London Bus Tender Awards: First Bus Wins Superloop Route SL15 Contract with New Electric Single-Deck Buses

As we enter August 2026, Transport for London (TfL) announced a round of London Bus Tender Awards on Friday 31st July, confirming that First Bus will operate Superloop route SL15 with new electric single-deck buses.

London Bus Tender Awards: Go-Ahead London retains routes 80, 93, 151, 154, 163, 164 and 470

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that Go-Ahead London has successfully retained routes 80, 93, 151, 154, 163, 164 and 470 following the recent London bus tender awards, with most routes continuing to use existing electric buses.

Transport for London finally releases the Big Red Book Sixth Edition!

Big Red Book Sixth Edition
TfL Image

The long-awaited Big Red Book Sixth Edition has finally been published by Transport for London (TfL). Rather than being published through TfL's Freedom of Information disclosure log, it has instead been released directly on the TfL website.

London Bus Tender Awards: More New Electric Buses for Route 307

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that Arriva London has retained route 307 with new electric buses, alongside the existing fleet of Wrightbus StreetDeck Electroliners that are currently in service.

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

The Secret and Unbuilt Variants of the New Routemaster

Between 2010 and 2018, London's bus network saw the introduction of 1,000 three-door, two-staircase New Routemasters (NRM), alongside a small production run of nine two-door, single-staircase Wright SRMs ("Son of Routemaster").

Several readers noticed in my previous article that I compiled a directory of publicly accessible links regarding the New Routemaster bus. Fascinatingly, a Freedom of Information (FOI) release on the Greater London Authority website has revealed some incredible, little-known details about what could have been for the NRM fleet.

Does Transport for London Have Too Much Power in Decision-Making?

Public transport forms part of our critical national infrastructure, serving as a vital asset to both the economy and society. With a significant portion of the population unable to drive a car due to factors such as age, financial hardship, disability, underlying health conditions, or legal restrictions like criminal convictions, a well-functioning transport network is a necessity rather than a luxury.

The purpose of this article is not to disparage Transport for London (TfL), but rather to examine whether the current legislative framework provides sufficient accountability for TfL's decision-making. As a major public body, TfL must remain strictly accountable to the public, operating under the Nolan Principles of public life, which mandate objectivity, accountability, and openness.

London Bus Tender Awards: New Electric Buses for Routes 28/N28, 191, 260 and 302

As London is experiencing a heatwave, and with a fleet of over 3,000 zero-emission buses, Transport for London (TfL) has announced that more routes will be converted to zero-emission battery-electric buses. These routes are 28/N28, 191, 260 and 302.

The New Routemaster Files: A Directory of Publicly Available Documents

Highlights of publicly available documents concerning the New Routemaster project.

In this article, I have compiled a comprehensive directory of freely available documents and information to make it easier for researchers and enthusiasts to find in-depth, behind-the-scenes information about the New Routemaster (NRM) bus, also known as the New Bus for London (NBfL).

This shows the evolution of the NRM, which was originally envisioned as a half-cab open-platform bus; it launched as a three-door, two-staircase vehicle with an open platform and a second crew member, transitioned into a one-person operation with open boarding, and eventually moved to front-door-only boarding to combat fare evasion.

Transport for London announces over 3,000 zero-emission buses in service!

3,000th zero-emission bus - TfL Image

Transport for London (TfL) have announced in a press release that there are now over 3,000 zero-emission buses in service, marking a major green milestone for the capital.

Highlights of the press release:

The capital’s iconic red buses have hit a major green milestone ahead of Clean Air Day (18 June) with 3,000 zero-emission buses now in operation – around a third of the Transport for London (TfL) fleet.

Reviewing Transport for London’s New Bus Specification v2.7: New Phase of Bus Safety Standards and the Ban on Skylights for New Electric Buses

Stagecoach London Wrightbus Electroliner with skylights

Transport for London has published version 2.7 of the New Bus Vehicle Specification, following a freedom of information (FOI) request made by a member of the public.

A quick scan of the documents reveals that certain information regarding CCTV and Bus Runaway has been redacted under Sections 24 and 38(1)(b) of the FOI Act. This is because public disclosure could compromise network security, facilitate a potential attack, and endanger Transport for London staff and the public.

However, a particular section immediately catches the eye:

London Bus Tender Awards: Diesel and hybrid fleet retentions, with Route U10 set to introduce new single-deck electric buses

Transport for London (TfL) has announced the London Bus Tender Awards, with several routes retained using existing diesel and hybrid buses, while Route U10 has been awarded new single-deck electric buses.

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

London Bus Tender Awards: Stagecoach retains rerouted 310 with new double-deck electric buses

Transport for London (TfL) has announced in the latest London Bus Tender Awards that Stagecoach London has retained route 310, which will be rerouted to accommodate new double-deck electric buses. Coinciding with this, TfL has published its consultation report confirming that plans to alter the route are proceeding.

LBSL intends to enter into a new contract for the following route with the operator listed below:

The case for enhancing cross-boundary bus services for London and the Home Counties to end the postcode lottery

1967 London Transport Board Central Buses Map

This is a follow-up to my article regarding the reinstatement of the London Passenger Transport Area, in which prior to 1970, London Transport served the areas outside the Greater London Council area with green Country Bus services. Then after 1970, they were transferred over to the National Bus Company; these services were fully fragmented after the deregulation of bus services in October 1986. The London Passenger Transport Area also predates the creation of the Greater London Area in 1965.

London Bus Tender Awards: Retentions for First Bus and Stagecoach

In this round of London Bus Tender Awards, Transport for London (TfL) has announced that routes 116 and 117 has been retained by First Bus (London United), and school route 667 has been retained by Stagecoach London, both using existing vehicles.

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

New weekend Super Hopper fare for London's buses and trams for the summer

With the local election period over and Sadiq Khan marking 10 years as the Mayor of London, he has released a surprise announcement regarding transport fares.

Press release by the Greater London Authority:

London Bus Tender Awards: School Route 632 to use three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemasters

With the start of May 2026, Transport for London (TfL) has announced that the bus operating company Metroline has retained routes 140, 182, 186, and 632.

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

London Bus Tender Awards: Electrification for Routes 128 and 359

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that London bus routes 128 and 359 will be using new electric buses, which may enter service at the end of this year (2026).

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

London Bus Tender Awards: First Bus London secures five School Bus Routes; South Yorkshire launches Franchising Procurement; and Bus Éireann takes over Limerick Route 310

This news follows the official reports first released on 14th April 2026. It confirms that First Bus London (operating as London United) has successfully retained four school bus contracts and gained one additional route. These services will continue to be operated using existing diesel and hybrid vehicles that meet Euro VI emissions standards.

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

My Thoughts on the New Bus Stop Shelter Trial at Romford Station

A New Bus Stop Shelter trial at Romford Station

As I write this on World Public Transport Day, I’m sharing my review of the new bus shelter design currently being trialled at Romford station.

The stop was quite busy, so I couldn't capture every angle, but the layout feels more premium than the initial designs shown in the press release I reported on previously. While it is a strong start, there is definitely room for improvement.

Transport for London reveals trial locations for new bus stop shelters

TfL Image - New Bus Shelter Design in Southwark

Transport for London (TfL) has revealed the list of bus stops featuring the new shelter design as part of a trial to improve accessibility, safety, and the customer experience.

You can read more about the new bus stop shelter trial in my previous article.

The list was released following a Freedom of Information (FOI) request and has been published on the TfL website.

Request ID: FOI-4284-2526
Date published: 09 April 2026

New Shelters Trial: