UK Public Transport Infrastructure: A Global Comparison of Efficiency and Delivery

Public transport infrastructure is a vital component of urban and intercity mobility, facilitating economic growth and environmental sustainability worldwide. The development processes for such infrastructure—including trams, Underground/Metro networks, and high-speed rail—vary considerably between countries and regions in terms of planning laws, financial arrangements, consultation practices, and project delivery timelines. This article presents a detailed comparative overview of these aspects in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the European Union, the United States, Canada, China, Japan, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates.

Suggestion for the New Routemasters After London Service: Repower Them as Electric Vehicles for Bus Rapid Transit Services

Repowered New Routemaster LT11

This is a follow-up to my article from last year regarding the New Routemasters being phased out in favour of new zero-emission buses in the near future.

London Bus Tender Awards: Go-Ahead London to Operate Superloop Route SL11 with New Electric Buses from January 2026

As we enter the new month of August 2025, Transport for London (TfL) has announced that route SL11/N472 has been awarded to Go-Ahead London Central, with new electric double-deck buses.

LBSL intends to enter into a new contract for the following route with the operator listed below:

Experimental Routemaster (XRM): The Overlooked Project of London's Transport History

XRM model bus design
It suggests a livery that is partly red and partly unpainted aluminium.

As a follow-up to my previous articles, "A Brief History of Low-Floor Buses and London Transport’s XRM Project: A Missed Opportunity for Accessibility" and "The Proposed Successors to the AEC Routemaster Before the Three-Door, Two-Staircase Hybrid New Routemaster Bus," this piece will delve into the ambitious yet ultimately unfulfilled project known as the XRM, a London Transport (LT) initiative aimed at designing the next generation of double-deck buses. The Experimental Routemaster (XRM) is indeed a forgotten part of London's Transport history.

London Bus Tender Awards: Arriva Retains Superloop Route SL2 with New Electric Buses

TfL Image

Transport for London (TfL) has announced, in the latest London Bus Tender Awards, that Arriva London has retained the Superloop route SL2. The route will be operated with new electric double-deck buses and is expected to launch sometime next year. This announcement coincides with TfL’s 25th anniversary, which is highlighted in the social media posts embedded below.

London Bus Services Limited (LBSL) intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

Route 43 (24h)
Retained by: Metroline
PVR: 26
Vehicles: Existing electric double deck
Contract Start Date: 31st January 2026
Contract End Date: 28th January 2033

London Bus Tender Awards: New Electric Buses for Routes 96, 229, 428, and 492

Photo by Arriva Group

As we are now in mid-July and the school term has ended for the summer holidays, Transport for London (TfL) has announced that Arriva has won and retained four bus routes, which will operate with new double-deck electric buses.

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

London Bus Tender Awards: New Routemasters to Remain on Route 159 as Transport UK London Secures Contract Renewal; Route 200 to Operate New Electric Double-Deck Buses

As we approach the end of June 2025, Transport for London (TfL) has announced that the three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemasters will continue to operate on route 159. Route 200 will soon be served by new electric double-deck buses, as Go-Ahead London has retained the contract.

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

Route 54
Retained by: Stagecoach Selkent
PVR: 16
Vehicles: Existing hybrid double deck
Contract Start Date: 2nd May 2026
Contract End Date: 4th May 2029

London Bus Tender Awards: New Routemasters to Continue on Route 453

The London Bus Tender Awards, announced by Transport for London (TfL), have revealed that the three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemasters will continue to operate on route 453.

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

Route 385
Retained by: Stagecoach East London
PVR: 1
Vehicles: Existing diesel single deck
Contract Start Date: 18th October 2025
Contract End Date: 20th October 2028

Transport Funding in the 2025 UK Spending Review: Strategic Considerations for London

In this article, I will highlight key details from the UK Government’s HM Treasury Spending Review 2025, with a particular focus on public transport. While the broader review includes major commitments to the National Health Service (NHS), this piece will concentrate on the financial commitments and policy direction for transport infrastructure.

London Bus Tender Awards: Route 149 to Continue Using New Routemasters, New Electric Buses for Route 275, and Go-Ahead London Central Wins Bakerloop Express BL1 Contract – Launching in September 2025

 

Bakerloop BL1 Bus - TfL Image

In this special London Bus Tender Awards update, it has been revealed that Arriva London has retained route 149 and will continue to operate three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemasters.

The Bakerloop Express BL1 route, part of the Superloop network, has been awarded to Go-Ahead London Central, who will introduce electric buses. The service is expected to launch on 27 September 2025.