It replaced tram route 12 which ran from London Bridge to Battersea and Wandsworth and trolleybus route 612 from Battersea and Mitcham, both of which were withdrawn at the same time.
Tram route 12, which connected London Bridge to Battersea and Wandsworth, and trolleybus route 612 from Battersea and Mitcham, were both discontinued at the same time in favor of a new route.