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| A photo of LT174 |
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Transport for London (TfL) has revealed that two three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemasters (NRMs), designed by Heatherwick Studio and manufactured by Wrightbus, have been missing from the bus fleet.
The person submitting the FOI request referred to a previous FOI response which included the following text:
"Of the total fleet, TfL own the 998 New Routemasters and 20 Hydrogen vehicles."
Let’s take a look at the questions and answers from TfL.
Request ID: FOI-3786-2425
Date published: 04 March 2025
Question 1. The fleet codes of the two missing New Routemaster vehicles.
Answer: LTZ1045 (LT045) and LTZ1174 (LT174).
Question 2. Details of the previous bus operating companies to whom these vehicles were leased prior to their current status.
Answer: LT045 – Go-Ahead London; LT174 – Transport UK (formally Abellio).
Question 3. The dates on which these vehicles were withdrawn from service or written off.
Answer: LT045 – July 2022; LT174 – May 2022
Question 4. The reasons for the withdrawal or write-off of these two vehicles.
Answer: LT045 - Involved in an accident; LT174 - Involved in a fire.
Question 5. Information regarding any insurance compensation payments received by TfL or the relevant bus operating companies in relation to these vehicles.
Answer: LT045 - TfL received the book value of the vehicle of £130,489. LT174 - TfL is in discussion with the bus operator regarding the payment.
Taking a look at the New Bus for London lease agreement on the TfL website:
SCHEDULE 13 – INSURANCE LEVELS
From registration until 1st anniversary of registration: £354,500
Between 1st and 2nd anniversary of registration: £329,179
Between 2nd and 3rd anniversary of registration: £303,858
Between 3rd and 4th anniversary of registration: £278,537
Between 4th and 5th anniversary of registration: £253,216
Between 5th and 6th anniversary of registration: £227,895
Between 6th and 7th anniversary of registration: £202,574
Between 7th and 8th anniversary of registration: £177,253
Between 8th and 9th anniversary of registration: £151,932
Between 9th and 10th anniversary of registration: £126,611
Between 10th and 11th anniversary of registration: £101,290
Between 11th and 12th anniversary of registration: £75,969
Between 12th and 13th anniversary of registration: £50,648
Between 13th and 14th anniversary of registration: £25,327
The document also mentions that the lease rental payment by TfL to the contracted bus operating company is £1 (one pound) per NRM per year.
What about the rest of the New Routemasters?
The information from the London Vehicle Finder shows the NRMs as "Vehicle Off Road" (VOR).
| Operator | Fleet | Status | Route | Time and Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arriva London | LT7 | VOR | 313 | Last seen at 19:13 12-02-2025 |
| Arriva London | LT90 | VOR | 248 | Last seen at 12:50 03-12-2024 |
| Arriva London | LT177 | VOR | 248 | Last seen at 15:04 18-12-2022 |
| Arriva London | LT215 | VOR | 149 | Last seen at 20:45 07-02-2025 |
| Arriva London | LT436 | VOR | 76 | Last seen at 12:04 05-04-2024 |
| First London* | LT69 | VOR | 148 | Last seen at 13:50 03-07-2024 |
| First London | LT131 | VOR | 9 | Last seen at 15:11 04-01-2024 |
| Go-Ahead London | LT57 | VOR | 11 | Last seen at 12:51 30-10-2023 |
| Go-Ahead London | LT481 | VOR | 87 | Last seen at 23:45 04-08-2024 |
| Go-Ahead London | LT505 | VOR | 87 | Last seen at 22:17 04-08-2024 |
| Go-Ahead London | LT879 | VOR | N453 | Last seen at 02:14 12-01-2025 |
| Metroline | LT11 | VOR | 390 | Last seen at 15:10 14-12-2023 |
| Metroline | LT105 | VOR | 9 | Last seen at 20:52 21-06-2024 |
| Stagecoach London | LT124s | VOR | SL3 | Last seen at 10:01 23-08-2024 |
| Stagecoach London | LT254 | VOR | 8 | Last seen at 19:40 03-07-2024 |
| Stagecoach London | LT255 | VOR | 8 | Last seen at 10:20 05-03-2024 |
| Stagecoach London | LT368 | VOR | 55 | Last seen at 14:19 11-01-2024 |
| Transport UK London | LT145 | VOR | H32 | Last seen at 10:50 05-12-2023 |
| Transport UK London | LT614 | VOR | 27 | Last seen at 14:41 12-04-2024 |
| Transport UK London | LT686 | VOR | 415 | Last seen at 09:40 17-04-2024 |
* Just to briefly mention, First Bus has recently taken over RATP Dev's London Bus operations, as I reported on social media.
The New Routemasters are expected to be phased out after reaching their 14-year life cycle in passenger service. They will be replaced with new zero-emission buses.
As for the refurbishment of the NRMs, according to the Commissioner's report for TfL's Board meeting - 5 February 2025, it states: "We have completed 665 new Routemaster mid-life refurbishments, which includes fitting new priority moquette seating. Our milestone target was 650 refurbishments in 2024/2."
A couple of months ago, I posted an article compiling the number of comments from TfL's consultations, and a Freedom of Information request shows a demand for and preference for the New Routemaster bus.
It would be too controversial for TfL to act on this because it would require allocations from various funding sources and approval by the Mayor of London at the TfL Board meeting.
In response, I have published numerous articles with my suggestions on how to improve the bus fleet in London. It does not have to involve the New Routemaster design to make bus services more attractive, which is why public transport needs creativity.
Reviewing and Suggesting a New Common Bus Specification for London, Greater Manchester and Other Franchised Areas
My Suggestions To Help Create The Most Accessible Zero-Emission Bus For London And Elsewhere!
Why is Creativity in Public Transport Important, Including Bus Route Planning and Branding?
I would like to extend an invite for you to follow me on X (formerly Twitter) for transport-related updates. You can find me by searching for @CLondoner92 or by clicking on the direct link to my X page here. I am also present on BlueSky and Mastodon. I look forward to connecting with you on these platforms. Thank you for your support.
By Dvd Tsn - Wrightbus Routemaster (1)_GF, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35993072
