London Buses route 132
Encyclopedia
London Buses route 132 is a Transport for London
contracted bus route in London
, United Kingdom
. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London
.
By Easter 1970, the route had been extended from Bexleyheath to Slade Green, terminating at Bexleyheath Garage on Saturdays and Sundays only. In January 1974 the first double deck bus was operated on the 132, and in March 1975 the Saturday service was extended to Slade Green, to help out with the increasing population wanting a link to Bexleyheath shopping area. April 1978 saw the route moving to the south of the A207 (once Watling Street), serving Eltham Station via Blackfen, Blendon and Bexley village to Bexleyheath. The next few decades saw a number of operators running the route: Boro'line
from January 1988 to February 1992, then Kentish Bus until January 1998, Harris Bus
until they went into liquidation in March 2000, and East Thames Buses
following Harris Bus' collapse.
In September 2006 Violet Stephens, an 80-year-old passenger on the route, died after breaking her neck having fallen over when the bus stopped without warning.
In September 2008 it was announced that the route was to be extended westwards via the Greenwich peninsula to North Greenwich, forming a quicker link between North Greenwich and Eltham instead of Route 161. This followed several years of campaigning by local MP Clive Efford
. The extension began operation in January 2009 and also included new later journeys, with the last bus back from North Greenwich leaving at 1am.
On 3 October 2009, East Thames Buses was taken over by Go-Ahead London, so route 132 was henceforth operated by Go-Ahead London, under a 5 year contract. Operation transferred to London Central
's Bexleyheath garage from London General
on 7 November 2009.
Since October 2009 part of the route from Eltham to Bexleyheath has been covered at night by the re-routed night bus route N21.
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
contracted bus route in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The service is currently contracted to Go-Ahead London
Go-Ahead London
Go-Ahead London is the trading name used collectively for the London bus operations of the Go-Ahead Group. The name first appeared in August 2008, before which the company had traded under separate names and brands...
.
History
In 1950, the route operated as a circular route from Eltham Well Hall Station to Bexleyheath and back again (via Crook Log and Danson Road), with extra trips running between 13:30 and 17:00 weekdays from Eltham to Bexley Hospital. In March 1959 the circular route was discontinued and replaced by a service from Eltham Well Hall railway station to Bexleyheath Bus Garage via Blendon, Danson Road, and Crook Log. As part of the Trolleybus Replacement Programme, journeys on weekdays and Saturday mornings continued onto Erith. The summer of 1964 saw the route change again, always starting at Eltham, to Bexleyheath Garage (on Sundays), onto Erith, Belvedere, Abbey Wood, Plumstead and Woolwich Parsons Hill (Monday - Saturday), and onto Woolwich Road Victoria Way (Monday - Friday peak times only).By Easter 1970, the route had been extended from Bexleyheath to Slade Green, terminating at Bexleyheath Garage on Saturdays and Sundays only. In January 1974 the first double deck bus was operated on the 132, and in March 1975 the Saturday service was extended to Slade Green, to help out with the increasing population wanting a link to Bexleyheath shopping area. April 1978 saw the route moving to the south of the A207 (once Watling Street), serving Eltham Station via Blackfen, Blendon and Bexley village to Bexleyheath. The next few decades saw a number of operators running the route: Boro'line
Boro'line (London)
Boro'line describes the London operations of the former municipal bus company Boro'line Maidstone. Boro'line Maidstone was the arms length bus company of Maidstone Borough Council...
from January 1988 to February 1992, then Kentish Bus until January 1998, Harris Bus
Harris Bus
Harris Bus is a former bus company based in West Thurrock. It was a subsidiary of Harris Coaches, and operated a small fleet of buses. On deregulation of bus services it was one of the early operators of tendered services for London Buses....
until they went into liquidation in March 2000, and East Thames Buses
East Thames Buses
East Thames Buses was the only government owned bus operator of London Buses. It was sold to London General in 2009.-History:East Thames Buses was formed in 1999 to take over the services operated by the failed Harris Bus Company...
following Harris Bus' collapse.
In September 2006 Violet Stephens, an 80-year-old passenger on the route, died after breaking her neck having fallen over when the bus stopped without warning.
In September 2008 it was announced that the route was to be extended westwards via the Greenwich peninsula to North Greenwich, forming a quicker link between North Greenwich and Eltham instead of Route 161. This followed several years of campaigning by local MP Clive Efford
Clive Efford
Clive Stanley Efford is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Eltham since 1997.-Early life:...
. The extension began operation in January 2009 and also included new later journeys, with the last bus back from North Greenwich leaving at 1am.
On 3 October 2009, East Thames Buses was taken over by Go-Ahead London, so route 132 was henceforth operated by Go-Ahead London, under a 5 year contract. Operation transferred to London Central
London Central
London Central is one of many operators of London Buses. It was established in late 1988 as one of 12 operating subsidiaries of London Buses Limited , and was privatised to the Go-Ahead Group in September 1994...
's Bexleyheath garage from London General
London General
London General is a bus company operating in Surrey ang Greater London. It is owned by the Go-Ahead Group and operates most buses under contract to London Buses...
on 7 November 2009.
Since October 2009 part of the route from Eltham to Bexleyheath has been covered at night by the re-routed night bus route N21.
Current route
- BexleyheathBexleyheathBexleyheath is a main suburban district of Southeast London, England, in the London Borough of Bexley with a small percentage of the district itself being in the London Borough of Greenwich. Bexleyheath is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is east south-east of Charing Cross...
Market Place - Bexley StationBexley railway stationBexley railway station is in the London Borough of Bexley in south-east London, in Travelcard Zone 6. The station, and all trains serving it, is operated by Southeastern....
- Bridgen
- BlendonBlendon, LondonBlendon is an area of Bexleyheath, London Borough of Bexley, England....
- BlackfenBlackfenBlackfen is a largely residential area of Sidcup in the London Borough of Bexley, South East London; and makes part of the electoral ward of Blackfen and Lamorbey Ward along with Lamorbey. It is situated 10.2 miles east south-east of Charing Cross. The word "Blackfen" means a black, marshy area...
- Avery Hill
- Eltham StationEltham railway stationEltham railway station is a railway station in Eltham, in the London Borough of Greenwich and on the Bexleyheath Line. The station and all trains serving it, are operated by Southeastern...
- BlackheathBlackheath, LondonBlackheath is a district of South London, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich to the north and Lewisham to the west...
Sun-in-Sands - North Greenwich StationNorth Greenwich tube stationNorth Greenwich is a station on London Underground's Jubilee Line, opened on 14 May 1999.Despite its name, North Greenwich is not in the area historically known as North Greenwich, on the Isle of Dogs, north of the river; an entirely different station used to be there, between 1872 and 1926...