Metrobus

### Key Places

Central Zone, Hamilton Grove, Sydenham, Kingswood, Hendon, Elthorn, Hamstead, Borough

The Ourcity Metrobus is a Bus Rapid-Transit system running North-South routes through the Ourcity Central Zone. It consists of 3 routes, those being the M1 (Hendon to Kingswood), M2 (Bull Street to Hamilton Grove) and M3 (Riverside to City University East Campus).

The system is owned, operated and contracted by Transport for Ourcity, and operated using Envirobus 400ECity Electric Buses. The livery is separate for each route, Mainly consisting of a grey body with a coloured stripe indicating the route, those being pink for M1, orange for M2 and green for M3.

Certain sections of the system are operated along a guided-busway, these being between The Galleria and Hamilton Grove on M2, Forest Hill and UCO Sydenham on M1 and South Hamstead to Shard Bridge and Bridgedown to CU East Campus on M3. The vehicles are fitted with purpose-constructed guidewheels for these busway sections. Many sections of the route are on segregated bus lanes.

Metrobus services are only able to stop at designated bus stops along the route, these being marked on the map. Only a few stopping places exist that are not marked on the map, These mostly consist inside University property and at termini. Metrobus stops are fitted with elongated shelters and large interactive stop markers known as "i-Points", which incorporate information with ticketing, as the system operates with a buy-before-you-board system unless using Swift or Contactless.

## Route M1

Metrobus Route M1 runs between the Kingswood Estate in the South to Hendon High Road in the North, operating via Sydenham, Borough, Central Zone, Hamstead and UCO Northway, where around 40% of services terminate as a short-journey.

M1
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### Via

Kingsbury, Wellesley Park, Holt Park, Friern Elthorn, Archway, Archway Vale, Blakedene East, UCO Northway, Bounds Green, Wood Green, Jarvis Road, Hamstead Wick, South Hamstead, Bull Street, Queens Circus, Riverside Bus Station, Riverside High Street, Owens Mill, Borough, Borough Market, Heath Street, Denmark Hill, Oval, Gantover, Kent Road, Sydenham Park, Forest Hill, UCO Sydenham

Route M1 serves two large university campuses, those being the Northway and Sydenham campuses of University College Ourcity, with many services terminating at the Northway campus as short journeys.

Within the Borough area, M1 operates via different routes depending on the direction of the service, with Southbound services operating via Borough Market and Denmark Hill, Whereas Northbound services miss these two stops out and service Heath Street instead, in which Southbound services do not.

Services terminate along the shopping area of Hendon High Road, before turning back and heading towards Kingsbury. Services terminate on West Drive in the Kingswood Estate, Which is situated around the corner from the main shopping parade. Services terminate in the main forecourt of University College Ourcity's Northway campus during short Northbound journeys.

The route connects with many other transport options, Including National Rail at High Road Hendon, Wellesley Park, Holt Park, Bounds Green, Hamstead Wick, Borough, Denmark Hill, Sydenham Park and Forest Hill and Metro services at Archway, Bounds Green, Wood Green, Hamstead Wick, South Hamstead, Bull Street (Corporation Street), Riverside, Owens Mill (Great Oakley Street), Borough and Oval.

M1 also serves the FlyOCA Arena at Borough, which brings in a large amount of passengers during concerts.

## Route M2

M2
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### Via

Highbury Vale, New Street, Queens Circus, Riverside Bus Station, Riverside High Street, Owens Mill, Belgravia Square, Victoria, The Galleria, Watergate & Blakedown

Metrobus Route M2 runs between Bull Street in Central Ourcity to Hamilton Grove Park & Ride via Victoria, Watergate and Blakedown. The M2 serves as a Park & Ride service from the city centre, and operates up to every 20 minutes. The route M2 operates via a Guided Busway section between The Galleria on the north side of the river, and Hamilton Grove. The section between The Galleria and Blakedown is situated below ground. Services within the City Centre operate via a Circular route, Heading Northbound from Owens Mill via Highbury Vale, New Street, Bull Street, Queens Circus, Riverside Bus Station and Riverside High Street. Services terminate at Bull Street.

The M2 connects with National Rail and Metro services at New Street, Bull Street, Riverside, Belgravia, Victoria and Watergate.

There has been a proposed extension to the M2 going from Hamilton Grove P&R and extending down to link up at Kingswood with the M1, going via Lake Road, Streatham, Royal Institute, Priors Hall, Stockwell Common and Stockwell, Although this is yet to be approved or constructed.

## M3/M3x

### Via

Queens Circus, Bull Street, South Hamstead, Hamstead Wick, Jarvis Road, Wood Green, Shard Bridge, Hall Street, Alminster Road, Haughton South & Bridgedown

Metrobus Route M3 and M3x run between Riverside Bus Station in Central Ourcity to City University's East Campus situated near South Haughton. The M3 operates stopping at all designated Metrobus stops along the route, Whereas the M3x runs fast along an express guided-busway between South Hamstead (not serving the stop) and Shard Bridge. The M3x only operates at peak times. Another section of Guided Busway is in operation between Bridgedown and CU East Campus.

The M3/M3x terminates inside the Bus Station at Riverside, with parked vehicles waiting along the road outside. The M3/M3x also terminate in the main courtyard of the City Uni's East Campus. There are no regular short journey routes on the M3 or M3x, with 90% of services running the full route between Riverside and City Uni, with rare unscheduled short journeys during nessicary hours.

The M3/M3x connects with National Rail at Hamstead Wick only, and Metro services at Bull Street, South Hamstead, Hamstead Wick and Wood Green.

## Objections to the program

Certain activist groups were against the original construction of the Metrobus network, most notably the disruption caused by the construction of the guided busway sections and segregated bus lanes, and protests were staged at several locations along proposed sections. These activists were then calmed by the local authority when a compromise was met about the guided section that the M3x took, meaning it would disrupt less local residents.

## Previous routes

The Ourcity Metrobus system runs along routes that existed in the entirety or partially existed in the past. Route M1 follows the routes of the now defunct 365 between Borough and Hendon, which operated between 1993 and 2020 using OBC New Routemasters, and the 552 between Owens Mill and the Kingswood estate. The current M1 follows most of the same routing as the 365 and the 552, although stops at less stops along the way. It also serves new busway sections and goes via the campuses of University College. The 365 was operated by Bradbus, and the 552 was operated by TM Travel using Wrightbus Geminis.

The M2 follows the old routing of the PR1, which operated between 2001 and 2018 as a limited stop park and ride service between Riverside Bus Station and Hamilton Grove Site. The PR1 used Mercedes Citaro buses in a special livery operated by The Central Zone Governing Body of Ourcity (CZG). This route was withdrawn in 2018 due to ongoing works in order to build the large busway sections and rebuild Hamilton Grove P&R Site. A replacement service was not operated in the time between the old route ceasing and the new M2 starting due to it being a non-essential Park & Ride route.

The M3 partially follows the route of the old 212 between Riverside Bus Station and Haughton South. The 212 was operated by SWTransit and ran using Envirobus 400s. After reaching Haughton South, instead of heading towards City University's East Campus, it headed north to Haughton Wood. The section between Haughton South and Haughton Wood is now operated by the 333 (Stepney - Haughton Wood) which is operated by SWTransit using Envirobus 400s. The section down to East Campus was previously unserved.

The M3X partially follows the route of the old U5 between City University Marks Cross and City University East Campus limited stop via Riverside Bus Station and Hamstead Wick only. Alike the M3X, this route operated at peak-times only. The U5 was withdrawn in 2020 to make way for the new Metrobus routing via Hamstead and the express busway. There is no longer a dedicated route serving the section between City University Marks Cross and Riverside Bus Station, However many other routes pass nearby and it is within easy walking distance.