TfL Anticipates the Launches of Irizar Ie Tram Buses for Route 358 in June 2024 and a New DLR Train in Spring 2024

Transport for London (TfL) has posted multiple Freedom of Information (FOI) requests on their website, which has caught my attention. This is in relation to the delay in the launch of the Irizar Ie Tram buses for route 358 and the new Docklands Light Railway (DLR) B23 rolling stock train.

Firstly, we take a look at the FOI request for the Irizar Ie Tram, which is expected to launch on route 358 this year.

Request ID: FOI-3532-2324
Date published: 30 January 2024

Delays to the rollout of Irizar ie tram style buses for route 358

1. Would you be able to provide information about the delay in the rollout?

London Bus Tender Awards: Routes 5, 15 And N15 To Continue Using New Routemasters

The recent London Bus Tender Awards have revealed that routes 5, 15 and N15 will continue to use the three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemaster buses.

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

Why Are Bus Lanes And Bus Priority Roads Beneficial To Emergency Services, Especially Non-Emergency Ambulances?

Non-emergency ambulance using the bus lane in London.
Image by TfL

I have spotted on Twitter/X that a local authority in Hull made a decision to degrade bus priority measures, and another is in America, where the State of Indiana General Assembly is trying to pass a bill to restrict bus lanes in Indianapolis, including the IndyGo Blue Line, a Bus Rapid Transit service.

The purpose of this article is to show my research on how bus lanes and priority measures are beneficial to emergency services, including non-emergency service ambulances.

London Bus Tender Awards: Route 17 To Continue Using New Routemasters - All New Urban Buses Are To Be Zero-Emissions In The EU By 2035

The latest London Bus Tender Awards have revealed that route 17 will continue to use New Routemasters, and Metroline won the route 28 contract with existing diesel double-deck buses.

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

Route 17
Retained by Metroline
Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR): 15
Vehicles: Existing New Routemaster
Contract Start Date: 20th July 2024
Contract End Date: 20th July 2029

Transport for London’s 2023 Consultation Reports for Bus Service Changes Reveal Popularity for the New Routemaster and Tram Buses

Last updated: 24 March 2024

New Routemaster and Irizar Ie Tram

Some of my readers have seen on Twitter/X posting certain pages of various consultations about the proposed London bus service changes, especially with the proposed new routes for the Superloop express bus network. According to the comments TfL received on their consultations, there have been requests to use New Routemasters and Tram Buses on various bus routes in London. What is bizarre is that the Tram Buses haven’t been launched on route 358.

The Mayor Of London Sadiq Khan Allocates £123m Of GLA Funding To Freeze TfL's Fares Until March 2025

I've just woken up, and I saw the surprise news about the Mayor of London freezing TfL's fares till March 2025. I believe this deserves their own article.

From the Greater London Authority press release

• The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan is allocating £123m of GLA funding to freeze TfL fares until March 2025
• Millions of Londoners set to benefit from the Mayor’s bold action, with potential savings of up to £90 a year. In contrast, national rail fares are going up by 4.9 per cent
• With record numbers of commuters using pay as you go, compared with Travelcards, the freeze will help more Londoners than ever as the cost of living continues to soar   
• The Mayor says it will put money back in people’s pockets, and also be a boost for London’s culture, retail and hospitality sectors
• New analysis shows that fares set by the Mayor in 2024 will be 14 per cent lower than if they had risen in line with national rail fares, and 21 per cent lower than if they’d risen in line with RPI since 2016
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced bold action to freeze TfL fares this year, to support Londoners struggling with the cost of living and London’s recovery from the pandemic. The Mayor is proposing £123m of additional funding to TfL, identified as part of the GLA budget setting process, to freeze fares for a whole year at a crucial time when Londoners are being hit by inflated food costs and soaring energy bills.

London Bus Tender Awards: Stagecoach London Retains Routes W12, W13 & W14 With New Single Deck Electric Buses

Extract from TfL's bus graphic standard

It has been revealed that routes W12, W13 & W14 have been retained by Stagecoach London with new single-deck electric buses.

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

Route W12
Retained by Stagecoach London
Peak Vehicle Requirement: 14
Vehicles: New electric single deck
Contract Start Date: 7th September 2024
Contract End Date: 5th September 2031

Why I Believe Transport Enthusiasts Are The Biggest Promoters Of Public Transport?

The presence of transport enthusiasts at the New Routemaster launch day on February 27th 2012.
Photo by TfL Press

I've been reading some reports by enthusiasts on social media that they are not allowed to take photos or videos inside train stations or even in public areas outside of railway property as they take photos or videos of buses and trams.

I’m not saying anything negative about the transport staff and their management; the whole purpose of this article is to educate on the encouragement and importance of transport enthusiasts, which includes bus spotting and railfan/train spotting.

The First London Bus Tender Awards Of 2024: Route 211 To Continue Using New Routemasters

Extract from TfL's bus graphic standard.

I hope you all had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year.

The first London Bus Tender Awards of the year 2024 have revealed that route 211 will continue to use three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemaster buses, with Abellio London gaining the contract.