Reviewing Transport for London’s New Bus Specification v2.7: New Phase of Bus Safety Standards and the Ban on Skylights for New Electric Buses

Stagecoach London Wrightbus Electroliner with skylights

Transport for London has published version 2.7 of the New Bus Vehicle Specification, following a freedom of information (FOI) request made by a member of the public.

A quick scan of the documents reveals that certain information regarding CCTV and Bus Runaway has been redacted under Sections 24 and 38(1)(b) of the FOI Act. This is because public disclosure could compromise network security, facilitate a potential attack, and endanger Transport for London staff and the public.

However, a particular section immediately catches the eye:

Transport for London quietly increases the cost of a new Oyster card to £10.50

This is quite a surprise to some people that Transport for London (TfL) has quietly increased the cost of a new Oyster card to £10.50 without a refundable deposit.

Here's the freedom of information (FOI) response to a member of the public on the TfL website about the Oyster card price increase.

London Bus Tender Awards: Diesel and hybrid fleet retentions, with Route U10 set to introduce new single-deck electric buses

Transport for London (TfL) has announced the London Bus Tender Awards, with several routes retained using existing diesel and hybrid buses, while Route U10 has been awarded new single-deck electric buses.

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

Why is it important for TfL to preserve its digital history and retain documents for researchers to access?

I have come across a freedom of information (FOI) response on the Transport for London (TfL) website where they have started to remove pages and older documents from their website, which brings disappointment.

Here's what it states:

Request ID: FOI-0442-2627
Date published: 05 June 2026

The Funding Challenges Preventing the Original Launch Dates for the New Tube for London (2024 Stock) for the Bakerloo, Central, Piccadilly, and Waterloo & City Lines

A review of historical and recent Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosures outlines the development and subsequent changes to Transport for London's (TfL) plans for upgrading its deep-level Underground lines. What was originally structured as a coordinated programme across four lines has faced adjustments due to changing financial structures, funding constraints, and macroeconomic factors.

Good News and Bad News for the Electric Bus Industry: Over 400 New Electric Bus Orders Placed with Wrightbus

As we approach the end of May 2026, it is time for a round-up of excellent news for Wrightbus, which has secured orders for hundreds of new electric vehicles.

First up, First Bus has announced a major rollout of fully electric vehicles for the West of England network, including brand-new buses alongside repowered and refurbished models operating in Bath.

First Bus press release:

London Bus Tender Awards: Stagecoach retains rerouted 310 with new double-deck electric buses

Transport for London (TfL) has announced in the latest London Bus Tender Awards that Stagecoach London has retained route 310, which will be rerouted to accommodate new double-deck electric buses. Coinciding with this, TfL has published its consultation report confirming that plans to alter the route are proceeding.

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

The case for enhancing cross-boundary bus services for London and the Home Counties to end the postcode lottery

1967 London Transport Board Central Buses Map

This is a follow-up to my article regarding the reinstatement of the London Passenger Transport Area, in which prior to 1970, London Transport served the areas outside the Greater London Council area with green Country Bus services. Then after 1970, they were transferred over to the National Bus Company; these services were fully fragmented after the deregulation of bus services in October 1986. The London Passenger Transport Area also predates the creation of the Greater London Area in 1965.

London Bus Tender Awards: Retentions for First Bus and Stagecoach

In this round of London Bus Tender Awards, Transport for London (TfL) has announced that routes 116 and 117 has been retained by First Bus (London United), and school route 667 has been retained by Stagecoach London, both using existing vehicles.

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

New weekend Super Hopper fare for London's buses and trams for the summer

With the local election period over and Sadiq Khan marking 10 years as the Mayor of London, he has released a surprise announcement regarding transport fares.

Press release by the Greater London Authority: