The three-door two-staircase hybrid New Routemaster buses entered service on route EL3 on Saturday 18th February 2017. We are still waiting for them to appear on the rest of the East London Transit routes, EL1 and EL2.
Here’s an update from LOTS:
1) At Stagecoach, the first few E400Hs for route 277 at Bow and E20Ds for route 273 at Catford have entered service in the past week. Saturday 18th saw the first suburban route to go over to LTs when Go-Ahead took over the 387 at Barking from Stagecoach and renumbered it to EL3. For a while the EL1/2 will keep its WVLs until more LTs are available.
2) On 17th February, it was announced that 36 electric single-decks were to be ordered for London United routes C1 and 70 (the 70 comes to LU in June this year with new E20D diesels). No date has been mentioned nor has the type. We still await news of when the two hydrogen fuel cell double-decks at Tower Transit will enter service as well as when the two electric Volvo B5LHC (with overhead conductive charging) buses will appear.
According to London Bus Routes Service Changes page, route 70 contract will start on 24th June 2017.
Thankfully, LOTS have updated us about the Volvo B5LHC as there will be two of these in service; we’ll have to wait for more details to come.
Also, taken from the LBR Service Changes page is the upcoming hybrid buses for London bus services.
Route
|
Operator
|
Hybrid type
|
Expected date
|
2
|
Arriva
|
B5LH/Gemini 3
|
1st April 2017
|
13 (82)
|
Tower Transit
|
B5LH 10.5m/EvoSeti
|
1st April 2017
|
17
|
Metroline
|
Unknown
|
22nd July 2017
|
19
|
Arriva
|
B5LH/Gemini 3
|
1st April 2017
|
72
|
RATP-Dev
|
Unknown
|
Unknown
|
76
|
Go Ahead London
|
New Routemaster
|
25th March 2017
|
120
|
Metroline
|
Unknown
|
24th June 2017
|
242
|
Arriva
|
B5LH/Gemini 3
|
25th February 2017
|
249
|
Arriva
|
B5LH/Gemini 3
|
1st April 2017
|
254
|
Arriva
|
New Routemaster
|
3rd June 2017
|
259
|
Arriva
|
B5LH/Gemini 3
|
25th March 2017
|
260
|
Metroline
|
Unknown
|
24th June 2017
|
277
|
Stagecoach
|
E40H/Enviro400 MMC
|
25th February 2017
|
302
|
Metroline
|
Unknown
|
24th June 2017
|
308
|
Tower Transit
|
B5LH 10.5m/EvoSeti
|
4th March 2017
|
341
|
Arriva
|
Unknown
|
14th October 2017
|
360
|
Go Ahead London
|
BYD/Enviro200 EV
|
October 2017
|
427
|
Abellio
|
Unknown
|
8th April 2017
|
Route 360 will be next to have the zero emission electric buses
In my previous article here, you can read about the updates regarding the New Routemaster buses.
As my regular readers will know, you can follow me on Twitter and Google Plus which is @CLondoner92
And thanks to @RandomBusesGirl for allowing me to use the image of the NRM on route EL3
And thanks to @RandomBusesGirl for allowing me to use the image of the NRM on route EL3