London Buses route K3 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Esher and Roehampton Vale, it is operated by London United.
History
Route K3 is part of the K-prefix network of services run around Kingston upon the Thames, introduced on 27 June 1987 between Kingston Cromwell Road and Lower Green via Villiers Road - Surbiton - Victoria Road - Balaclava Road - Sugden Road - Manor Road North - Hinchley Wood Station - Manor Road South - Oaken Lane - Claygate - (some journeys double run via Holroyd Road) - Milbourne Lane - Esher High Street (Mon-Sat) - More Lane as a Monday to Saturday service. The route was initially operated by Westlink from their Kingston (K) garage using MCW Metroriders. The route was previously numbered 215.
On 2 September 1989, the route was extended from Kingston to Kingston Hospital and was extended from Esher High Street to Lower Green.
On 28 August 1993, the route was withdrawn between Esher and Lower Green except for during school journeys and the route was rerouted between Kingston and Surbiton direct via Penrhyn Road, this section replaced by rerouteing Route K4.
In September 1995, the route was included in the sale of Westlink to London United.
On 29 June 1996, the route was rerouted in Norbiton via London Road instead of Coombe Road and in Claygate at the west end of Hare Lane instead of just eastbound via Loseberry Road and Raleigh Drive and the school day only journeys to Lower Green was cut back to Trinity School.
On 26 July 1997, the Sunday service was introduced between Kingston Hospital and Byfleet operated by London Bus Lines.
On 11 April 1999, the Sunday service was withdrawn between Esher and Byfleet, and the London Bus Lines involvement was withdrawn. The Sunday allocation was moved to Kingston (K) garage at the same time.
On 8 April 2000, the Holroyd Road journeys were withdrawn except for one am and one pm journey from Esher to and from Hinchley Wood Station.
On 13 May 2000, the MCW Metroriders were replaced by Plaxton Pointer bodied Dennis Darts.
On 16 September 2000, the School day journeys from Esher to Hinchley Wood Station was renumbered 467.
On 5 May 2001, the route was extended from Kingston Hospital to Roehampton Vale partly compensating for the withdrawn section of route 485.
On 30 June 2001, the route was retained by London United.
On 3 November 2001, Kingston (K) garage was announced closed and the allocation was transferred to Tolworth (TV) garage. The route was converted to the low floor using Plaxton Pointer 2 bodied Dennis Dart SLFs at the same time.
On 28 June 2008, the route was retained by London United.
On 29 June 2013, the route passed to Abellio London operating from their Fulwell (TF) garage with brand new Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 Darts introduced.
On 30 June 2018, the route passed back to London United operating from their Fulwell (FW) garage using brand new Enviro 200 MMC bodied Alexander Dennis E20Ds.
On 8 January 2022, the Enviro 200 MMC bodied Alexander Dennis E20Ds were temporarily replaced by existing Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 Darts,
On 24 June 2023, existing Enviro200 MMC bodied Alexander Dennis E20Ds were reintroduced alongside existing Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 Darts.
On 4 December 2023, the route reverted to a full Enviro 200 MMC bodied Alexander Dennis E20D operation.
Current Route
Route K3 operates via these primary locations:
- Esher High Street
- Hare Lane (for Claygate Station)
- Hinchley Wood Station
- Long Ditton
- Surbiton Station
- Kingston Station
- Cromwell Road (and Bus Station)
- Norbiton Station
- Kingston Hospital
- Robin Hood Lane
- Roehampton Vale Asda
Two-morning journeys start on school days from Roehampton Vale Asda to Esher Trinity School via Lammas Lane and More Lane - terminating at the school and dead-running to the Esher High Street terminus.
Two-afternoon journeys start on schooldays from Esher Trinity School via More Lane and Lammas Lane to Esher High Street - continuing as above to Roehampton Vale Asda.
External Links
Gallery
