An extended bus route is set to improve links between Streatham Hill and Balham.

The route 255 currently operates between Pollards Hill and Streatham Hill via Norbury and Streatham High Road.

It will now continue to Balham Station Road, following a lengthy public consultation ran by Transport for London (TfL).

The new route began running on March 1.

It will be the first bus serve Hydethorpe Road, providing access to services in Balham and Streatham, such as the rail stations and shops.

Requests from residents in the area surrounding Hydethorpe Road for a bus route to include the road have been addressed by the extension.

John Barry, Head of Network Development for TfL, said: "Local residents in the Hydethorpe Road area called for better links with both Balham and Streatham and the extension of route 255 will deliver that."

The extended route will terminate at Balham Station, serving Sternhold Avenue, Thornton Avenue, Emmanuel Road, Radbourne Road, Weir Road, Old Devonshire and Balham High Road.

Using the same single-deck buses, route 255 will operate every 12 minutes from Monday to Saturday daytime, and every 20 minutes on Sundays and in the evenings.

The first bus will depart at around 5.45am, running from Streatham Hill to Balham, with the first bus departing from Balham at about 6.05am.

The last bus to depart from Balham will be 12.22am.