As more London bus routes are restructuring to save costs, the withdrawal of route 48 has enabled another conversion to New Routemaster (NRM) operation.
According to London Bus Routes service changes, route 19 is expected to partially convert to New Routemaster operation on 12th October 2019 as route 48 is withdrawn. Then on 25th April 2020 it is expected route 19 will be fully served with New Routemaster buses from route 67.
Route 67 will continue to be served with New Routemaster buses as bus operator Go-Ahead London will start their new contract to operate the service using existing New Routemaster buses from Northumberland Park (NP) garage.
Route 19 serves from Battersea Bridge to Finsbury Park via Piccadilly Circus and is operated by Arriva London from Tottenham (AR) garage. Route 19 was served using AEC Routemaster buses during 1972, right up until 2005; you can read more of the route history here.
According to London Vehicle Finder , New Routemasters are partly served on route 176 and they may appear on other bus routes unofficially.
Currently daytime routes are served by New Routemaster buses; they are:
3, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15, 16, 21, 24, 27, 38, 55, 59, 67, 68, 73, 76, 87, 91, 137, 148, 149, 159, 168, 189, 211, 253, 254, 267, 390, 415, 453, and East London Transit routes EL1, EL2 and EL3.
The New Routemaster buses operate on night routes:
N3, N8, N9, N11, 12, N15, N16, 24, N27, N38, N55, N73, 76, N87, 148, 149, 159, 189, N253, 390, 453 and EL1.
Route 415 has quietly converted to New Routemaster buses, according to this 'Freedom of Information' request . TfL stated they converted the route on 31st August 2019 using spare NRMs. The service is currently operated by Abellio London.
New Routemaster boarding changes
A couple of months ago I mentioned route 8 Routemaster buses are currently on a pilot scheme to change the NRMs boarding to front door only to reduce fare evasion.
I can reveal the 'Tripartite meeting minutes' document has been released under a Freedom of Information request to TfL . It shows the plans to change the New Routemaster buses to front door only boarding.
Stamping Out Fare Evasion (SOFA) on New Routemasters
To reduce the scope for fare evasion, TfL will be modifying all New Routemaster vehicles so that they are front door boarding only (except wheelchair users etc) and customers will be able to alight through either of the two rear doors.
All buses will switch to the New operating approach on a single launch date in late 2019/early 2020. Activities will include driver briefing sessions, customer communications and engagement and updated vehicle signage.
ACTION: Stamping out Fare Evasion (SOFA) – TfL to provide feedback on New Routemaster vehicle modification whereby it will be front door boarding only (except wheelchair users etc) and customers will be allowed to alight through either of the two rear doors.
Unite raised concerns about the changes being based on incorrect or rather undervalued data on bus patronage as fare evasion, particularly on New Routemaster (NRM) buses. - TfL acknowledge fare evasion on NRMs was an issue and are working to convert NRMs to be front door only boarding to overcome this.
It’s quite unfortunate how TfL removed the three-door articulated buses to reduce fare evasion back in 2011 when Boris Johnson was Mayor of London.
If the boarding arrangement is a success, I personally think TfL could retain the arrangement of three-door boarding buses and potentially bring back articulated buses in the future.
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Related articles
Tale of the open boarding buses (bendy bus & New Routemaster)
Fare evasion on New Routemaster buses
Changes to New Routemaster boarding on route 8
Image attribution
By Metro Centric - Hyde Park Corner, London W1Uploaded by Ultra7, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16713655