East London Transit is a part-segregated bus rapid transit

Bus rapid transit

Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...

 whose first phase opened in 2010, with an additional phase planned to open in 2013. The scheme has been developed by Transport for London

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...

 due to the existing and anticipated demand for public transport in northeast London

North East (London sub region)

The North East is a sub-region of the London Plan corresponding to the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Havering, Barking and Dagenham, and the City of London. The sub region was established in 2008 and replaced the larger East sub region that had been...

 caused by the Thames Gateway

Thames Gateway

The Thames Gateway is an area of land stretching east from inner east London on both sides of the River Thames and the Thames Estuary. The area, which includes much brownfield land, has been designated a national priority for urban regeneration, taking advantage of the development opportunities...

 redevelopment. The scheme has been planned to allow for a possible future upgrade to tram

Tram

A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...

 operation. It is planned to connect National Rail

National Rail

National Rail is a title used by the Association of Train Operating Companies as a generic term to define the passenger rail services operated in Great Britain...

 and London Underground

London Underground

The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...

 stations in the London boroughs of Havering

London Borough of Havering

The London Borough of Havering is a London borough in North East London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in Havering is Romford and the other main communities are Hornchurch, Upminster and Rainham. The borough is mainly characterised by suburban development with large...

, Redbridge

London Borough of Redbridge

The London Borough of Redbridge is a London borough in outer north-east London. Its administrative headquarters is at Redbridge Town Hall in Ilford. The local authority is Redbridge London Borough Council.-Etymology:...

, Barking and Dagenham

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 1,937; and the area was characterised by farming, woodland and the fishing fleet at Barking. This last industry employed 1,370 men and boys by 1850, but by the end of the century had ceased to exist; replaced by...

 and Newham

London Borough of Newham

The London Borough of Newham is a London borough formed from the towns of West Ham and East Ham, within East London.It is situated east of the City of London, and is north of the River Thames. According to 2006 estimates, Newham has one of the highest ethnic minority populations of all the...

. There are proposals for a variety of extensions. The first stage of the scheme opened on 20 February 2010.

Services

There are currently two routes. EL1 replaced the previous 369 bus service and operates 24 hours a day between Thames View Estate and Ilford. EL2 operates over the whole length of the phase 1 route between Dagenham Dock and Ilford. Bus route 179 was withdrawn between Ilford and Barking and was diverted to terminate at Ilford (Hainault Street) bus terminus. Both services are operated by Go-Ahead Blue Triangle using Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 double-deckers. The vehicles have air cooling (not full air-conditioning). Each route operates five buses an hour on Monday to Saturday daytimes and three an hour during the evenings and on Sunday; giving a combined frequency of ten buses an hour over the core route from Ilford to Thames View Estate during the day.

Confirmed phases

Phase 1

• Ilford
  Ilford
  Ilford is a large cosmopolitan town in East London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Redbridge. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It forms a significant commercial and retail...
  
   — Barking
  Barking
  Barking is a suburban town in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, in East London, England. A retail and commercial centre situated in the west of the borough, it lies east of Charing Cross. Barking was in the historic county of Essex until it was absorbed by Greater London. The area is...
  
   — Thames View Estate — Dagenham Dock
  Dagenham Dock railway station
  Dagenham Dock is a railway station located in Dagenham in northeast London, England. The station is managed by c2c and all train services calling at the station are operated by the company. The station is in Zone 5. It is next to the A13 road and the closest station to the local Ford Dagenham plant...
  
  

Phase 1 was opened on 20th February 2010.

Phase 2

• Barking — Barking Riverside — Dagenham Dock

Construction of phase 2 will begin in 2011 and will be completed in 2013. It has received funding from the Homes and Communities Agency

Homes and Communities Agency

The Homes and Communities Agency is the non-departmental public body that funds new affordable housing in England. It was established by the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 as one of the successor bodies to the Housing Corporation, and became operational on 1 December 2008.-Background:On 17...

.

Proposed destinations

Proposals for extensions have included Gallions Reach, Rainham, Barkingside, Romford, Elm Park and Collier Row. Havering London Borough Council has voiced support for the extension to Rainham

Rainham, London

Rainham is a suburban town in northeast London, England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Located east of Charing Cross, it is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan and is surrounded by a residential area, which has grown from the historic village,...

 through London Riverside

London Riverside

The London Riverside is a new development area in north east London, England and part of the larger Thames Gateway redevelopment zone. The London Riverside area forms part of the Green Enterprise District, a project to create a low-carbon economy region in Greater London.It is one of two zones...

. The possible destinations are:

Thames Gateway Transit

The East London Transit formed part of a plan for a much larger Thames Gateway Transit

Thames Gateway Transit

The Thames Gateway Transit is the collective name of two planned segregated bus schemes in the east London section of the Thames Gateway redevelopment zone in England. They are:*East London Transit*Greenwich Waterfront Transit...

 service. It was proposed that it would use the Thames Gateway Bridge

Thames Gateway Bridge

The Thames Gateway Bridge was a proposed crossing over the River Thames in east London, England. It was first mooted in the 1970s but never came to fruition...

 to connect to the Greenwich Waterfront Transit on the south side of the River Thames. However, construction of the bridge and the Greenwich busway was cancelled in 2008.

External links

• Transport for London - East London Transit
• alwaystouchout.com - East London Transit