TfL gives green light to route 324 extension following ‘overwhelming support from the community’.
Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed plans to extend bus route 324 north from Stanmore station to Centennial Park, stopping at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital along the way.
TfL says that customers will benefit from new links to the hospital and business park from areas of Colindale, Hendon and Stanmore, as well as being able to interchange from the service with the Jubilee line at Stanmore Station.
Responses to a recent consultation about the proposed extension were overwhelmingly positive, with feedback received from local residents, hospital staff and patients, Centennial Park business owners and employees, and local elected representatives in Harrow, Brent and Barnet and neighbouring authorities.
When the extension is introduced, route 324 will continue along London Road beyond its current terminus at Stanmore Station to Canons Corner, before turning left onto Brockley Hill.
The route will serve the western entrance of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital before crossing the A41 and turning left into Centennial Avenue and terminating within Centennial Park. In the direction of Brent Cross, buses will start within Centennial Park and follow the same route in reverse
TfL expects to introduce the extension in late summer this year. The route will continue to run from Monday to Sunday and the frequency will remain the same, with a 20 minute service during the daytime on Monday to Saturdays and every 30 minutes in the evenings, and all day on Sundays
Route 107, which runs along part of the forthcoming 324 extension, will continue to run as it does now
Deputy Mayor for Transport Heidi Alexander said:“Following the overwhelmingly positive consultation feedback from local residents and stakeholders across the board, we are pleased to now confirm that we are proceeding with the planned extension to route 324.
“This will greatly improve transport links for patients and staff at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, and benefit those who work at Centennial Business Park as many make a return to the office.”
Mark Masters, Director of Estates, Facilities and Redevelopment at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, said: “The Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust is pleased to hear that the bus route 324 to Centennial Park from Stanmore has been extended and will now call at the bus stops at the Brockley Hill entrance to the Hospital. We are delighted about this news as this improves public transport access to our hospital for patients and staff.”
Anthony Wood, Chair of the Harrow Public Transport Users Association, said: “This extension is a very welcome addition to the local network and for the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital“
Source: TFL
