appears twice in the busiest single deckers list.

Meant C11, which is corrected now.

[WH241]

25 and 86 still extremely busy even with the Elizabeth Line improvements. Just goes to show how some passengers won’t shift to trains or in the case of these two routes can’t afford too.

[ronnie]

Oct 5, 2023 9:48:41 GMT WH241 said:

25 and 86 still extremely busy even with the Elizabeth Line improvements. Just goes to show how some passengers won’t shift to trains or in the case of these two routes can’t afford too.

Those routes have always been busy and will continue to do so. My memories of the 25 are starting almost full (all seats taken on both decks plus scores standing) from Oxford Circus and then not stopping from TCR till Aldgate, with another equally packed 25 a few metres in front and another one behind

[redbus]

Oct 5, 2023 0:36:50 GMT enviroPB said:

Be under no illusion, the 205 having massive passenger growth in the last financial year is almost exclusively down to the Tube & rail strikes.

P.S. Trafalgax , the C10 appears twice in the busiest single deckers list.

I can understand the 205 being busier on tube strike days, but not so much on national rail strike days as people won't be coming into London so much due to the lack of trains.

I would be surprised for the passenger number to increase so much on the 205 just from the strike days, so perhaps the strike days has led to a more permanent shift in travel habits benefiting the 205. 

[wirewiper]

Oct 5, 2023 9:48:41 GMT WH241 said:

25 and 86 still extremely busy even with the Elizabeth Line improvements. Just goes to show how some passengers won’t shift to trains or in the case of these two routes can’t afford too.

Much of the shift to the Elizabeth Line came from the Underground, especially the Central Line. The 25 and 86 have always provided for the more door-to-door local journeys and journeys to the local shopping centres and will continue to do so. 

[WH241]

Oct 5, 2023 11:13:06 GMT wirewiper said:

Oct 5, 2023 9:48:41 GMT WH241 said:

25 and 86 still extremely busy even with the Elizabeth Line improvements. Just goes to show how some passengers won’t shift to trains or in the case of these two routes can’t afford too.

Much of the shift to the Elizabeth Line came from the Underground, especially the Central Line. The 25 and 86 have always provided for the more door-to-door local journeys and journeys to the local shopping centres and will continue to do so. 

I agree to a certain extent but a lot of low paid workers use routes like the 25 and 86 to commute. 20 million odd passengers would be an awful lot for local journeys.

[wirewiper]

It's phenomenal seeing three Harrow routes in there (183, 182 and 140 - 16th, 21st and 22nd respectively), the 140 especially as it now has SL9 running alongside, has a separate night variant and no longer serves Heathrow Airport. It just shows how huge the demand for bus travel still is in parts of outer London. Heck, all three are busier even than the infamous 65!

For the 183 to be carrying more passengers than the 38 - that's just crazy.

[southlondon413]

Oct 5, 2023 11:19:21 GMT wirewiper said:

It's phenomenal seeing three Harrow routes in there (183, 182 and 140 - 16th, 21st and 22nd respectively), the 140 especially as it now has SL9 running alongside, has a separate night variant and no longer serves Heathrow Airport. It just shows how huge the demand for bus travel still is in parts of outer London.

For the 183 to be carrying more passengers than the 38 - that's just crazy.

Just shows that WFH policies coupled with strikes are really affecting bus passenger numbers on central London routes. It would be interesting to see a split between M-F and weekends, which no doubt TfL has data for.

[lonmark]

I'm glad none of my local routes in Bromley area is shown in the list, meaning I can still get on buses without being packed or having any problems. LoL.

However, it's good to know that local Route 358 stayed the same level of usage.

Thank you for bring it up Trafalgax

[Dad91]

Oct 5, 2023 10:36:21 GMT ronnie said:

Oct 5, 2023 9:48:41 GMT WH241 said:

25 and 86 still extremely busy even with the Elizabeth Line improvements. Just goes to show how some passengers won’t shift to trains or in the case of these two routes can’t afford too.

Those routes have always been busy and will continue to do so. My memories of the 25 are starting almost full (all seats taken on both decks plus scores standing) from Oxford Circus and then not stopping from TCR till Aldgate, with another equally packed 25 a few metres in front and another one behind

from I remember 25 and 86 been busy routes even bendy bus days 25 was busy

[SN17MOA]

This is clear evidence that the 33 should receive DDs as their next allocation.
Add the 195, 490 and 493 to the list as well.
In terms of the 33, that 3.13 million figure is right now with an 8 minute frequency, imagine how busy it would be once Hammersmith bridge opens?