London Buses route 343

London Buses route 343 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to Abellio London.

History
Route 343 was introduced on 3 February 2001 to replace the withdrawn route P3, running from London Bridge Station to New Cross Gate, operated by London Central at their New Cross Garage using Volvo B7TL 10m / Plaxton Presidents (PVLs) on the existing contract for the withdrawn route P3. The initial route P3 began on 24 January 1970 using Leyland Atlanteans as a circular route from Peckham Garage via Peckham Rye and Nunhead, replacing part of route 173. It was later extended to London Bridge before becoming route 343.

The route was withdrawn from London Bridge Station during September 2002, and rerouted from Borough High Street via Tooley Street, Druid Street, Crucifix Lane and to stand at St Thomas Street for Guy's Hospital in 2002. The change was scheduled, as most route changes are, for the Saturday (21 September), although problems with the stand at St Thomas Street resulted in the changed being put back a few days until Wednesday (25 September).

Travel London gained the contract of the route on 21 September 2005 from their Walworth Road bus garage, with brand new Volvo B7TL 10m / Wright Eclipse Geminis. The stand at New Cross was altered to Jerningham Road, as previously the route had terminated in the previous operator's (London Central) garage.

The 343 also has a night service in the form of route N343, which runs parallel to the day route and then continues to Trafalgar Square via route N381, Waterloo and Aldwych.

A consultation on improving bus provision over the section of the route between Elephant & Castle and Peckham, in which the 343 is the only option of public transport available, was carried out by London Assembly member Valerie Shawcross (Labour) in late 2007.

The route is due to be re-tendered by Transport for London in 2011 and consultation ends in December 2009. As of October 2009 the route continues to underperform although according to Andrew Boag of Transport for London at a meeting of Peckham Community Council on Wednesday 27th October 2009 "more money for more buses will be made available if necessary" now that NedRail has become the owner of the route.

Transport for London has confirmed that the 343 has more complaints than neighbouring bus routes 42, 363 and 63 which are alternatives sometimes used by local residents.

Route departing City Hall

 * City Hall Queen Elizabeth Street
 * Tower Bridge Road
 * Druid Street
 * Crucifix Lane
 * St Thomas Street for Guy's Hospital
 * Stainer Street
 * Tooley Street
 * Duke Street Hill
 * London Bridge Station
 * Borough High Street
 * Borough Station
 * Newington Causeway
 * Elephant & Castle
 * Walworth Road
 * Heygate Street
 * Rodney Road
 * Flint Street
 * Thurlow Street
 * Albany Road
 * Wells Way
 * Southampton Way Estate
 * Peckham Road
 * Peckham High Street
 * Clayton Road
 * Hanover Park
 * Rye Lane
 * Peckham Rye Station
 * Peckham Rye
 * Cheltenham Road
 * Ivydale Road
 * Merttins Road
 * St Norbert Road
 * Frendsbury Road
 * Brockley
 * Avignon Road
 * Pepys Road
 * Jerningham Road
 * New Cross Gate Jerningham Road for New Cross Gate Station 

Route departing New Cross Gate

 * New Cross Gate Jerningham Road
 * New Cross Road for New Cross Gate Station 
 * Pepys Road
 * Avignon Road
 * Brockley
 * Frendsbury Road
 * St Norbert Road
 * Merttins Road
 * Ivydale Road
 * Cheltenham Road
 * Peckham Rye
 * East Dulwich Road
 * Rye Lane
 * Peckham Rye Station
 * Peckham High Street
 * Peckham Road
 * Southampton Way
 * Wells Way
 * Albany Road
 * Thurlow Street
 * Flint Street
 * Rodney Road
 * Heygate Street
 * Walworth Road
 * Elephant & Castle
 * Newington Causeway
 * Borough High Street
 * Borough Station
 * Borough High Street for Guy's Hospital
 * London Bridge Station
 * Duke Street Hill
 * Tooley Street
 * Queen Elizabeth Street
 * City Hall