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| Drawings of the Wrightbus StreetDeck Hydroliner |
Transport for London (TfL) has announced in the London Bus Tender awards that routes 7/N7, 156 and 344 will soon be served using new double-deck electric buses as part of the new route contracts awarded to the relevant bus operating companies.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
Route: 7/N7
Retained by: Metroline
Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR): To Be Commenced (TBC)
Vehicles: New electric double deck
Contract Start Date: 20th June 2026
Contract End Date: 17th June 2033
Route: 63/N63
Retained by: Transport UK London
PVR: 26
Vehicles: Existing electric double deck
Contract Start Date: 14th November 2026
Contract End Date: 11th November 2033
Route: 156
Retained by: Transport UK London
PVR: 14
Vehicles: New electric double deck
Contract Start Date: 12th September 2026
Contract End Date: 9th September 2033
Route: 344 (24h)
Retained by: Transport UK London
PVR: 21
Vehicles: New electric double deck
Contract Start Date: 22nd August 2026
Contract End Date: 19th August 2033
Route: 413
Retained by: Go-Ahead London General
PVR: 6
Vehicles: Existing electric single deck
Contract Start Date: 5th December 2026
Contract End Date: 2nd December 2033
Route: 690
Current Operator: London General
New Operator: Transport UK London
PVR: 2
Vehicles: Existing hybrid double deck
Contract Start Date: 29th August 2026
Contract End Date: 31st August 2029
Currently, route 7 uses hydrogen buses, specifically the StreetDeck Hydroliner manufactured by Wrightbus. There is no information on whether they will be withdrawn or transferred to another route. The contracts for the double-deck hydrogen buses, with a total value of £10,850,176, can be viewed on the UK Government website.
This means a major change for the bus fleet in London. As I previously reported, the three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemasters are being replaced by new double-deck electric buses on routes 8 and 16 as part of the contract renewals.
Here are the highlights of my posts on X (formerly known as Twitter) and BlueSky. If you have an account on X and BlueSky, you are welcome to like and retweet my posts.
Transport for London Have Your Say: TfL is consulting on 2025/26 taxi fare options and possible new London City Airport charges. It seeks views on balancing fair pay for drivers with affordability for passengers. Consultation ends 14 December 2025. haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/taxi-fares-r...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) November 3, 2025 at 5:21 PM
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TfL ends its 25th anniversary year with a festive prize draw, free events and special transport wraps. Prizes include tours, theatre tickets and ice skating, alongside a new podcast marking 25 years of London transport progress.https://t.co/udDSvcTtSK pic.twitter.com/H1ssblJy4h
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) November 5, 2025
South Yorkshire’s first publicly controlled buses will run from 5 September 2027 in Doncaster and most of Sheffield. Residents can share views via the Bus Fleet Survey, open until 15 December, shaping a network focused on reliability and simpler tickets. www.southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk/news/article...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) November 4, 2025 at 3:44 PM
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Transport for London Freedom of Information release: TfL released slides from a 4 June 2025 talk on introducing London Underground 2024 Tube Stock, covering gauging, accessibility, software, infrastructure changes, and testing for Piccadilly line service.https://t.co/OE8Wkuiehl pic.twitter.com/scpqJ6MWtR
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) November 4, 2025
Ikarus debuted the 180e at Busworld 2025: an 18.75m electric bus for 126 passengers, 650 km range, 2–2–2–2 door layout, advanced safety systems, and modern urban mobility features, highlighting its commitment to sustainable transport. www.ikarus.hu/post/brussel...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) November 4, 2025 at 7:55 PM
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The EU has unveiled a plan to speed up high-speed rail, aiming to halve journey times by 2040. It will remove cross-border barriers, boost investment and innovation, and strengthen Europe’s carbon-neutral, competitive and connected transport network.https://t.co/ebF5WDQs8W pic.twitter.com/fv7YB1Vqfl
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) November 5, 2025
A review of the Government’s Railway Bill (Railways Act 2026), establishing Great #British #Railways, underscores the need for stronger devolution powers for #London (TfL), #Scotland (ScotRail), #Wales (TfW), and regional transport authorities across the #UK. bills.parliament.uk/bills/4030/p...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) November 6, 2025 at 9:00 AM
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South Western Railway will run a farewell tour for its red Class 455 trains on 21 December before they retire after 42 years. Tickets cost £45.50, with proceeds to charity, as new Arterio trains replace the fleet across the suburban network.https://t.co/RQk2rej15L pic.twitter.com/d2vR2H3MxY
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) November 6, 2025
The @cpt-uk.bsky.social has launched a handbook and toolkit to help local #transport authorities in #England decide how best to run bus services, offering an eight-step framework and analysis of partnership and franchising models under the Bus Services Act 2025. www.cpt-uk.org/news/more-th...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) November 10, 2025 at 10:44 PM
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The #EU study finds #hyperloop in #Europe is advancing from prototypes, with potential to cut travel times, reduce emissions and boost cohesion. Challenges remain, but EU support and pilots aim to develop safety, interoperability and investment frameworks. transport.ec.europa.eu/news-events/...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) November 12, 2025 at 2:24 PM
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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.Transport for London Freedom of Information release: The contract for bus route 11/N11 has been extended to August 2028 after meeting criteria for a two-year performance-based extension of the former route 507 contract. tfl.gov.uk/corporate/tr...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) November 12, 2025 at 3:35 PM
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