• Route X26 will be known as the SL7 from Saturday 19 August
• The route connects communities between Heathrow Central and West Croydon and will boost public transport options for people travelling in the area
• From tomorrow, the SL7 will double in frequency to one bus every 15 minutes
• The SL7 will be the third route to become part of the Superloop express bus network
• And from Saturday 26 August, customers will benefit from a number of other improvements to bus routes in outer London, including the introduction of new night bus services every day of the week 

Customers using the Route X26 between Heathrow Central and West Croydon will see this bus renumbered to SL7 from tomorrow (Saturday 19 August) offering customers an instantly recognisable express bus service between west and south London.

In March, the Mayor announced plans for the Superloop, a transformative network of express bus services in outer London to strengthen and improve public transport options to maximise the benefits of the London-wide ULEZ expansion.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said:  "The Superloop will be a gamechanger for travel around outer London, delivering quicker links between transport hubs, town centres, schools and hospitals. Last month, we launched the first Superloop buses to our roads, and from today, even more Londoners will benefit from a doubling in Superloop journeys between Heathrow Central and West Croydon. These new services will provide Londoners with even stronger alternatives to private car use, and help us to build a better, greener London for everyone."

The SL7 will double in frequency to one bus every 15 minutes instead of every 30 minutes providing more frequent public transport options for those travelling to and from Heathrow Airport. Other improvements to follow on many of the buses include improved customer information, USB charging and luggage racks.

Buses on the SL7 route will call at the same stops, with some of the bus stop names changing to better reflect their locations, such as Wood Street, which will now become Kingston Wood Street.

On 15 July, the first bus route to become part the network, running from Uxbridge and White City, was renumbered SL8 and rebranded as a Superloop service. From tomorrow, the timetable will be extended to provide more early morning and evening buses.

More than 95% of Londoners live within 400 metres of a bus stop. Due to the Mayor's Hopper fare, customers can take unlimited journeys within an hour for just £1.75.

Supported by funding provided by the Mayor, the Superloop is a key part of his commitment to improving the bus network in outer London and could add more than four million additional bus kilometres to London's bus network. 

Last month, as he welcomed the first Superloop bus to the road, the Mayor confirmed that the full loop will be complete by Spring 2024, subject to consultation and with the exception of route SL4 which will start when the Silvertown tunnel opens in 2025.

This is complimented by the wider work that TfL is doing to enhance outer London's bus network. From Saturday 26 August, customers in outer London will also be able to take advantage of other improved bus services including: 

• Route 123 will now be a 24-hour service, seven-days-a-week travelling between Wood Green Station and Ilford
• Route 158 will now be a 24-hour service, seven-days-a-week travelling between Stratford Bus Station and Chingford Mount
• Route 86 travelling between Stratford Bus Station and Romford Station will see its frequency increased on Sundays. It will run every 8-9 minutes instead of every 10 minutes during the day
• Route 141 travelling between London Bridge and Palmers Green will see its frequency increased at certain times. It will run every 10 minutes instead of every 12 minutes in the evening every day of the week, and all day on Sundays buses will be running every 10 minutes instead of every 12 minutes.

Louise Cheeseman, Director of Buses at TfL, said: "We are very pleased to be able to offer the newly branded SL7 to our customers travelling between Heathrow and Croydon with a more frequent service. Customers should start looking out for it in their local area and the upgraded frequency will make it even easier for people to travel using public transport. Buses remain the most accessible, available and affordable form of public transport connecting outer London's network to town centres, hospitals, schools and transport hubs."

David Cutts, Go-Ahead London's Managing Director, said: "The SL7 is a welcome addition to the bus network and it joins a growing number of Superloop express services offering a value for money alternative to private transport. SL7 users will benefit from an improved timetable that doubles in frequency and, over the coming months, an enhanced journey experience as USB chargers are fitted to buses."