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| Map of the proposed Bakerloo line extension to Hayes (Bromley) © TfL |
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| Map of bus services in London and South East England during Christmas Day 2024. Source: BusTimes.org |
Transport for London (TfL) plays a crucial role in the daily commuting of millions of passengers across the capital, handling over 3.56 billion passenger journeys in 2023/24. With such a high volume of services, customer complaints are inevitable. However, TfL remains committed to listening to passenger concerns, addressing issues promptly, and implementing improvements to enhance the quality of service.
In line with its transparency commitments, TfL has published detailed data on customer complaints through a Freedom of Information request (FOI-2798-2425). This data not only outlines the total complaints received each month but also highlights the key areas of dissatisfaction, providing valuable insights into recurring issues across various categories. Below is a more detailed look at the most complained-about issues from January 2023 to December 2024.
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| NRMs with route branding Drawings © TfL |
I will be explaining and suggesting my standards for the type of vehicles used for particular bus services in London and elsewhere.
We would like to raise awareness that, during the Christmas period, there are ongoing consultations that are worth taking part in.
Integrated National Transport Strategy: a call for ideas
Another day of London Bus Tender Awards announcements by Transport for London (TfL) shows that Route 166 will be served using new single-deck electric buses.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
As we approach Christmas and the end of the year, the recent London Bus Tender awards have announced that routes 95 and 491 will use new single-deck electric buses, while hybrid New Routemasters will continue to operate on route 67.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
I will be reviewing various Freedom of Information (FOI) requests on the Transport for London (TfL) website, focusing particularly on information I found about London's buses.
Request for New London Bus Vehicle Specifications - Version 2.6 and Later Versions
Request ID: FOI-2818-2425
Date published: 11 December 2024
Mayor announces TfL fares package for 2025, with a freeze to bus and tram fares
It has been reported by @ediz1975 on X (formerly Twitter) that the bus operating company Arriva London has announced they will surrender routes 149 and 248 two years earlier than the original end date.
In the summer of 2024, independent bus company Sullivan Buses ceased operating all of Transport for London's (TfL) routes due to a financial dispute, and the routes were retendered to different bus operating companies.
I will be exploring through the Mayor’s Question Time, Transport for London (TfL) documents, etc. on how and why the New Routemaster (also known as the New Bus for London) was designed as a three-door, two-staircase hybrid bus instead of a half-cab and permanent open platform bus.
Let’s start off on how the concept of the New Routemaster all started.
This article explores the development of various proposed successors to the AEC Routemaster throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, before the Conservative Party candidate Boris Johnson proposed the New Routemaster during his 2008 London Mayoral Election.
XRM (Experimental Routemaster)
The front-entrance AEC Routemaster’s (FRM1) launch in December 1966 was met with a sense of pessimism. It was quickly seen as outdated, even before it entered production, and there were growing arguments against London Transport (LT) continuing to design its own vehicles. The introduction of the New Bus Grant scheme, which provided generous subsidies for off-the-shelf vehicles, further weakened the case for bespoke bus designs. This shift towards ready-made models led to the failure of several new bus types, such as the Merlins, Swifts, and Fleetlines, which were plagued by high maintenance costs. Despite this, there remained a strong belief that only London Transport could design buses suited to the city's needs, which resulted in a bias against new models before they had been tested.
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| Drawing of the New Routemaster |
In this article, I will be going through a series of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests published on the Transport for London (TfL) website regarding modifications to the New Routemaster buses, including changes to doors and windows.
Request ID: FOI-1630-2425
Date published: 10 September 2024
Below are the key insights from Transport for London's (TfL) Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, which I found on their website.
I hope you find this information helpful.
Request ID: FOI-2649-2425
Date published: 02 December 2024
Electric Buses
Question: It has come to my attention that only a handful of Electric buses last on routes 24/7 without using Diesel or Hybrid vehicles to cover. What action will be taken to ensure that Electric buses are able to remain on routes throughout the day and night?
As we enter the final month of the year (December 2024), I’ve been reviewing the answers from the London Mayor's Question Time held on 21 November 2024. There’s a wealth of interesting information about upcoming improvements to London buses and the Underground, including plans for driverless trains.
Bus lanes and bus journey times
Reference: 2024/3971
Date: Tuesday 26 November 2024
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| Clipping from London Transport News No. 409, August 27 1992 |
As we approach the end of November 2024, Transport for London (TfL) has announced the latest round of London Bus Tender Awards, where Routes 61 and 261 will be served by new double-deck electric buses.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
Route 44/N44
Retained By: Go-Ahead London General
Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR): 18
Vehicles: Existing hybrid double deck
Contract Start Date: 31st May 2025
Contract End Date: 31st May 2030
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| Irizar ie tram on Route 358 - TfL Image |
Transport for London has announced that Stagecoach will retain Route D8, featuring new double-decker electric buses.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
Route 46
Retained By: Metroline
PVR: 17
Vehicles: Existing electric single deck
Contract Start Date: 21st June 2025
Contract End Date: 18th June 2032
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| Livery drawing of Superloop Route SL1 Bus - Source |
Request ID: FOI-2302-2425
Date published: 14 November 2024
SL1
🚍 Vehicle Vinyl Wraps: £71,200.00
🚏 Bus Stop Branding: £24,383.33
🏷️ Printed at Stop Customer Information: £8,891.66
Total for SL1: £104,474.99
In response to Daniel Timms' suggestion to scrap London's Tube fare zones and introduce distance-based fares in kilometres, there are several key points to consider that highlight the potential confusion and difficulties for various groups of passengers. He published his suggestion on The Londoner website, which can be found here. While the idea of distance-based pricing may seem appealing at first glance, it overlooks the significant impact this could have on passengers who rely on the current fare system, particularly those using Oyster Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) and contactless payment methods.
This is a follow-up to my previous article about Transport for London (TfL), in which a response to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request mentioned the use of Passenger Emergency Alarms (PEA) by wheelchair users in the event of missed assistance at Tube and railway stations.
The FOI response below provides detailed information, such as the height of the PEAs and the Call For Aid (CFA) help points inside some of their trains.
Request ID: FOI-2221-2425
Date published: 04 November 2024
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| Screenshot of the Elizabeth line Driver's Eye Video on YouTube |
This is in support of London Underground Tube drivers (and train drivers) who wish to film their experiences driving an Underground or railway train during their duties, as this is one method of promoting public transport usage to tackle climate change issues.
The London Underground, known affectionately as "the Tube," is the world’s oldest rapid transit system, having first opened its doors to passengers in 1863. This iconic transport network has played a crucial role in shaping the city of London and its surrounding areas, facilitating the movement of millions of commuters each day. With its rich history and extensive network, the Tube remains a vital component of London’s transport infrastructure.
As we are in November of 2024, it has been reported by Transport for London (TfL) that routes 55 and 87 will continue to use three-door, two-staircase New Routemasters, and route 230 will be served using new electric double-deck buses.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
Request ID: FOI-2143-2425
Date published: 31 October 2024
The Department for Transport has released data revealing how much compensation train operating companies (TOCs) in the UK have paid to passengers since 2016. This compensation, guided by each company's Passenger’s Charter, includes various schemes: delay repay compensation, traditional charter compensation, and discretionary payments. In this article, we'll take a closer look at compensation trends from 2020 to 2024, focusing on noteworthy changes and the factors at play.
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| Zip Oyster Card - TfL |
Transport for London (TfL) has announced that children with expired 5-10 or 11-15 Zip Oyster photocards can continue to use their cards until 31 December 2024. This measure comes as TfL deals with a cyber security incident that has prompted an extensive investigation into the potential access of customer data.
This is a brief follow-up to a thread on X (formerly Twitter) and Bluesky about the importance of providing bus services that follow the Underground lines where various stations lack step-free access.
Transport services in London play a vital role for millions of residents and visitors, yet they present significant challenges for those with restricted mobility. With many Underground stations lacking step-free access, there is an urgent need for bus routes that complement not only tube lines but also railway services, including the London Overground, Elizabeth Line, and National Rail.
In this article, I will be reviewing Transport for London's (TfL) New Bus Vehicle Specification version 2.5 and Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) Bus Specification for their franchised Bee Network and suggesting a new common bus specification for London, Greater Manchester, other franchised areas, municipal bus companies, etc. I will also briefly include the specification for the three-door, two-staircase bus named New Routemaster (NRM).
As the documents are too detailed and specific, I will show the relevant parts and make a comparison. Some of my readers may have seen the comparison of the bus specifications posted on my social media pages.
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| Different types of Freedom Passes Page from TfL's Staff Guide to Fares and Ticketing |
I've been researching through the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) website, and I’m quite disappointed to see multiple cases where the London Borough Councils have been incompetent in issuing Freedom Passes to the disabled people.
Just to clarify that I am not an expert in this issue, and the purpose is to show my research into my article and comment about it.
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| B23 Rolling Stock - © TfL |
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| Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV in London Photo by Alexander Dennis |
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| Zero Emission Bus in Oxford - Photo by Go-Ahead Group |
A bus operating company named Go-Ahead London has announced a £500 million investment for 1,200 new zero-emission buses manufactured by Wrightbus.
Fom UK Department for Transport
• £500 million investment announced to deliver 1,200 UK-made zero emission buses, ensuring greener and better journeys for passengers
• bus operator Go Ahead’s investment to benefit communities across the country, supporting hundreds of jobs and delivering growth
• Transport Secretary brings together industry to advance opportunities for investment in the UK ahead of investment summit
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| Poster by Hong Kong PHAB Association |
Although I'm not a wheelchair user, I have volunteered to help in a small tweet thread instructing on what to do in the event of missed assistance (staff deploying a wheelchair ramp) at railway stations. I decided to share the instructions in my article because users who are not registered with X are unable to see other posts.
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| The New Tube for London under construction and the Enviro100EV - © Siemens and Alexander Dennis |
Today (3rd October) has been big news for manufacturing in England as we see the 'New Tube for London' 2024 rolling stock for the Piccadilly line and 32 Alexander Dennis Enviro100EV small electric buses for London Bus Routes 233, R1, R3, R4 and R8.
From Siemens UK
The Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh and the Mayor of London attended the grand opening of the Goole Train Manufacturing Facility, a significant milestone for Siemens Mobility and the future of rail transportation in the region. Alongside the opening, Siemens Mobility announced a substantial investment of up to £40 million in a state-of-the-art Bogie Assembly and Service Centre, further solidifying its commitment to the region.
The new Bogie Assembly and Service Centre will incorporate and expand Siemens Mobility’s current capabilities to overhaul bogies from UK trains, including the 3,224 strong fleet of vehicles (572 trains) it maintains in the UK, and will also include new production lines for assembling bogies for new trains, a first for Siemens in the UK.
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| Graphic Standard for the Emergency Passenger Alarm used for Central line trains - © TfL |
TfL has also posted detailed procedures when the wheelchair user activates the alarm at the station.
Here's the text published by TfL from a Freedom of Information request.
Request ID: FOI-1797-2425
Date published: 27 September 2024
Transport for London (TfL) has announced in a new London Bus Tender Awards that route 25 will continue to use double-deck hybrid buses, and route 73 will continue to use three-door, two-staircase New Routemasters and route 425 will use new double-deck electric buses.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
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| TfL Image - CGI of shuttle bus service |
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
Route 37 (24hr)
Retained By: Go-Ahead London Central
Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR): 19
Vehicles: Existing hybrid double deck
Contract Start Date: 31st May 2025
Contract End Date: 2nd June 2028
A Freedom of Information request to Transport for London (TfL) has revealed a list of stations on the TfL network with short platforms and selective door opening (SDO).
Request ID: FOI-1716-2425
Date published: 20 September 2024
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| Poster by Hong Kong PHAB Association |
Firstly, I'm not a wheelchair user, and I have no experience travelling on public transport using a wheelchair.
I've been seeing stories of wheelchair users getting trapped in the train after arriving at the station due to the absence of platform staff, which caused them delays and distress in their journeys.
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| Clipping from London Transport News - No. 392, March 15 1991 |
Transport for London (TfL) has listed four pre-qualified manufacturers to design and build a new fleet of trams for their tram network in South London.
TfL Press release:
• Manufacturer sought to build 24 new air-conditioned trams
• The new trams will provide customers with a more comfortable and reliable service, with new features including mobile charge points and real-time travel information
• The new generation of trams will start to be introduced in the late 2020s, subject to funding
• An option to procure additional trams in the future that could enable a full fleet replacement
As we are a couple of months into the new Government by the Labour Party administration. Their manifesto commitment is about improving bus services for England by giving powers back to the local authorities.
From UK Department for Transport press release
Transport Secretary sets the wheels in motion on "biggest overhaul to buses in a generation"
Some of my followers on X (formerly Twitter), BlueSky, and Mastodon may have noticed that I have been posting research such as survey results for the high-spec buses, the New Routemaster, and bendy buses.
I have decided to post some of the text in my article to widen the outreach for researchers.
To start off, a Freedom of Information request to Transport for London (TfL) has published the customer research for the high-specification double-deck buses that are used in relation to the New Bus Vehicle Specification.
Customer experience research for new buses with high-spec features
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| New Route 310 Bus - TfL Image |
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
As we are approaching the end of August, the recent London Bus Tender Awards have revealed that routes 171/N171 will use new double-deck electric buses, and Metroline will operate routes 327 and W9 which were previously operated by Sullivan Buses.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
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| Photo by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority |
Recently, the Liverpool City Region Mayor unveiled a tram-style bendy bus (Van Hool Exqui.City) leased from Translink in Northern Ireland for demonstration of a new bus rapid transit service in Liverpool, which is part of the Steve Rotheram mayoral manifesto commitment. I'm also aware there's a similar concept in Brisbane, Australia, where they expect to launch a new rapid transit service on 21st October 2024, branded as Brisbane Metro.
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| LT Museum Bus Wrap - © TfL/LTM |
The London Transport Museum (LTM) unveiled their new colourful roundel since mid-July 2024, incorporating all the colours of Transport for London's (TfL) transport modes.
In collaboration with TfL and Transport UK London (formerly Abellio London), they have unveiled a fully electric LT Museum branded bus to promote their new roundel on London routes 133 (Streatham to Holborn), 306 (Acton Vale to Sands End) and C3 (Clapham Junction to Earl's Court Tesco).
The recent London Bus tender awards have announced that Route 18/N18 has been retained by RATP London United.
LBSL intends to enter into a new contract for the following route with the operator listed below:
This is a follow-up to my previous article about a small private bus operating company named Sullivan Buses ceasing to operate all of Transport for London's contracted bus routes due to issues with TfL.
TfL has announced that Metroline has been awarded to operate four school bus routes that had been previously operated by Sullivan Buses.
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| The Superloop Is Coming - Image by GLA |
This is a follow-up to my previous article "Updates On TfL's Superloop Express Services: Reports About Performance And Reliability."
A Freedom of Information Request to Transport for London (TfL) has revealed further updates about the Superloop, which is a network of express branded bus services in Greater London.
Let's take a read:
Request ID: FOI-1129-2425
Date published: 05 August 2024
As this is short news, Transport for London (TfL) announced that London Buses Route 427 is retained by Transport UK London (formerly Abellio London) with existing single-deck buses.
LBSL intends to enter into a new contract for the following route with the operator listed below:
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| Diagram of Route 310 trial |
It is announced that by the end of August 2024, Transport for London (TfL) will be launching Route 310 as a trial bus service, serving from Golders Green to Stamford Hill via Whittington Hospital. They will be using existing diesel single-deck buses.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
Route 310
Current Operator: N/A - New Route
New Operator: Stagecoach London
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 8
Vehicles: Existing Diesel Single Deckers
Contract Start Date: 31st August 2024
Contract End Date: TBC
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| Volvo BZL for Arriva London |
As the Summer Olympics are due to start in Paris, France, with the opening ceremony. Transport for London (TfL) has announced that routes 196, 337 and Superloop Route SL6 have been awarded with new double-deck electric buses.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
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| A post from Weibo about the BYD BD11 |
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| Cover of the Oyster card guide booklet from 2003 |
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| Map of the Sydney Metro City and Southwest |
This is a follow-up to my previous article about the most common journeys on the London Underground for the year 2023.
I can reveal that Transport for London (TfL) has published the most common journeys for the other modes, including National Rail (NR), Elizabeth line (EL) and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).
I can confirm that we hold the information you require, which is provided in the attached spreadsheet. This provides the total counts for origin destination pairs for all rail journeys we have data for in 2023. Note that these counts are derived from completed journeys where the customer tapped in and out using either an Oyster card or a contactless payment card. Journeys completed using a paper ticket, and incomplete journeys (i.e. where the passenger did not tap in or out for whatever reason) are not captured in the data.
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| Map of the Superloop express bus services Image by TfL |
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| Upminster Bridge tube station eastbound platform looking west |
Today is Polling Day for the General Election in the United Kingdom. Transport for London (TfL) has announced a London Bus tender award for one route. Route 266, which runs from Brent Cross Shopping Centre to Acton Old Town Hall via Willesden Junction Station, will be using new double-deck electric buses.
LBSL intends to enter into a new contract for the following route with the operator listed below:
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| A page from the Big Red Book on the ENCTS passes. |
In this article, I will mention the use of disabled and older person's English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) passes for bus services in London.
The purpose is to raise awareness that the ENCTS passes, which are issued by the English local authorities throughout England, are valid for travel on London's red buses despite the Electronic Ticket Machine (ETM) not reading them. Instead, the guidances below states that the user can show the ENCTS pass to the driver in London.
Here are the texts from the Transport for London (TfL) website:
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| A screenshot of New Routemaster buses on Google's reCAPTCHA |
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| Clipping from London Transport News (No. 426 - January 27 1994) The first of the low-floor wheelchair accessible single-deck buses for London |
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| The cover of the first edition of TfL's Big Red Book (from 2008) |
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| Snapshot from First Sight: Battle of the Buses - Credit BBC |
To briefly mention, the first London Transport authority was the London Passenger Transport Board, formed in 1933 with the transfer of the transport undertakings of the Underground railways, trams and buses, many of which were private or owned by the local governments.
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| Infographic of TfL's asset facts and figures 2024 - Image by TfL |
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| BYD BD11 eBus |
In this huge announcement of the London Bus tender awards, it has been revealed that routes 148 and H98 will continue to serve using three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemasters, and routes 169, 218, 247 and P5 will see new electric buses entering service.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
Route 148 (24h)
Retained by: RATP London United
Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR): 16
Vehicles: Existing New Routemaster
Contract Start Date: 5th October 2024
Contract End Date: 1st October 2027
Transport for London (TfL) reveals from a Freedom of Information request the most common journeys for the London Underground for the year 2023.
The top 20 most common journeys are as follows:
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| Waste collection vehicle in the London Borough of Islington |
In this article, I will be suggesting how the administrative divisions in England may need restructuring to simplify responsibilities to provide services and to reduce complications, including administrative costs, with the different layers of public bodies.
I'm not an expert in the field of local government, as I can explain the basics, but various functions are part of the Critical National Infrastructure, such as the emergency services, finance, transport etc. I have drafted this article as we are in the General Election period in the UK, so forgive me if you see any inaccuracies.
This is a supplement to my suggestion on creating a new South East Regional Transport Authority to subsume Transport for London, the railways of the former Network SouthEast and other transport responsibilities in general for Greater London, Home Counties, and the South East of England.
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| Elizabeth line fleet at Old Oak Common depot during the day - Photo by Alstom |
London Buses route 233 is now expected to be served with new single-deck electric buses, which are expected to enter service by February 2025 as part of the contract renewal for Go-Ahead London Metrobus.
Transport for London (TfL) has published the London Underground's Timetable Notice for the Central Line Improvement Programme (CLIP), which is a refurbished 1992 Tube Stock used for passenger service evaluation.
As we are in June, the recent London Bus tender awards reveal that routes 299, 389 and 399 are expecting to use new zero-emission single-deck buses by February next year (2025) as part of the new contract won by Go-Ahead London.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
With this short London Bus tender award, it has been announced that route B14 has been retained by Stagecoach with new battery-electric single-deck buses.
LBSL intends to enter into a new contract for the following route with the operator listed below:
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| Volvo BZL electric - TfL bus graphics standard |