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| Winners of the New Bus for London competition back in 2008 Top left: Aston Martin and Foster + Partners Top right: Capoco Design Bottom left: Héctor Serrano, Miñarro García and Javier Esteban Bottom right: Jamie Martin |
This is a follow-up to my previous article investigating why the New Routemaster isn’t a half-cab design with a permanent open platform, and why Transport for London (TfL) chose to make it a three-door, two-staircase hybrid bus.
I’ve gone through various Freedom of Information (FOI) requests on the TfL website and found that multiple requesters have asked about the half-cab buses. It is worth noting that I did not submit these FOI requests myself, as this information is already publicly available on the TfL website. Additionally, sites like WhatDoTheyKnow publish FOI requests and their responses openly, helping to ensure transparency and public access to important information.
Here are some excerpts from the TfL website:
Request ID: FOI-2953-2425
Date published: 07 January 2025
TfL does not have plans to introduce self-driving/autonomous buses to the fleet, nor do we have plans to reinstate all-door open boarding.
At present, TfL, in collaboration with Fusion Processing, Alexander Dennis, and the bus operator Metroline, is testing automated driving technology at two London bus depots. You can read more on the Fusion Processing website.
Request ID: FOI-1518-2526
Date published: 04 August 2025
On 17 July 2025, I received a response from TfL Customer Services (Ref: 21602663) following my enquiry about the use of half-cab double-decker buses. TfL confirmed that vehicles with a half-cab configuration—where the driver’s compartment is separated from the passenger entrance—do not comply with the current TfL Bus Vehicle Standard. This is due to the safer front-end design requirements that ensure the highest levels of safety, accessibility, and operational efficiency across the network. Additionally, I contacted the Department for Transport on this matter. Their reply dated 17 June 2025 (Ref: 00040262) clarified that while the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) mandate features supporting disabled passengers, these regulations do not specifically restrict the design of the driver’s cab. Vehicles must still meet accessibility standards, and drivers must provide reasonable assistance, but cab design is otherwise unrestricted by accessibility law.
Question 4. Could you please confirm whether the reason TfL (as explained by your Engineering Management team in response to my earlier enquiry) chose the New Routemaster’s design—with three doors and two staircases—instead of a half-cab bus configuration similar to the classic AEC Routemaster and the Yutong City Master, was primarily due to the safer front-end design requirements and compliance with the current Bus Vehicle Standard?
Answer: The NRM design was chosen as part of a design competition before the safer front end requirements were developed
Question 5. Does TfL have any plans to provide a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service operating bendy buses in a configuration where the driver’s compartment is separated from the passenger entrance, similar to the Glider BRT system in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and the Brisbane Metro BRT system in Queensland, Australia?
Answer: There are no plans for this at present.
Request ID: FOI-1933-2526
Date published: 11 September 2025
We referred your enquiry to our Engineering Management team, who have confirmed that vehicles with a half-cab configuration, where the driver’s compartment is separated from the passenger entrance, would not meet Transport for London’s current Bus Vehicle Standard. Specifically, this type of design does not comply with the safer front-end design requirements.
These standards are in place to ensure that all vehicles operating on the London bus network provide the highest levels of safety, accessibility, and operational efficiency for all passengers, including those with mobility needs.
In my previous article, where I wrote about tram-style single-deck buses, I mentioned the sloped front end, which is a requirement for new buses under TfL's Bus Safety Standards. Interestingly, the New Routemaster also has a sloped front windscreen.
TfL currently has no plans to launch Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services like those seen in Brisbane, Australia; Belfast, Northern Ireland; and potentially soon in Liverpool, England, where they use tram-style bendy buses with a driver's cab separated from the passenger saloon, similar to a train or tram.
Could TfL launch a new bus design with the driver’s seat positioned in the centre?
It’s possible, as this area is a bit of a grey zone. But it would likely only be used for BRT-style services with dedicated bus lanes and other priority measures. These types of services usually involve open boarding, which would require stronger revenue protection, since proof-of-payment systems can lead to increased fare evasion. That’s part of the reason why all New Routemasters were converted to front-door-only boarding in the early 2020s. Other TfL services like Trams, the DLR, and some unstaffed Tube and rail stations also face similar issues with fare evasion.
There are already some heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) with centrally positioned driver’s seats, offering up to 220 degrees of direct vision. Examples include the Volta Zero (which had a five-star Direct Vision Standard rating from TfL for its visibility, but unfortunately went into administration), the Kenworth SuperTruck 2 Concept, and the Tesla Semi.
Could a new double-deck bus with a central driving position be built?
Bus manufacturers would need to design and build such a double-deck bus from scratch.
It recalls how, in 2008, Transport for London launched a public competition inviting imaginative concepts for a new Routemaster bus. Open to all, the competition sought creative ideas for features or designs to influence London’s iconic red double-decker, aiming for a 21st-century revival by 2012.
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) August 28, 2025 at 10:00 AM
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The design could be similar to various designs submitted to the ‘New Bus for London’ competition in 2008, with a sloped front end to comply with TfL’s Bus Safety Standards, and without an open platform at the rear, where doors would be required for safety and cost reasons such as insurance, manufacturers’ liability, and so on.
It could have one or two staircases, two doors, and one or two wheelchair spaces.
This would make it more of a competing idea for TfL whenever they have to choose between an articulated (bendy) bus or a newly designed double-deck bus with a driver’s cab in the centre, separated from the passenger saloon. A bendy bus requires more road space as they are 18 metres long, whereas a double-deck bus uses less road space at around 10 to 11 metres.
For TfL to pursue this, they would need to hold a consultation for a new bus service in line with Part IV, Chapter V of the Greater London Authority Act 1999, which relates to the regulation of London bus services. Approval from the Mayor of London would then be required, as he is the chair of TfL. It would likely face political controversy over the cost of designing, developing, and purchasing new double-deck buses, similar to the three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemaster from over 10 years ago when Boris Johnson was Mayor, which cost over £350 million for 1,000 buses.
It would certainly be a challenge for TfL to adopt that concept, given they have opted to stick with two-door (front and centre), single-staircase double-deck buses.
As I stated in my previous article last year (2024), I suggested that triple-door buses with all-door open boarding are ideal for BRT services.
To conclude, while a double-deck bus with a central driving position presents some interesting possibilities, there are several practical and regulatory challenges to consider. I am not advocating for the relaunch of the New Routemaster project. Whether TfL will pursue such a design remains to be seen, but it would require careful planning, consultation, and investment before becoming a reality.
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