London Bus Tender Awards: Retentions for First Bus, Go-Ahead, Metroline and Uno

Transport for London has announced that First Bus, Go-Ahead, Metroline and Uno have been awarded route contracts without any change of bus operating company.

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

London Bus Tender Awards: First Bus Wins Superloop Route SL15 Contract with New Electric Single-Deck Buses

As we enter August 2026, Transport for London (TfL) announced a round of London Bus Tender Awards on Friday 31st July, confirming that First Bus will operate Superloop route SL15 with new electric single-deck buses.

London Bus Tender Awards: Go-Ahead London retains routes 80, 93, 151, 154, 163, 164 and 470

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that Go-Ahead London has successfully retained routes 80, 93, 151, 154, 163, 164 and 470 following the recent London bus tender awards, with most routes continuing to use existing electric buses.

Transport for London finally releases the Big Red Book Sixth Edition!

Big Red Book Sixth Edition
TfL Image

The long-awaited Big Red Book Sixth Edition has finally been published by Transport for London (TfL). Rather than being published through TfL's Freedom of Information disclosure log, it has instead been released directly on the TfL website.

London Bus Tender Awards: More New Electric Buses for Route 307

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that Arriva London has retained route 307 with new electric buses, alongside the existing fleet of Wrightbus StreetDeck Electroliners that are currently in service.

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

New Contactless PAYG Maximum Fare Trial of £30.40 and TfL's Visitor Centres Stop Selling Magnetic Paper Tickets

As Transport for London's (TfL) Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosure log hasn't updated since early July 2026, I've started to keep an eye on the FOI requests on the What Do They Know website. The news is a bit late as a result, but I have decided to report on it in a separate article to raise awareness—especially for users of Contactless Pay As You Go (PAYG).

Singapore Bus Tender Awards: SMRT Buses Wins the Serangoon-Eunos Bus Package

In the London, I mean Singapore, Bus Tender Awards, the Land Transport Authority has awarded routes 11, 22, 53, 58, 59, 60, 63, 64, 90, 94, 101, 103, 105, 109, 134, 137, 140, 141, 146, 148, 150, 154, 158, 315 and 317 to SMRT Buses.

From The LTA press release:

The Secret and Unbuilt Variants of the New Routemaster

Between 2010 and 2018, London's bus network saw the introduction of 1,000 three-door, two-staircase New Routemasters (NRM), alongside a small production run of nine two-door, single-staircase Wright SRMs ("Son of Routemaster").

Several readers noticed in my previous article that I compiled a directory of publicly accessible links regarding the New Routemaster bus. Fascinatingly, a Freedom of Information (FOI) release on the Greater London Authority website has revealed some incredible, little-known details about what could have been for the NRM fleet.

First Bus Essex Unveils Cross-Boundary Extension of Route B1 to Harold Wood Station – Launching Sunday 26 July 2026

Back in May 2026, I published an article making the case for more cross-boundary bus services. I highlighted how areas just outside Greater London suffer from a distinct lack of connectivity, pointing out major gaps like Transport for London's (TfL) route 375 terminating short at Passingford Bridge instead of Ongar, and the missing link between Waltham Abbey and Chingford.

It is incredibly rewarding to see progress being made on this exact issue so quickly.

Does Transport for London Have Too Much Power in Decision-Making?

Public transport forms part of our critical national infrastructure, serving as a vital asset to both the economy and society. With a significant portion of the population unable to drive a car due to factors such as age, financial hardship, disability, underlying health conditions, or legal restrictions like criminal convictions, a well-functioning transport network is a necessity rather than a luxury.

The purpose of this article is not to disparage Transport for London (TfL), but rather to examine whether the current legislative framework provides sufficient accountability for TfL's decision-making. As a major public body, TfL must remain strictly accountable to the public, operating under the Nolan Principles of public life, which mandate objectivity, accountability, and openness.