| 3 | |
|---|---|
| {{{image}}} | |
| Route | |
| Start | Trafalgar Square |
| Via | Westminster, Lambeth Bridge, Kennington, Brixton, Dulwich Road, Herne Hill, West Dulwich |
| End | Crystal Palace Parade |
| Length | 7.9 miles to Crystal Palace 8.1 miles to Trafalgar Square |
| Operations | |
| Operator | Abellio London |
| Garage | Battersea |
| Vehicle | New Bus for London |
| Peak vehicle requirement | Mon-Fri: 20 Sat: 19 Sun: 12 |
| Service | |
| Journey time | 34-72 mins |
| Frequency (in mins) | Mon-Sat: 8 day, 12 eves Sun: 12 |
| Passenger usage data | |
| 1999/2000 | 5.398 million (48th) |
| 2000/2001 | 6.288 million (+17%, 39th) |
| 2001/2002 | 6.231 million (-0.9%, 42nd) |
| 2002/2003 | 6.050 million (-3%, 55th) |
| 2003/2004 | 6.467 million (+7%, 63rd) |
| 2004/2005 | 6.049 million (-7%, 97th) |
| 2005/2006 | 6.049 million (+/-0%, 109th) |
| 2006/2007 | 5.777 million (-5%, 111th) |
| 2007/2008 | 5.764 million (-0.2%, 115th) |
| 2008/2009 | 6.287 million (+9%, 106th) |
| 2009/2010 | 6.295 million (+0.1%, 112th) |
| 2010/2011 | 6.053 million (-4%, 117th) |
| 2011/2012 | 6.022 million (-0.5%, 126th) |
| 2012/2013 | 6.153 million (+2%, 115th) |
| 2013/2014 | 6.355 million (+3%, 112th) |
| 2014/2015 | 6.049 million (-5%, 122nd) |
| 2015/2016 | 5.413 million (-11%, 138th) |
| 2016/2017 | 5.141 million (-5%, 142nd) |
History[]
At 3 October 1934: Camden Town to Crystal Palace via Albany Street, Great Portland Street, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Westminster, Lambeth North, Kennington, Brixton, Dulwich Road, Herne Hill and West Dulwich.
9 June 1937: Rerouted between Westminster and Kennington via Lambeth Bridge instead of via Lambeth North.
7 May 1939: Sunday service withdrawn (replaced by new route 3A).
18 October 1939: Sunday service re-introduced.
26 April 1981: Monday-Saturday service extended from Camden Town via Kentish Town to Parliament Hill Fields.
27 October 1984: Withdrawn between Camden Town and Parliament Hill Fields (replaced by route 53).
21 June 1986: Withdrawn on Monday-Friday, and Saturday (outside shopping hours) between Oxford Circus and Camden Town.
4 April 1987: Withdrawn between Oxford Circus and Camden Town.
11 June 1987: Sunday service converted to one person operation.
2 January 1993: Monday-Saturday service converted to one person operation.
5 February 2000: Contract awarded to Connex (later Travel London and Abellio). Converted to low-floor operation.
17 January 2015: Temporarily withdrawn between Oxford Circus and Regent Street to reduce delays due to road works in Westminster.
9 February 2016: Start date for conversion to New Bus for London operation.
15 July 2017: Withdrawn between Oxford Circus and Trafalgar Square.
Operators[]
Route 3 has been operated by the following companies:
- London Transport: before 3 October 1934-31 March 1985
- London Buses: 1 April 1985-31 March 1989
- London Central: 1 April 1989-4 February 2000
- Connex/Travel London/Abellio: 5 February 2000-present
Garages[]
Route 3 has been operated from the following garages:
- Chalk Farm (CF): before 3 October 1934-15 October 1938; 18 October 1939-20 June 1986
- Norwood (N): before 3 October 1934-25 April 1981
- Holloway (J): 21 April 1935-21 March 1937; 16 October 1938-17 October 1939
- Stockwell (SW): 26 April 1981-3 September 1982; 21 June 1986-6 February 1987
- Camberwell (Q): 27 April 1981-27 July 1985; 2 November 1985-4 February 2000
- Walworth (WL): 28 October 1984-1 November 1985
- Beddington (BC): 5 February 2000-10 February 2012
- Battersea (QB): 11 February 2012-present
Route description - list of stops[]
Route departing Regent Street[]
- Trafalgar Square / Charing Cross Station
- Whitehall / Trafalgar Square
- Horse Guards Parade
- Westminster Station / Parliament Square
- Abingdon Street
- Horseferry Road
- Lambeth Palace
- Pratt Walk
- Lambeth Road / Kennington Road
- Kennington Road / Imperial War Museum
- Fitzalan Street
- Kennington Lane
- Windmill Row
- Kennington Park Post Office
- St Mark's Church
- Vassall Road
- Groveway
- Loughborough Road
- Villa Road
- Brixton Road / Brixton Police Station
- Brixton Station
- St Matthew's Church
- St Matthew's Estate
- Morval Road
- Dalberg Road / Effra Parade
- Milton Road
- Brockwell Lido
- Herne Hill Station
- Brockwell Park
- Guernsey Grove
- Turney Road
- Pymers Mead
- Croxted Road / Thurlow Park Road
- Lings Coppice
- Ildersly Grove
- Park Hall Road
- Church Approach
- South Croxed Road
- Gipsy Hill
- Dulwich Wood Park / Kingswood Drive
- Dulwich Wood Park / College Road
- Crystal Palace Parade / College Road
- Crystal Palace
Route departing Crystal Palace[]
- Crystal Palace Bus Station
- Crystal Palace Parade
- Crystal Palace Parade / College Road
- Dulwich Wood Park / College Road
- Dulwich Wood Park / Kingswood Drive
- Gipsy Hill
- Alleyn Road
- Church Approach
- South Croxted Road
- Park Hall Road
- Lings Coppice
- Croxted Road / Thurlow Park Road
- Pymers Mead
- Turney Road
- Croxted Close
- Norwood Road
- Brockwell Park
- Herne Hill Station
- Brockwell Lido
- Chaucer Road / Effra Parade
- Brixton Water Lane
- Morval Road
- St Matthew's Estate
- Lambeth Town Hall
- Brixton Station
- Brixton Road / Brixton Police Station
- Villa Road
- Loughborough Road
- Groveway
- Hillyard Street
- Vassall Road
- St Mark's Church
- Kennington Park Post Office
- Windmill Row
- Kennington Lane
- Fitzalan Street
- Kennington Road / Imperial War Museum
- Pratt Walk
- Lambeth Palace
- Horseferry Road
- Abingdon Street
- Westminster Station / Parliament Square
- Horse Guards Parade
- Trafalgar Square
Route record (list of roads traversed)[]
Route departing Regent Street[]
Cockspur Street, Charing Cross Roundabout, Whitehall, Parliament Square, Margaret Street, Abingdon Street, Millbank, Lambeth Bridge, Lambeth Road, Kennington Road, Kennington Park Road, Brixton Road, Effra Road, Morval Road, Dalberg Road, Dulwich Road, Norwood Road, Croxted Road, South Croxted Road, Dulwich Wood Park, College Road, Crystal Palace Parade
Route departing Crystal Palace[]
Crystal Palace Bus Station, Crystal Palace Parade, College Road, Dulwich Wood Park, South Croxted Road, Croxted Road, Norwood Road, Dulwich Road, Brixton Water Lane, Effra Road, St Matthew's Road, Brixton Hill, Brixton Road, Kennington Park Road, Kennington Road, Lambeth Road, Lambeth BRidge, Millbank, Abingdon Street, Margaret Street, Parliament Square, Whitehall, Cockspur Street
Timetable information[]
Routes 3 and N3 combine to provide a 24-hour service between Trafalgar Square and Crystal Palace
On Christmas Eve, the last buses depart Trafalgar Square at 2400 and Crystal Palace at 2355 (Saturday service) On Boxing Day, the first buses depart Trafalgar Square at 0600 and Crystal Palace at 0555 (Sunday service)
Links[]
Current timetable
Current route map
Zenfolio photo gallery
Timetable graveyard
Performance report (PDF file)