The Little-Known Free TfL Travel Concession for a Select Group

Athlete's Oyster Photocard

There is a secret free travel scheme which is known only by TfL staff and a selected group of people: the Elite Athlete's Oyster photocard. Holders of this card receive free travel on Transport for London (TfL) services and most railway services from zones 1-9. To be eligible, they must be a highly ranked athlete, such as a gold medalist, as defined by the British Olympic Association (BOA). The purpose of this article is to show the research about this scheme which has not been widely publicised.

London Bus Tender Awards: Electrification for Routes 128 and 359

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that London bus routes 128 and 359 will be using new electric buses, which may enter service at the end of this year (2026).

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

London Bus Tender Awards: First Bus London secures five School Bus Routes; South Yorkshire launches Franchising Procurement; and Bus Éireann takes over Limerick Route 310

This news follows the official reports first released on 14th April 2026. It confirms that First Bus London (operating as London United) has successfully retained four school bus contracts and gained one additional route. These services will continue to be operated using existing diesel and hybrid vehicles that meet Euro VI emissions standards.

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

My Thoughts on the New Bus Stop Shelter Trial at Romford Station

A New Bus Stop Shelter trial at Romford Station

As I write this on World Public Transport Day, I’m sharing my review of the new bus shelter design currently being trialled at Romford station.

The stop was quite busy, so I couldn't capture every angle, but the layout feels more premium than the initial designs shown in the press release I reported on previously. While it is a strong start, there is definitely room for improvement.

Transport for London reveals trial locations for new bus stop shelters

TfL Image - New Bus Shelter Design in Southwark

Transport for London (TfL) has revealed the list of bus stops featuring the new shelter design as part of a trial to improve accessibility, safety, and the customer experience.

You can read more about the new bus stop shelter trial in my previous article.

The list was released following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request and has been published on the TfL website.

Request ID: FOI-4284-2526
Date published: 09 April 2026

New Shelters Trial:

Transport for London Updates on the Future of the New Routemaster with Retrofitted Electric LT11 Set for Service Return

3D images of the New Bus for London - 2010
© Transport for London

Firstly, a very happy Easter to all my readers and followers across my social media platforms.

It has been revealed that Transport for London (TfL) has provided an update via the Freedom of Information (FOI) section of their website. It is expected that some of the New Routemasters (NRMs) are due to move to routes 27, H32, and others yet to be allocated.

Request ID: FOI-4696-2526
Date published: 01 April 2026

Mike Harris to cease production of printed Greater London Bus Maps

It is disappointing to see that Mike Harris has ceased the production of his printed bus maps. These maps provide comprehensive coverage of the Greater London bus network, including commercial routes that cross the Greater London boundary.

Here is the statement from his website:

A Huge Thanks to Dailymotion

On 25 November 2025, I published an article detailing some technical hurdles I was experiencing regarding my video archive, a collection of over 350 videos uploaded since 2014.

I am pleased to share that, following a Subject Access Request, the Dailymotion team provided me with a comprehensive list of my old videos hosted on the platform. While the original source files were no longer hosted on the platform, this data was vital; it allowed me to identify every video, the total count, and the video upload dates.

UK Government announces new transport strategy with tap-and-go travel across trains, trams and buses

The UK Government has announced further integration for transport services in England, featuring expanded tap-and-go travel, stronger service coordination, and a partnership with Google Maps to provide live coverage of buses.

From the Department for Transport press release:

The case for dual-door buses outside London: why is it important to improve journey times?

On 15th March 2026, I published an article outlining my review of the West Yorkshire Bus Specification Options Report regarding the design of the new "Weaver Network" buses, which are expected to launch from April 2027.

Then, on 18th March 2026, I hosted an opinion poll on X (formerly Twitter) regarding whether high-frequency buses should have dual-door and/or triple-door configurations.