Richmond Council blocks £50,000 Superloop grant until extra stops added
Council says the SL7 route runs five miles from Broad Street to Hatton Cross without a stop, the longest gap on the service
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Richmond Council announced on 9 November 2026 that it will not approve a £50,000 Transport for London grant intended to improve the SL7 Superloop route. The council said the funding will remain on hold until TfL commits to installing additional bus stops in the Hampton and Hampton Hill areas.
Background to the dispute
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The SL7 Superloop links Heathrow Airport with West Croydon, passing through five outer boroughs, including Richmond. Within the borough the service currently stops only at the pair of stops on Broad Street in Teddington. The route then continues for about five miles to Hatton Cross without any intermediate stop, a gap described by local councillors as the longest on the network.
Council’s demands
Councillors representing the Liberal Democrat‑led council argued that the lack of stops leaves residents of Hampton and Hampton Hill with poor public‑transport access. Councillor Carey Bishop, who represents Hampton North ward, said the route “travels five miles from Broad Street to Hatton Cross without stopping, the longest gap on the service”. She added that the absence of a stop “means people in Hampton and Hampton Hill cannot get on”. The council’s transport committee voted to withhold the grant until TfL agrees to add a pair of stops in those neighbourhoods.
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It goes straight through our borough, and yet people in Hampton and Hampton Hill cannot get on. That matters because public transport access in the Hamptons is already poor.
Carey Bishop, Councillor, Hampton North
TfL response
A TfL spokesperson said the agency is “committed to providing a comprehensive, reliable bus service across the breadth of London” and that it continuously reviews Superloop routes. The statement did not confirm whether TfL will add the requested stops, but indicated that the network is under regular monitoring and that the authority works with local councils to improve services.
What happens next
Richmond Council said it will revisit the grant once TfL provides a written commitment to install the extra stops. If TfL agrees, the council expects to release the £50,000 to fund proposals such as loading restrictions on Uxbridge Road, a widened stop on Ferry Road and a ban on turns at the Hampton Hill junction. Until then, the planned improvements to journey times and reliability remain on hold.
Questions this report answers
+Why is Richmond Council refusing the £50,000 grant?
The council says the SL7 Superloop does not stop in Hampton or Hampton Hill, leaving a five‑mile gap. It will only release the money if TfL commits to adding a pair of stops in those areas, to improve local access.
+How long is the stop‑free section of the SL7 route in Richmond?
Councillor Carey Bishop said the route travels five miles from Broad Street to Hatton Cross without a stop, which she described as the longest gap on the Superloop service.
+When was the council hearing on the SL7 proposals held?
The hearing took place on 9 November 2026, where council members debated the TfL grant and the need for additional bus stops before approving any improvements.
+What will happen if TfL agrees to add the extra stops?
If TfL provides a written commitment, Richmond Council plans to release the £50,000 grant to fund measures such as loading restrictions, a widened stop on Ferry Road and a turn ban at the Hampton Hill junction, aiming to improve journey times.
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