Tuesday, 10 February 2026

London Bus Tender Awards: New Electric Buses on Routes 52 and 234

It has been a short while since Transport for London (TfL) last announced London bus tender awards in mid-January 2026. It has now confirmed that routes 52 and 234 will be using new electric buses.

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

Route 52 (24h)
Retained by: Metroline
PVR: 17
Vehicles: New electric double deck
Contract: 5 December 2026 – 2 December 2033

Route 70
Retained by: London United (First London)
PVR: 19
Vehicles: Existing electric single deck
Contract: 20 June 2026 – 17 June 2033

Route 100
Retained by: Go-Ahead London Central
PVR: 8
Vehicles: Existing electric single deck
Contract: 16 January 2027 – 13 January 2034

Route 132
Retained by: Go-Ahead London Central
PVR: 16
Vehicles: Existing electric double deck
Contract: 3 October 2026 – 30 September 2033

Route 135
Retained by: Stagecoach Lea Interchange
PVR: 15
Vehicles: Existing hybrid double deck
Contract: 16 May 2026 – 18 May 2029

Route 212
Retained by: Go-Ahead London General
PVR: 12
Vehicles: Existing electric double deck
Contract: 6 March 2027 – 3 March 2034

Route 234
Retained by: Metroline
PVR: 13
Vehicles: New electric single deck
Contract: 30 January 2027 – 27 January 2034

Route 357*
Retained by: Go-Ahead London General
PVR: 8
Vehicles: Existing electric double deck
Contract: 27 February 2027 – 24 February 2034

Route 375
Retained by: Arriva London North
PVR: 1
Vehicles: Existing diesel single deck
Contract: 4 July 2026 – 6 July 2029

Route W15
Retained by: Go-Ahead London General
PVR: 20
Vehicles: Existing electric single deck
Contract: 6 March 2027 – 3 March 2034

* Sunday service will be operated by existing electric single deck vehicles.

New electric vehicles may enter service after the contract start date, dependent on infrastructure and/ or vehicle delivery timescales.

The diesel and hybrid vehicles detailed above will meet Euro VI emissions standards.


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.

Ever wondered how the South #London #Trams and DLR branding evolved? I’ve mapped out their visual journey from the early days of "Docklands" and "Tramlink" to the modern unified #TfL roundels we see today. Which era of the design is your favourite? ๐Ÿšˆ๐Ÿšƒ

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 25, 2026 at 4:59 PM

Transport for London Freedom of Information release: TfL has confirmed which Underground trains have been stopped for over six months, listing affected units across the Northern, Jubilee, Victoria, District and Metropolitan lines as of 7 January 2026. ๐Ÿš‡⦵ tfl.gov.uk/corporate/tr...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 26, 2026 at 8:27 PM

Transport for London Freedom of Information release: The Bakerloop BL1 route has received mostly complaints, with 87,300 boardings at Waterloo southbound and 53,400 at Lewisham Clock Tower northbound; no plans exist for BL2 or BL3. tfl.gov.uk/corporate/tr...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 26, 2026 at 8:44 PM

New statutory guidance sets standards for floating bus stops in England, focusing on safety and accessibility. It replaces earlier advice, applies to new and existing schemes, and maintains a pause on designs requiring passengers to board directly into cycle tracks. www.gov.uk/government/p...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 26, 2026 at 10:54 PM

Chiltern Railways has launched its first new “Chiltern Explorer” train on services between London and the West Midlands. The 13-train fleet will be rolled out by 2026, increasing capacity and providing more modern, accessible journeys for passengers. press.chilternrailways.co.uk/news/chilter...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 27, 2026 at 12:43 PM

Transport for London Freedom of Information release: TfL reported rare station closures on the Edgware branch, mainly at Chalk Farm, and occasional open ticket gates for safety or operational reasons, with staff coverage maintained across all stations. tfl.gov.uk/corporate/tr...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 27, 2026 at 9:39 PM

⦵ #Transport for #London has published a draft #Business Plan to 2029/30, setting out investment in #trains, #buses, stations and streets. Proposals include new fleets, bus network changes, DLR extensions, congestion reduction and measures to support greener travel, jobs, housing and growth. ๐Ÿš‡๐Ÿš๐Ÿ—️๐Ÿ ๐Ÿšฆ๐Ÿ™️

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 28, 2026 at 10:49 AM

The 2026 Bus Franchising Manual guides English local transport authorities on implementing bus franchising, detailing franchise models, contracts, asset provision, staffing, accessibility, smaller operator support, and managing transition and financial risks. www.gov.uk/government/p...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 29, 2026 at 5:59 PM

A look at the evolution of Ireland’s transport branding! ๐ŸšŒ๐Ÿ’จ From the iconic Irish Red Setter dog to the 'db' logo that looks like a castle, Bus ร‰ireann and Dublin Bus have come a long way. Which era of the design is your favourite? ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ช

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 30, 2026 at 9:01 AM

Great Western Railway has introduced the UK’s first battery-only passenger train into service on the Greenford branch line. The Class 230 follows a 22-month trial and a world-record 200.5-mile run, highlighting battery power as a practical alternative to diesel trains. ๐Ÿš†

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) January 31, 2026 at 7:00 PM

High-frequency rail in South #London operated under the short-lived #Overground Network brand. Launched in 2003 by the Strategic #Rail Authority and #Transport for London, this #map from 2005 shows the initiative to boost National Rail usage before it was abandoned. ๐Ÿš‰

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) February 1, 2026 at 1:21 PM

An evening event on 11 March in London will explore the past, present and future of the South Eastern Railway, with talks from @christianwolmar.bsky.social, Chris Green OBE and Steve White, marking the close of Railway 200 celebrations. newsroom.southeasternrailway.co.uk/news/the-sou...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) February 4, 2026 at 7:10 PM

Transport for London Freedom of Information release: TfL has confirmed that London Underground Service Control and Service Operations pay rates remain based on 2024 Implementation Notices, as the 2025–26 pay award is not yet in force. tfl.gov.uk/corporate/tr...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) February 4, 2026 at 7:26 PM

Arriva has retained the North London 102/N102 route between Edmonton Green and Brent Cross after a competitive tender, securing a seven-year TfL contract from November 2026. The service carries over 6.2m passengers a year and will introduce new buses. news.arriva.co.uk/news/arriva-...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) February 5, 2026 at 2:09 PM

A #Westminster Hall debate on #UK bus #manufacturing was held on 27 January 2026. 17% of UK #buses were domestically built, employing 4,400 directly. Investment exceeded £180m annually, but job security remained under pressure at some plants. commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-bri...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) February 5, 2026 at 2:35 PM

Transport for London Freedom of Information release: TfL reports 327 lift complaints across its networks in 2025–26, citing door faults, technical issues and power outages, with staff providing updates, alternative travel, and new self-reporting tech to reduce disruption. tfl.gov.uk/corporate/tr...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) February 5, 2026 at 3:28 PM

New customer toilets have opened at Morden station under the Mayor of London’s £15m investment programme. The facilities include an accessible and a gender-neutral toilet with baby changing, with more upgrades planned across the TfL network. tfl-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/first-n...

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— CLondoner92 (@clondoner92.bsky.social) February 9, 2026 at 11:23 AM

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.

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