It's been over a month since I've posted an article on my website, so I decided to post a review and express my thoughts about it.
On the 20th December 2021, the new BYD-ADL Enviro400EV City launched on route 63 operated by Abellio London from Walworth (WL) garage.
The UK Government have announced that five Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) have been awarded almost £71 million to support up to 335 new zero-emission buses as part of the Zero Emission Buses Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme initiative for 2021-22.
Fast track
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority
• Kent County Council
• Leicester City Council
• Milton Keynes Borough Council
• Warrington Borough Council
It’s been over a month since TfL announced the new London Bus Tender awards. Here are the recent tender awards which will include new double-deck electric buses for routes 119 and 264.
September 2021 has become a busy time for electric bus manufacturers with Equipmake and Volvo unveiling their new zero-emission double-deck electric bus models aimed at the London market.
Let’s take a look at the launch of Equipmake’s double-deck electric bus in collaboration with Beulas for the bodywork:
This bus has been specifically developed for demanding daily usage cycles, Jewel E meets the latest Transport for London (TfL) specifications and requirements for 2024, including enhanced safety features to give the public, drivers and passengers piece of mind.
From Greater London Authority news release
As the UK prepares to host the important COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced that all new buses ordered by Transport for London (TfL) for the capital will now be zero-emission, building on its recent achievement of making its entire bus fleet compliant with strict Euro VI emission standards – the same standards as the Ultra Low Emission Zone.
From TfL Press Release
Transport for London (TfL) today (Monday 20 September) opened the doors to its two new Tube stations making up the Northern Line Extension, at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station. The two step-free Zone 1 stations are set to dramatically improve the connectivity of these vibrant south London neighbourhoods and support the capital's recovery from the pandemic at a vital time.
Major construction on the 3km twin-tunnel railway between Kennington and Battersea Power Station, via Nine Elms, began in 2015. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the construction project stayed on track for an autumn opening.
London Bus news update: TfL announces the new London Bus tender awards on 5 August 2021.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
Four news items today in one article on the progress of the zero-emission bus rollout within the British Isles.
Two major cities in the Island of Ireland now have bus services served with double-deck hydrogen fuel cell buses; one in Belfast and now also in Dublin.
From National Transport Authority
The National Transport Authority (NTA) in conjunction with Bus Éireann has today unveiled three new hydrogen-fuel-cell-electric double-deck buses that will initially be used on commuter services in the Greater Dublin Area.
The new London Bus Tender Awards have revealed Tower Transit has retained route 13 with existing double deck hybrids and Metroline retained route 204 with new double deck electrics.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
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The recent London Buses tender awards have revealed route 55 will continue to use three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemasters with Stagecoach London.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
A Freedom of Information request made to Transport for London (TfL) has revealed details of the midlife refurbishment project of the three-door, two-staircase hybrid bus known as the New Routemaster. The NRM was designed by Heatherwick Studio and manufactured by Wrightbus.
This article shows the Freedom of Information responses by TfL and the Greater London Authority - also the Mayor’s answers on why the last AEC Routemasters have been withdrawn by not renewing the contract for Route 15H last year (2020).
Let’s take a look at the Freedom of Information request to TfL and how they responded on 6 May 2021 with regards to the withdrawal of Route 15H.
06 May 2021
Some of your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked:
The following question have been answered under the FOIA -
2, How much did TfL pay to refurbish the AEC Routemasters for route 15H?
The new tender awards have revealed routes 148 and 415 will continue to use three-door, two-staircase hybrid buses known as New Routemasters (NRMs) for their new contracts with RATP London United and Abellio.
LBSL intends to enter into a new contract for the following route with the operator listed below:
It’s been a while since I’ve posted something railway related on my website. This recent news regarding railways in Britain is huge because the UK Government have drafted plans to end railway franchising and to simplify ticketing, although the operations will remain privatised.
Excerpt from Department for Transport
Yes I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted on my website, but now I’ve found something interesting to write up.
LBSL intends to enter into a new contract for the following route with the operator listed below:
Route 15H was the very last route to be served with AEC Routemasters after the withdrawal of 9H in 2014.
The Coronavirus pandemic affected the route 15H service hence the reason they haven’t appeared on route 15 last year (2020), which quietly led to the withdrawal of the route.
This week has seen some big news for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The UK Government have announced an investment of £54 million for projects to create new zero-emission vehicles.
From Gov.UK
• projects in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will secure nearly 10,000 jobs and save 45 million tonnes of CO₂
• investment will help drive energy-saving technology across a wide range of vehicles and propel forward a green economy recovery
The new tender awards have revealed that Go-Ahead London General retained their routes 507 & 521 contract with existing electric single-deck buses.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
Request ID: FOI-2431-2021
Date published: 09 March 2021
1. Can you list the routes currently served using electric buses? If possible, can you specify them by operator, make & model including type (double/single deck) of the EV buses?
From Siemens Mobility Press Release
Transport for London (TfL) and Siemens Mobility have today unveiled the detailed design of the new generation Tube trains for the Piccadilly line, which will soon be in production to replace the existing 1970s fleet.
Request ID: FOI-2253-2021
Date published: 26 February 2021
1. Can you confirm the date of delivery and conversion of route 7 to double-deck electric buses?
Larbert, Scotland, UK – 25th February 2021: (TSX: NFI) Alexander Dennis Limited (“ADL”), a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc. (“NFI”), one of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers, today announced that its next generation double deck hydrogen bus will deliver a zero-emission range of up to 300 miles. It will be powered by a Ballard fuel cell power module through the efficient Voith Electrical Drive System (VEDS).
I was checking my Twitter feed and a Tweet emerged from Arrival that their single-deck electric bus will be trialled by First Bus.
As part of the new London Bus tender awards, routes 125 and 235 have been awarded to London Sovereign and London United (part of RATP Group) with new electric buses.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
For the first time in five years, TfL fares are set to rise by 2.6% as part of the government’s requirement for TfL’s funding deal.
From London Mayor news release
• The Mayor has already confirmed fares will rise by RPI+1 (2.6 per cent) overall across all services as a condition of the emergency TfL funding deal made with the Government, but Sadiq has kept some single pay as you go Tube, DLR, London Overground and TfL rail fares unchanged.
• Bus and tram ‘Hopper’ fare - introduced by the Mayor and allowing unlimited journeys within an hour - will increase by just 5p to £1.55, the smallest increase possible and keeping the fare one of the best value in the country.
• This rise –from 1 March 2021 – follows five years of frozen TfL fares set by the Mayor.
• Details announced as TfL publishes plan setting out the level of Government funding required to place its finances on a sustainable footing, after fare income was decimated by the pandemic.
As part of TfL’s funding deal with Government in October 2020, the Mayor was required to increase fares under his control in order to deliver an overall fares rise of 2.6 per cent (RPI+1).
From TfL press release
The main bus network now exclusively uses Euro VI or cleaner buses, the same emissions standard as the Mayor of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone.
All buses in TfL's 9,000-strong bus fleet* now meet or exceed the cleanest Euro VI emissions standards. This is a major milestone in tackling toxic air pollution in the capital.
First of all, Happy New Year to my readers.
We have the first London Bus tender awards of this year. It has announced the three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemasters will prolong operation on route 313 as part of the new contract awarded to Arriva London.