TfL Says Early Termination of E3 Bus Should Be Ceasing
Passengers had found themselves regularly ending journey at Hanwell
An AI video posted on social media protesting about the early terminations went viral. Picture: TikTok
March 11, 2026
In recent weeks users of the E3 bus route have become increasing frustrated at the regular early termination of the service. Frequently was ending its journey at Hanwell Broadway rather than continuing to its scheduled destination in Greenford. The disruption has left many commuters stranded mid-route, forced to make additional changes or walk longer distances to complete their journeys, with little advance warning or explanation.
Route E3 is normally a vital east–west connector, running from Greenford Broadway through Hanwell, West Ealing, Acton and Chiswick, serving residential areas, shopping districts and key transport interchanges including the Elizabeth line. The change has not been reflected in official timetables or service alerts, adding to confusion and dissatisfaction among regular users.
The issue gained wider attention after a video posted on TikTok showed a group of confused passengers reacting to an E3 bus that unexpectedly ended its journey at Hanwell Broadway. The clip, which has since gone viral getting over 3,000 likes, captures the moment riders step off the bus, some checking their phones or travel apps to understand what has happened.
Transport for London has now confirmed that the early terminations are linked to temporary traffic signals and utility works in the Ealing area, particularly along Uxbridge Road. A TfL spokesperson said the delays caused by these works have made it difficult for drivers to maintain the timetable, and that some trips are being curtailed to prevent knock-on delays across the route. The spokesperson added that the operator is working to minimise disruption and that services are only being shortened when absolutely necessary to protect overall reliability.
The works affecting the E3 route are scheduled to be completed by this Wednesday (11 March) which it is hoped will mark the end of the early terminations. TfL has apologised for the inconvenience and acknowledged the impact on passengers.
For many commuters, the lack of clear communication has been a major source of frustration. While early terminations are sometimes used to help drivers rejoin the timetable after delays, passengers say they have not been adequately informed and that official apps and signage still show the full route.
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |