TfL Proposing To Scrap C3 Bus and Reroute 74 Away from Putney
Loss of services would be offset by higher frequency 430
The C3 bus on Wandsworth Bridge
October 12, 2026
Bus passengers in Putney could lose their direct connection to Earl's Court under proposals by Transport for London to withdraw the C3 and reroute the 74 to Clapham Junction.
The changes are intended to simplify the bus network between south-west and central London by reducing the number of overlapping routes and increasing frequencies on services TfL believes have sufficient demand to justify the capacity.
A six-week public consultation is under way, with responses due by Monday 16 November 2026.
Under the proposals, the 74 would no longer run between Putney and Earl's Court. Instead, it would continue from South Kensington along the existing C3 route through south Chelsea and Sands End to Clapham Junction. The C3 would be withdrawn, while the 430 would operate every 12 minutes throughout the week up from every 20 minutes.
For Putney passengers, the principal change would be the loss of a direct bus journey to Earl's Court. Travellers making that journey would need to change buses, while those continuing towards South Kensington would also face a transfer between stops.
TfL says all affected stops would continue to be served by other high-frequency bus routes, but acknowledges that some passengers would have to interchange to complete journeys.
The authority argues that the current bus network provides more capacity than is needed along the shared corridor between Putney and South Kensington, where the 74 and 430 follow the same alignment. It says the proposed changes would better match capacity to demand while reducing duplication and operating costs.
The consultation identifies 2,717 daily journeys on the existing 74 that would require an interchange under the proposals. Of these, 1,774 would involve an additional walk between stops.
Passengers travelling towards South Kensington would have to transfer between Warwick Road, stop R, and Earl's Court Square, stop B, a walk of 180 metres.
In the opposite direction, passengers would need to walk 160 metres between Earl's Court Road/Old Brompton Road, stop L, and Redcliffe Gardens, stop M.
Other connections could be made at South Kensington station without changing stops. TfL identifies stops E towards Baker Street and S towards Putney as suitable interchange points, with shelters, seating, lighting and passenger information.
However, neither South Kensington nor Earl's Court Underground station is currently step-free. TfL says passengers from the Putney and Lillie Road areas would no longer have a direct bus connection to a step-free Underground station if the changes went ahead. South Kensington station is planned to become step-free by 2030.
The 74 would no longer provide a direct route from Putney to Earl's Court
The impact would vary according to individual journeys. Passengers travelling to destinations along the existing 74 route beyond Earl's Court would need to consider alternative bus connections, while those travelling between the former C3 corridor and Baker Street or Knightsbridge could benefit from a direct service on the extended 74.
TfL is proposing to increase the frequency of route 430 to every 12 minutes on all days of the week. The authority says the changes would maintain a high-frequency interchange throughout the day and week while reducing excess capacity on the overlapping corridor.
The 74 would continue to operate at six buses an hour during daytime hours from Monday to Saturday, the same frequency as the C3 currently provides during those periods. During evenings, early mornings and Sundays, it would run five buses an hour, compared with four an hour on the C3 at those times.
The Sunday morning frequency of the 74 would also increase from one bus every 20 minutes to one every 12 minutes. The night bus N74 would remain unchanged.
TfL says the restructuring would retain key links while creating new direct connections between the areas served by the C3 and destinations including South Kensington, Knightsbridge and Baker Street.
The revised route plan for the area. Picture: TfL
TfL is inviting passengers to explain how the proposals would affect their journeys, whether positively or negatively, and to identify any aspects of the changes they oppose.
The consultation closes on Monday 16 November. Passengers can respond through TfL's online survey, by emailing haveyoursay@tfl.gov.uk, by telephoning 020 3054 6037, or by writing to FREEPOST TFL HAVE YOUR SAY. Telephone respondents should quote 'Routes C3/74/430'.
TfL says it will consider the responses and publish a consultation report before reaching a decision. The proposed changes remain subject to the outcome of that process.
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