As many of my Twitter followers know, I tend to tweet interesting Freedom of Information (FOI) requests from the Transport for London (TfL) website.
I’ve copied and pasted some of TfL’s FOI releases to my own article to make it easier to find the recent information about London Buses on a different website.
Request ID: FOI-1233-2223
Date published: 08 September 2022
I attach two versions of the latest “welcome aboard” stickers (one is placed on the driver’s cab, the other inside the bus).
The artwork for the stickers was not designed by an outside contractor - it was designed by our internal TfL Design Team.
The total cost for the welcome aboard stickers (including materials and roll-out) was £37,306.
The purpose of the signs are to:
• To encourage more positive interactions between customers and drivers – supporting and emphasising the greeting and welcome that our drivers are trained to deliver to all customers;
• To provide more information to customers on some of the features and services that are available to them as valued bus customers;
• To support more comfortable and easy journeys for all, by communicating more of the things that we can all do to help each other when using the bus
Request ID: FOI-1362-2223
Date published: 20 September 2022
Upcoming new projects for London Buses including route 358’s trambus and high-spec electric buses
Can you publish a list of current and upcoming projects for London Buses?
We have a range of projects/initiatives currently in development or in delivery for London Buses, some of these include:
• Technology improvements: renewal and improving systems such as Countdown and iBus.
• Customer Experience: The New Routemaster refurbishment programme, Route 63 trial, both on board the bus and customer information at bus stops.
• Refurbishing and upgrading existing bus stations: Beginning with Kingston Cromwell Road in 2023/24.
• Driver training: New Diversity & Inclusion training for c25,000 bus drivers by 2025.
• Bus Safety Standard rolled out on new vehicles.
• Bus Security Programme to be delivered by 2025.
• Renewal of on average eight driver welfare facilities, including mess rooms and toilets, every year until 2030.
• 25km of new and improved Bus Priority by 2025.
• Conversion of bus fleet to zero-emission by 2034.
• Ongoing trial of Hydrogen fuel cell technology on 20 buses.
• Opportunity charging pilot to commence in 2023.
On page 67 of your Bus Action Plan, can you disclose a full list of projects in relation to 'trialling new types of services'?https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-action-plan.pdf
We currently have four limited stop services running in London:
• route X140 which runs a limited stop service for its entire length between Harrow and Heathrow
• route X68 which runs as a limited stop service for part of its length between West Norwood and Waterloo
• route X26 that runs between Heathrow and West Croydon
• route 607 that runs between White City and Uxbridge
We continue to review other high frequency corridors where we could trial other limited stop services, such as Old Kent Road, which is being assessed this year. We are also investigating possible bus transit options, but these are at an early stage.
Can you publish more information (including documentation) about route 358 tram bus project using Irizar ie tram electric buses?
Can you publish documentation such as progress reports and specification in relation to the new 'high-spec' electric buses currently used on routes 63, U5 and 322?
The new features include high back seats, wood-effect flooring, integrated seat-back USB charger/phone holder/stop button, driver/customer intercom, priority seat moquette, sun roof, digital screens replacing the standard on-bus next stop screens, and removal of grab-poles upstairs replaced by seat-back rails. There is no formal specification of the design changes. We will be researching the customer impact of the new features. Any decision on what is included in a future bus specification will take place after the outcome of the customer research.
A couple of Freedom of Information requests below are in relation to the customer experience improvements as mentioned above.
Date published: 07 October 2022
Can you publish the documents in relation to the refurbishment of the New Routemaster fleet?
I can confirm that we hold the information you require. Please see the documents attached as requested.
https://foi.tfl.gov.uk/FOI-1423-2223/New%20Routemaster%20Technical%20Specification%20FOI.pdf
https://foi.tfl.gov.uk/FOI-1423-2223/TfL%20CMS%20Specification%20-%20October%202022.pdfhttps://foi.tfl.gov.uk/FOI-1423-2223/New%20Routemaster%20Moquette%20Specification%20FOI.pdf
Note further that the Bus Graphic Standard can be found on our website here:
https://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-buses-bus-graphics-standard-issue03.pdf
Request ID: FOI-1505-2223
Date published: 10 October 2022
Number of complaints and issues raised about the new high specification electric buses for route 63
I can confirm that we hold the information you require. We have answered a similar request recently which you will find our website; it’s available at the following link: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-0194-2223. This response covers the period December 2021 to end April 2022.
1. No glazing next to the stairs making area too dark.
2. Don’t like interior colour design.
3. Seat Moquette – not TfL standard
4. Phone holders - unnecessary
5. Seats too large.
6. Lack of handrails on the upper deck.
7. No Bench-style seating.
8. No Information screen at the rear for wheelchair users.
9. No three doors and two staircases.
One further contact questioned if the buses have a different mechanism when they lower the ramp, whether they are not as effective as the other buses at doing this or if the driver has not had training. However, please note that unfortunately there is limited scope to change the features of the vehicles already in service on the route, but we are monitoring all feedback (both positive and negative) to include in future engagement and development work as part of the Bus Customer Action Plan.
A few months ago I published an article showing multiple Freedom of Information requests revealing comments of the high-spec buses on routes 63 and U5, and the double-deck Electroliner and Hydroliner by Wrightbus.
As times evolve, I would personally prefer to see a new design which is better and more exciting than the New Routemaster. The current design of the high-spec bus for route 63 is the Enviro400EV City by Alexander Dennis and BYD which takes design cues from the New Routemaster.
Request ID: FOI-1283-2223
Date published: 06 September 2022
Hybrid & Electric Buses
1) When was the 1st Hybrid buses launched into TFL service?
The first hybrid double deck bus was introduced into service in 2006.
2) Have Hybrid buses been a successful project?
Hybrid buses were introduce to help reduce carbon emissions and continue to meet the demands of the London bus network. There are around 3,800 hybrid buses operating in London.
3) What advantages do Hybrid buses have over conventional Diesel buses?
Hybrid buses help to reduce carbon emissions by using a combination of diesel and electric power. Thereby emitting less harmful emissions helping to improve air quality and tackle climate change.
4) Why will Hybrid buses no longer be procured into TFL service?
In order to move to a zero-emission bus fleet, the Mayor and TfL announce in September 2021 that all new London buses will be zero-emission.
5) Will Hybrid buses operate for longer than conventional Diesel buses in TFL service?
The majority of vehicles (either hybrid, diesel, or zero-emissions) in London are estimated to remain in service for anywhere between 10 to 14 years.
6) How many Electric buses are currently operating or expected on TFL Buses?
At present, there are 836 electric vehicles in the London bus fleet.
7) Will the rollout of new Electric buses accelerate?
The future rollout of new electric buses will be dependent on several factors, including the cost effectiveness to convert routes from conventional to zero-emission buses.
8) Will anymore Hydrogen buses be ordered?
There are currently no further hydrogen buses planned to join the existing fleet of 20 hydrogen double deck fuel cell buses.
9) I'm aware that conventional Diesel are reducing rapidly. How many currently remain in TFL service & how soon will they continue to decrease?
There are close to 4,000 diesel buses in the fleet. When they leave the fleet will depend on when route contracts end and the age of the vehicle at the end of a route contract.
Request ID: FOI-1530-2223
Date published: 11 October 2022
Consultation outcome reports for Central London Bus Review
Unfortunately we do not hold the information you have requested. The Central London Bus Review consultation closed on 7 August 2022 with just over 21 thousand responses received. We are now reviewing these responses in order to produce a consultation report by the end of 2022. This report will be used by TfL to inform our decision making process on how these proposals should be progressed. Once a decision is made on how to proceed, the consultation report and our next steps will be published at https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/
Request ID: FOI-1141-2223
Date published: 05 September 2022
Plans to keep London bus services running in the event of a private bus company going bankrupt (including administration and liquidation)?
The failure of one of our bus operators has always been a strategic risk. Each circumstance is different, bus as recent cases have shown a trade sale is normally the preferred option. TfL does hold on Operator’s licence through one of its subsidiaries which means that in appropriate circumstances it could operate buses directly, however there are no plans to resort to that. There are no plans therefore to form a new company.
I’ll wrap up the article by embedding some of my tweets linking to a few more Freedom of Information releases.
#TfL Freedom of Information release:
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) September 1, 2022
Questions about Central London Bus Review Consultation
Including other research undertaken by TfL and research agency 2CV, provides insight on what current and potential customers want from buses in the near future.https://t.co/AwWuKmJckC pic.twitter.com/6WQRxYPBpl
#TfL Freedom of Information release:#London Underground #Bakerloo line extension revenue forecast analysis
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) August 2, 2022
"This assumes an opening year in 2030/31."https://t.co/RaFFI8Hfqe pic.twitter.com/sRqCuaeKbb
#TfL Freedom of Information release:
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) June 30, 2022
Lift diagrams for the London Underground and Elizabeth Line stationshttps://t.co/CKpymVFZJc pic.twitter.com/M8ddIehSvs
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