Transport for London publishes Preliminary market engagement notice for the Bakerloo line upgrade

I’ve been scrolling through the UK Government’s Find a Tender website. It caught my eye that Transport for London (TfL) has published a preliminary market engagement (PME) notice for the Bakerloo Line upgrade.

Text from UK Government Find a Tender:

London Bus Tender Awards: New Electric Buses on Routes 52 and 234

It has been a short while since Transport for London (TfL) last announced London bus tender awards in mid-January 2026. It has now confirmed that routes 52 and 234 will be using new electric buses.

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

Transport for London Unveils New Bus Stop Shelter Design

TfL Image - New Bus Shelter Design in Southwark

Transport for London (TfL) has unveiled a new bus shelter design, which features a modern aesthetic and enhanced accessibility. The updated structures include improved seating arrangements, specifically incorporating designated priority seats for elderly or pregnant passengers and those with disabilities.

The following press release provides further details regarding the official launch of these new bus shelters by TfL:

Transport for London’s 2025 Consultation Reports on Bus Service Changes Reveal Ongoing Demand for the New Routemaster and Tram Buses

Wrightbus Electroliner, New Routemaster and Irizar ie Tram
at Crystal Palace Bus Station

This is the follow up to the previous articles from last year and the year before where I gathered information from Transport for London’s consultation reports and highlighted the requests for zero-emission New Routemaster (NRM) and tram-style buses.

Let’s take a look at the 2025 consultation reports I have researched:

̶L̶o̶n̶d̶o̶n̶ Liverpool City Region Bus Tender Awards: Stagecoach And Go-Ahead Win Franchised Bus Contracts

It has been announced that Transport for London, ahem, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority website that Stagecoach has won the contract to operate the franchised bus network in St Helens, and Go-Ahead has won the contract to operate the franchised bus network in the Wirral.

Transport for London reveals number of refurbished Central line trains as of January 2026

A review of the Freedom of Information section on the Transport for London website reveals an update regarding the refurbishment of the 1992 Tube Stock for the Central line. This work is being delivered as part of the Central Line Improvement Programme (CLIP), which includes the installation of new wheelchair bays, automated announcements, and refreshed seat moquette.

Request ID: FOI-3812-2526
Date published: 22 January 2026

Plane ✈️ vs. Train 🚄: A Detailed Comparison of Domestic Travel Across Great Britain

For journeys within Great Britain, the choice between air and rail travel is rarely as simple as looking at a flight time. While a domestic flight might promise a rapid one-hour transit, a closer look at the entire door-to-door experience often reveals that the seemingly slower train can be more competitive in terms of total time, cost, and stress.

From the "hidden" inconveniences of airport security to the city-centre ease of the railway, this article explores the friction points and benefits of how we move across the country in 2026.

A Comparative Analysis: Bus Franchising Legislation Across the UK

The landscape of public transport in Great Britain is undergoing its most significant structural shift since the mid-1980s. As of January 2026, the transition from a deregulated commercial market to a "franchised" model—where local authorities control routes, fares, and branding—has reached a critical turning point.

Note on Northern Ireland: It is important to distinguish Great Britain from the UK as a whole in this context. Northern Ireland never adopted the 1986 deregulation model; instead, it maintains a publicly owned system under Translink, meaning the current franchising reforms do not apply there.

Legislative Framework Comparison

The following table breaks down the primary acts and the legal hurdles required to implement franchising:

London Bus Tender Awards: New Electric Buses for Routes 109/N109, 119, 197, 353, 407, 645 & 664

As we are in the middle of January 2026, Transport for London (TfL) has announced that more routes will use double-deck electric buses—specifically routes 109/N109, 119, 197, 353, 407, 645 and 664—as part of the new route contracts.

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

Transport for London Terminates Route 38 Contract Early Amidst Ongoing Consultation on Proposed Changes to Routes 19 and 38

⚠️ Just to clarify: when a contract is terminated early, it does not mean that the route is withdrawn or changed immediately. Route 38 continues to run in its current routing.

Structure of proposed changes to routes 19 and 38
TfL Image

I don't usually publish the tendering programme updates by Transport for London (TfL), as I mostly report on the London Bus Tender Awards on my site.

 

However, a consultation on the proposal to amend routes 19 and 38, with a potential new route 10, is currently being hosted on the TfL 'Have Your Say' website.