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| 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.
This is not surprising because a couple of years ago (2022), I posted on my website excerpts from Freedom of Information requests, revealing comments about electric and hydrogen buses on various London bus routes. This will be included in this article for reference.
Here are the excerpts from various consultation reports from last year (2023):
Silvertown Tunnel Bus Network Proposals (including Superloop route SL4)
From Silvertown Tunnel Bus Network consultation report:
Some of the top issues raised, either about the proposals in general or specific routes, were:
• Requests for us to use Zero Emission or electric buses on all three routes, with some specific requests for New Routemasters on routes 129 and X239 or tram-style buses on route 108
From Appendix E - Steer consultation analysis report:
46. The top five codes all relate to the type of vehicles respondents want to see on the routes i.e. electric vehicles, in particular Routemasters and tram-style buses"
48. Concerns with current bus design standards are also mentioned among the top issues.
Routes 129 and X239/SL4 Suggest using zero emission/electric buses, primarily mentioned: New Routemaster buses
Number of comments: 273
Route 108 Suggest using tram style buses (i.e. Irizar Ie Tram)
Number of comments: 99
Improving Arthur Street for pedestrians and cyclists, and changes to 344 bus route
From Arthur Street consultation report:
New electric or zero-emission Routemaster buses should be procured/used on route 344
Number of comments: 132
New Routemaster buses are more accessible with three doors and two staircases
Number of comments: 54
Improve design/colour scheme of buses
Number of comments: 13
Alperton and Stonebridge Park - Proposed changes to bus routes 79 and 83
From Bus routes 79 and 83 consultation report:
Suggest using new Routemaster buses for double deck routes
Number of comments: 152
Suggest using single deck electric tram buses for single deck routes
Number of comments: 76
Brent Cross buses – proposed changes to routes 102, 189, 210, 232, 266, 316, 326 and C11
From Brent Cross bus changes consultation report:
Suggest using new Routemaster buses for double deck routes
Number of comments: 152
Suggest using single deck electric tram buses for single deck routes
Number of comments: 76
Wembley Park area - proposed changes to bus routes 92, 206 and 440
From Wembley Park bus changes 92 206 440 consultation report:
Suggest using new Routemaster buses for double deck routes
Number of comments: 142
Suggest using single deck electric tram buses for single deck routes
Number of comments: 80
Catford Town Centre, changes to South Circular Road
From Catford Town Centre consultation report:
Suggest using zero-emission New Routemaster buses for double-deck routes
Number of comments: 242
Suggest using zero-emission tram-style buses for single-deck routes
Number of comments: 81
Suggest using buses with three doors to improve accessibility
Number of comments: 81
Proposals for a new limited stop express bus route between Harrow and North Finchley (X183/SL10 bus route), part of the Superloop
From Superloop X183 Consultation Report:
Suggestion to use New Routemasters/ electric vehicles - improving design/ accessibility of buses
Number of comments: 265
Proposals for a new limited stop express bus route between North Finchley and Walthamstow (X34/SL1 bus route), part of the Superloop
From Superloop X34 Consultation Report:
Suggestion to use New Routemasters/ electric vehicles - improving design/ accessibility of buses
Number of comments: 221
Proposals for a new express bus route between Bromley and Croydon (SL5 bus route), part of the Superloop
From Superloop SL5 Consultation report:
Suggestion to use New Routemasters / electric vehicles - improving design/ accessibility of buses
Number of comments: 265
Proposals for a new express bus route between Thamesmead and Bromley (SL3 bus route), part of the Superloop
From SL3 consultation report
Suggestion to use New Routemasters/ electric vehicles - improving design/ accessibility of buses
Number of comments: 261
Proposals for a new express bus route between Walthamstow and North Woolwich Ferry (SL2 bus route), part of the Superloop
From SL2 consultation report:
Suggestion to use New Routemasters/ electric vehicles - improving design/ accessibility of buses
Number of comments: 259
Improving safety at East Sheen village
From East Sheen consultation report:
Suggest using new routemaster buses for double deck routes/single deck electric tram buses for single deck routes
Number of comments: 53
Harold Wood and Upminster - proposed changes to bus routes 346, 347 and 497
From document, Consultation report - Harold Wood and Upminster bus changes
Suggest zero-emission/electric tram buses in London
Number of comments: 78
London bus fleets should use the New Routemaster
Number of comments: 22
Walthamstow, Wanstead, Woodford – proposed changes to bus routes W12, W13, W14 and 549
From Consultation report
Out of scope: Vehicle comment (request for New RMs/Tram buses)
Number of comments: 56
Downham – proposed changes to bus route 336
From Consultation report
Out of scope comments about type of bus
Number of comments: 70
TfL stated in a Freedom of Information request, published on 18 March 2024 - Request ID: FOI-4336-2324:
"The bus types mentioned are New Route Master
The Bus type comments are out of scope as we do not consult on vehicle type and therefore these were not relevant for the decision makers in this consultation."
R1, R2, R3, R6 and B14 – Orpington bus proposals
From Consultation report
Suggestion for using tram-style buses or new Routemaster buses
Number of comments: 77
Ealing and Hounslow - expanding bus services E1 extension and new school route 618
From Consultation report
Suggestion about vehicle type e.g., tram-style/ double decker electric/ new Routemasters zero-emission buses
Number of comments: Not mentioned
Haringey Heartlands and Wood Green - proposed changes to bus routes 91, N91, 123 and 232
From Consultation report
Suggestion for using tram-style buses or new Routemaster buses
Number of comments: 106
Lower Lea Crossing safety improvement scheme
From Consultation report
The most common response raised by 85 respondents was out of scope for this consultation and raised an issue regarding routemaster buses.
Out of scope - bus vehicle type comment
Number of comments: 85
Bus route 281 - proposed extension in Tolworth to serve Signal Park
From Consultation report
Suggestion for using tram-style buses or new Routemaster buses
Number of comments: 54
The common response to the issue raised from the consultation reports:
We have a long-term plan for buses known as the Bus action plan. The plan commits to an inclusive customer experience which makes travelling by bus easy, comfortable and accessible to all. As part of improving the experience for customers when on the bus, we have been trialling various features on route 63 and are soon to do so on route 358. Although we cannot commit to a specific vehicle type being used the bus routes included in this consultation, we do intend to incorporate what we have learnt from the trials on our network as we roll out new buses.
I find it interesting that the consultation reports reveal requests for New Routemasters and tram buses to be used for the bus routes in London. I have written a suggestion in response to the issues raised in the consultation report regarding bus types, which is below in this article.
I have tweeted on Twitter/X about Stagecoach London being awarded the Superloop route SL3 with New Routemasters. In the responses to the issues raised for the SL3, they noted the request for New Routemasters to be used on the particular Superloop route.
It's been revealed that #TfL's #Superloop route SL3, which is a new express route between Thamesmead and Bromley. They will be using three-door, two-staircase hybrid buses named New Routemaster.https://t.co/vBzMXoGZb8https://t.co/wv3vSc9H6U pic.twitter.com/XijNTJIeXR
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) December 14, 2023
Superloop routes SL1 use the diesel-electric hybrid Alexander Dennis Enviro400H City, and the SL9 and SL10 use the battery-electric BYD-Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV City. These buses contain design features from the New Routemaster bus but only have two-doors and one-staircase.
To recap the comments about bus types from the Freedom of Information releases and the consultation report from the Central London Bus Review.
Route 63
Request ID: FOI-0194-2223
Date published: 23 May 2022
Since December 2021 to end April 2022 we have received 28 complaints about bus route 63.
Request ID: FOI-1505-2223
Date published: 10 October 2022
We received a further 40 contacts commenting on the design of the new electric buses. The majority of these state a preference for the design of the New Routemaster buses. We are also able to provide a summary for each contact for date range 28 April 2022 to 24 September 2022 – please see attached.
Route U5
Request ID: FOI-0729-2223
Date published: 14 July 2022
Since May 2022 we received 21 complaints concerning the design/layout of bus route U5.
Route 119
Request ID: FOI-0402-2223
Date published: 16 June 2022
Please see the following table for the requested information:
Stairs too dark/gloomy - 20
Should be like the New Routemaster (Extra doors needed at rear/second stairwell) - 20
Too similar in design to other buses - 19
Interior dark/dull - 4
Too boxy - 2
Seats too plastic/uncomfortable - 2
Interior Design not matching branding - 2
Route 7
Request ID: FOI-0659-2223
Date published: 28 June 2022
Passengers do not approve of the design/layout - 26
Design - 3
Furniture - 2
Gaps in Service/Long Waits - 1
Incomplete/Curtailed Journey - 1
Late arrival - 1
Signage - 1
Total - 36
Request ID: FOI-0828-2223
Date published: 15 July 2022
Please see attached a document which details a summary of the issues raised in the comments linked to the complaints previously referred to in TfL ref 0659-2223.
Routes 23 and C3
Request ID: FOI-3331-2223
Date published: 06 April 2023
A search of our Customer Service system has shown that during this period we received 43 complaints/feedback relating to the design or accessibility issues for the buses on routes 23 and C3.
Route 111
Request ID: FOI-1172-2324
Date published: 08 August 2023
Please see the attached PDF providing the 119 comments we have received concerning the new electric double-decker that replaced the New Routemaster bus on route 111 within the requested period, covering matters from design, accessibility and for example, ambience. In total, there were 112 comments that did not approve of the layout or design of the new vehicle model. Two of the complaints also used a standard template, both of which are highlighted in yellow for ease of reference.
Central London bus changes consultation
From Central London Bus Review 2022 Consultation report:
There were 475 suggestions to keep and/or introduce Routemaster bus services
My suggestion in response to the comments.
Last year, I posted an article on suggesting to create the most accessible zero-emission bus for London and elsewhere, this is in response to the comments from the consultation from last year, in which I already included in the article.
To recap on how the new zero-emission bus should contain:
• The latest bus safety standards (developed by TfL to improve bus safety),
• High-specification interior design (a first class experience for bus users with WiFi, USB ports, sunroof at top deck, etc.),
• High-backed seats (with headrests to reduce whiplash injury),
• Priority seat moquette design (to make priority seats more identifiable for the disabled, older people, etc.),
• Fully low flat floor on the lower deck (to provide ease of approaching the seat),
• Larger wheelchair space (of 2 metres),
• Two wheelchair areas (without sacrificing priority seats by the front),
• Stylish exterior design (to provide street presence).
• Ultra-thin solar panels to generate renewable energy that supplies all electronic devices on board and recharges the bus.
• Interior and exterior display screens (to provide route information, service branding, advertising, etc.)
• Eink to rapidly change external livery without repainting the bus.
• Two-doors and one-staircase (for local transport authorities with enhanced partnership and franchising, in line with London’s buses).
• Alternatively, a variant with three-doors and two-staircases (ideal for busy routes to improve boarding and exit flows at bus stops, and bus rapid transit services).
To recap, my suggestions are not exclusive to one bus manufacturer. I’d like to see multiple bus manufacturers take my ideas on board to design and manufacture the most accessible zero-emission bus because the New Routemaster project has been controversial.
I'm not advocating for TfL to re-launch the New Routemaster project as the concept is obsolete now. As I stated in my previous article from 2020, bus manufacturers have adopted the design cues of the NRM for their double-deck products. You may also be interested to read my detailed article about the New Routemaster from late February 2022, marking 10 years of passenger service.
From my previous article reviewing TfL’s Bus Action Plan, I suggested more Bus Rapid Transit services, which includes reviving the proposed transit schemes during the 2000s, and over on Twitter/X, I have suggested reviving another old proposal from 1973 which is the Speedbus, a network of express bus services using a network of priority measures including bus lanes.
My suggestion on how to improve public #transport in #London and elsewhere
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) December 6, 2023
• More bus lanes, priority schemes,
• Transit schemes from the 2000s,
• Speedbus proposal from the 1970s,
• revert to the pre-1970 area…#TfL #Buses #Underground #Trains #Trams #LightRail #Metro pic.twitter.com/3jcDum4Fch
On Twitter/X, I suggested that TfL should trial articulated electric tram buses for the Superloop and the East London Transit services, in response to the Sprint bus network in the West Midlands.
On the article, it says: "The improvements will pave the way for the first cross-city bus service in the region and provide the infrastructure for zero-emission, articulated #buses to be running along the route in 2025."
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) January 2, 2024
Should #London have a similar scheme as the West Midlands? https://t.co/nXIS2NdTQF pic.twitter.com/Oxe6bu3nCw
It’s time for more creativity for transport services to help encourage people to use them as an alternative to car usage, which will help reduce congestion and pollution. This includes my suggestion of creating a new South East Regional Transport Authority to subsume TfL and to integrate transport services such as railways in the former Network SouthEast area to provide better coordination for railway services along with fare integration.
Perhaps I would like to go back to the days (the 1990s) when various buses in London appeared in different colours.
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| Catch the changes! |
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| Clipping from LRT News No. 362, dated September 16 1988. |
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| Clipping from LT News No. 425, dated December 16 1993. |
I invite you to follow me on Twitter/X by searching for @CLondoner92 or by clicking on the direct link to my Twitter/X page here. I'm also on BlueSky and Mastodon.
Image attribution
Transport for London – New Routemaster
Irizar eMobility – Irizar Ie Tram
