 Route 185 parallels part of route 53; following the collapse of London Easylink in August 2002, it was left with a limited service provided by a number of operators, and extra journeys on route 53 were operated between Westminster and New Cross Gate to relieve overcrowding.The service is the only Transport for London contracted route to serve the section of the A2 road through Blackheath Hill.In April 2003 subsidence in a chalk mine beneath the road led to the road being closed and the route being diverted via Lewisham.