It confirms that routes 102, 322, 433, and Superloop Route SL10 will be served by new electric buses as part of the new route contracts.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
102*
Retained by: Arriva London North
PVR: 23
Vehicles: New electric double deck
Contract Start Date: 7th November 2026
Contract End Date: 4th November 2033
111*
Retained by: Transport UK West London
PVR: 26
Vehicles: Existing electric double deck
Contract Start Date: 25th April 2026
Contract End Date: 22nd April 2033
183
Retained by: London Sovereign (First Bus)
PVR: 21
Vehicles: Existing electric double deck
Contract Start Date: 5th September 2026
Contract End Date: 2nd September 2033
322
Current Operator: Transport UK London
New Operator: London Central
PVR: 11
Vehicles: New electric single deck
Contract Start Date: 25th April 2026
Contract End Date: 22nd April 2033
350
Retained by: Transport UK West London
PVR: 6
Vehicles: Existing diesel single deck
Contract Start Date: 25th April 2026
Contract End Date: 27th April 2029
433
Retained by: Transport UK London
PVR: 9
Vehicles: New & existing electric single deck
Contract Start Date: 16th May 2026
Contract End Date: 13th May 2033
695
Current Operator: London United
New Operator: Metroline West
PVR: 3
Vehicles: Existing hybrid double deck
Contract Start Date: 5th September 2026
Contract End Date: 7th September 2029
698
Current Operator: London United
New Operator: Metroline West
PVR: 2
Vehicles: Existing hybrid double deck
Contract Start Date: 5th September 2026
Contract End Date: 7th September 2029
SL9
Retained by: London Sovereign
PVR: 17
Vehicles: Existing electric double deck
Contract Start Date: 5th September 2026
Contract End Date: 2nd September 2033
SL10
Retained by: London Sovereign
PVR: 12
Vehicles: New & existing electric double deck
Contract Start Date: 5th September 2026
Contract End Date: 2nd September 2033
* 24 - hour routes.
New electric vehicles may enter service after the contract start date, dependent on infrastructure and/ or vehicle delivery timescales.
The hybrid vehicles detailed above will meet Euro VI emissions standards.
In a recent article by The Standard, First Bus London’s Bill Cahill highlighted the immense grid constraints facing the 2030 electrification target. However, it is worth remembering that London successfully operated a vast network of trolleybuses and trams throughout the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. To overcome today’s power "bottleneck," we should look at decentralised solutions, such as those utilised in Hong Kong where the bus operator KMB uses solar photovoltaic panels installed on the roofs of its buses to generate renewable energy that supplies all on-board electronic devices. By adopting similar innovations and equipping bus depots with solar panels and large battery packs, garages could store energy and recharge the fleet locally without overstretching the National Grid.
On a personal note, thanks to Ross Lydall for embedding my post into the piece. My analysis of TfL data shows a worrying decline in patronage on London’s busiest routes, such as the 18 and 38; while the shift to electric is vital, ensuring these buses can actually move through traffic remains the ultimate challenge.
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.
Analysis of Transport for London data reveals a decade of decline for the busiest bus routes. Route 18 remains top with 12.1m passengers in 2024/25, despite a 31% drop since 2014/15. Route 25 saw the largest fall (-59%) due to restructuring, while Route 38 usage declined by 35%. pic.twitter.com/joFGzJSTk8
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) December 20, 2025
Latest figures from #Transport for #London reveal the Victoria line remains the most frequent on the Tube network, with average waits of 2.5 mins at Stockwell. Conversely, the Circle line averages 5.3 mins at Great Portland Street, while the Bakerloo line exceeds 4 mins at Waterloo. 🚇⦵
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) December 19, 2025 at 12:51 AM
[image or embed]
The UK Department for Transport data shows contactless payments are on 95.8% of British buses, up from 38% in 2017. London leads at 99.3%, but Wales and Scotland have seen the fastest growth, both now exceeding 94%. The shift aims to improve boarding and journey reliability. pic.twitter.com/rnRzyZA3ac
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) December 22, 2025
Newspaper advert from January 1980 for a Chiswick-based engineering role with London Transport. The position involved design and development of the XRM bus of the future, focusing on electrical and electronic systems, safety diagnostics and maintenance. Salary was £5,930–£6,200 with travel benefits.
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) December 21, 2025 at 6:35 PM
[image or embed]
Colindale Tube station has reopened with a new step-free ticket hall, becoming the 94th accessible station on the London Underground. The upgrade increases capacity, supports local housing growth and will be fully completed by 2026.https://t.co/d799hBkon5 pic.twitter.com/qP0hEDg4Zh
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) December 22, 2025
Alstom has won a €1.0bn share of a €4.9bn contract in Australia for Melbourne’s Suburban Rail Loop East, delivering driverless metro trains, signalling, systems integration and 15 years of maintenance as part of the TransitLinX Alliance. www.alstom.com/press-releas...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) December 22, 2025 at 3:40 PM
[image or embed]
A newspaper clipping from December 1979 reported London Transport’s 1980s bus plan: 2,000 new double-deckers to replace Fleetlines, retain crew-operated Routemasters in central London, introduce suburban flat fares, aim for 50% one-person operation, and test XRM prototypes. pic.twitter.com/wj3fopZZmm
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) December 23, 2025
London Transport (LT) News (No. 161, November 30 1979) clipping: The GLC backed LT plans to replace Fleetlines, trial flat fares and expand one-person operation. New double-deckers and the proposed XRM bus were intended to cut costs and improve reliability after discussions with staff and unions.
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) December 24, 2025 at 12:29 AM
[image or embed]
Screen video recording of Transport for London's status board, showing closures across all services (Tube, Overground, Elizabeth line, DLR, and Trams) on Christmas Day 2025. ⦵🚇🚄🚈🚌 pic.twitter.com/PGhFoOlhWl
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) December 25, 2025
Live map of bus services in the UK and Ireland on Christmas Day, 25 December 2025, at around 8:40am. Bus services are largely suspended. London and Dublin shut down completely, with only a few local operators and airport coaches running limited services.
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) December 25, 2025 at 8:49 AM
[image or embed]
UK Department for Transport data show USB charging on local buses rose sharply across Great Britain from 2018 to 2025. National coverage climbed from 10.7% to 36.1%, led by Scotland at 49.7%, with strong growth in metropolitan England and Wales. London expanded from a low base. pic.twitter.com/0695WuY099
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) December 26, 2025
Excerpts from Planning London's Transport – To win as a World City, November 1996, described Smartcard trials leading to the Oyster card in 2003, contactless bank payments on buses in 2012, new and refurbished trains, and modern low-floor buses to improve comfort, reliability, and service quality.
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) December 27, 2025 at 9:21 AM
[image or embed]
The 2001 transport strategy for Dublin, Ireland set out major rail expansion, combining Luas light rail, a segregated Metro, and bus priority measures. It proposed new routes, a central spine and loop, underground sections, and a rail inter-connector to improve capacity. pic.twitter.com/MFt8aggCkf
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) December 28, 2025
In the Illustrated London News dated 1 November 1976, Labour politician Eric Moonman criticised the GLC’s traffic policy, citing underfunded roads, overstretched transport and rapid transit schemes like Speedbus, which never launched. He urged local buses and better public transport first.
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) December 30, 2025 at 12:36 AM
[image or embed]
Over 600 Cabinet Office files from 2004–2005 have been released, including Blair-era policies and British Rail privatisation (CAB164-2253), covering franchise planning, pensions, and legislative strategy; 80+ are online, the rest at The National Archives in Kew, SW London. pic.twitter.com/kND2gv7YRQ
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) December 30, 2025
In the early 1990s, rising Crossrail costs led ministers to seek savings and the scheme was later shelved. Meanwhile, Channel Tunnel Rail Link bidding showed firm government control. This came from Cabinet Office files CAB 164/2197/1 and 2 released by The National Archives.
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) December 31, 2025 at 9:25 AM
[image or embed]
Labour’s 1981 manifesto for the Greater London Council election said London’s transport had declined under the Conservatives. It proposed lower or free fares, renewed investment, the return of bus conductors and development of the XRM, with priority for public transport. pic.twitter.com/eKiINocYNZ
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) December 31, 2025
A Bus Strategy for London (1991) proposed deregulating London’s buses and privatising the 12 LBL subsidiaries. It planned a London Bus Executive to oversee a market-led network. While the 12 firms were sold by 1994, full deregulation was dropped in 1993 to protect the Travelcard.
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 4, 2026 at 12:15 PM
[image or embed]
Who remembers the Red Arrow Route 521 when it used to bypass Aldwych via the Strand Underpass?
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) January 2, 2026
The bus route, which served Waterloo to London Bridge, was withdrawn on 29th April 2023. This was filmed back in October 2015. pic.twitter.com/3y5COuSDVx
Who remembers London's Red Arrow Bus Routes 507 and 521? ←🚏🚌⦵
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) January 3, 2026
Launched in 1968 and 1992, these commuter links were withdrawn on 29 April 2023. Filmed at Waterloo on 2 August 2016, featuring 12-metre (39ft) Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaros before the routes went fully electric. pic.twitter.com/Qz6aPhkQ8x
Who remembers the #London Transport website in 1996? 🚏🚌🚇⦵ 🖥️
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) January 5, 2026
"Best viewed in Netscape!" 😁#RetroWeb #90sInternet #WebDesignHistory #InternetHistory #TfL pic.twitter.com/80GkjnvVxs
Four major contracts have been awarded for Sydney Metro West in Australia, covering track, five new stations, trains and long-term operations, marking a major milestone as the project moves towards opening in 2032 with faster CBD to Parramatta travel.https://t.co/xPnHCMcObG pic.twitter.com/v64wPypsgu
— CLondoner92 (@CLondoner92) January 5, 2026
Transport for London Freedom of Information release: In 2025, there were 4 diesel, 8 hybrid and 1 minor electric bus fire, with none on hydrogen buses. Most fires started in engine bays. Totals were lower than 2024, and safety remains a key priority. tfl.gov.uk/corporate/tr...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 5:06 PM
[image or embed]
Transport for London Freedom of Information release: TfL printed 4 million pocket Tube maps to June 2025 at a cost of around £80,000. Initial station stock is 1.1 million copies, with top-ups sent as needed; past annual prints ranged up to 30 million. tfl.gov.uk/corporate/tr...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 5, 2026 at 5:12 PM
[image or embed]
Transport for London Freedom of Information release: TfL says some documents linked to the Holborn escalator trial are no longer held, but has released draft Phase 2 materials, signage designs and messaging linked to efforts to improve safety and passenger flow. tfl.gov.uk/corporate/tr...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 6, 2026 at 12:17 PM
[image or embed]
Passengers are urged to plan ahead as the Brighton Main Line closes between Gatwick Airport and East Croydon over three January weekends for engineering work. Replacement buses will run, with further closures planned in February, March and May 2026. www.mynewsdesk.com/uk/govia-tha...
— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 6, 2026 at 7:05 PM
[image or embed]
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.
