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:

New Contactless PAYG Maximum Fare Trial of £30.40 and TfL's Visitor Centres Stop Selling Magnetic Paper Tickets

As Transport for London's (TfL) Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosure log hasn't updated since early July 2026, I've started to keep an eye on the FOI requests on the What Do They Know website. The news is a bit late as a result, but I have decided to report on it in a separate article to raise awareness—especially for users of Contactless Pay As You Go (PAYG).

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.

The Postcode Lottery of Free Travel: Why the "London Boundary" remains a Mess

This is a follow up from my previous articles regarding free travel concessions, especially in regards with my research where Olympic and Paralympic gold medalists get free travel on TfL services and National Rail in Greater London. While that is a great benefit for athletes, the general "mess" of validity for disabled and elderly travellers remains a significant issue.

Transport for London celebrates 160 years of the London Taxi’s Knowledge!

160 Years Of The Knowledge - TfL image

For over 160 years, the ‘Knowledge of London’ has been the gold standard of professional navigation, but in the age of GPS, some questioned its future. However, new data from Transport for London (TfL) reveals a surprising resurgence. With applications up nearly 70 per cent since 2022 and completion times dropping from five years to just three, the iconic black cab trade is entering a new era of efficiency. As TfL celebrates this historic milestone, the London taxi remains not just a symbol of the past, but a high-tech, highly skilled pillar of the city’s modern transport network.

TfL press release:

The Mayor of London unveils 2026 TfL fares package, with certain fares and Travelcards frozen

Last month, the UK Government announced a freeze on railway fares, and the Mayor of London has announced that certain fares for Transport for London services have also been frozen.

Mayor of London Press release:

UK Budget 2025: Rail Fares Frozen and £3 Bus Cap Retained, While Ireland Separately Announces €24.3bn Transport Plan

Following the UK Government’s Budget 2025 announcement, a look through the Treasury’s document reveals that railway fares will be frozen, the £3 bus fare cap will be retained, funding will be provided for new railway improvements, support will be given to Transport for London’s plan to extend the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) to Thamesmead, primarily funded by London with long-term government contributions, and in Ireland, €2 billion from the Irish Government’s Infrastructure, Climate and Nature Fund will support the construction of MetroLink, reflecting its scale and national importance.

Issues With My Videos Hosted On Dailymotion

Last update - 3rd December 2025

My Dailymotion channel in 2022
Via Archive Wayback Machine

Some of my readers and followers may have noticed that I have a Dailymotion channel, where I have uploaded hundreds of my videos since 2014. Unfortunately, some of my old articles now contain embedded Dailymotion videos that no longer play.

In short, Dailymotion is a French online video-sharing platform currently owned by Canal+. Prior to 2024, it was owned by Vivendi, establishing it as a significant European alternative to YouTube.

Suggestion: Why I Believe That Transport Fares Should Be Consulted 💡

Every year, transport fares rise in line with inflation and the Retail Price Index across many areas of the UK and globally. This significantly impacts certain people, particularly those who are unemployed, receiving benefits, or on a low income.

The Precedent Set by Council Tax Consultation

Transport for London Technology Roadmap: A Strategic Overview of Investment to 2025 and Beyond

Transport for London (TfL) has disclosed its comprehensive strategic plan for the technological overhaul of the capital’s transport network. The document, titled Technology Roadmap 2025, was released into the public domain following a Freedom of Information request (Reference: FOI-2883-2526) made by another individual.

The roadmap details a multi-year investment strategy designed to align with the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, specifically the objective for 80 per cent of all trips in London to be made by foot, cycle, or public transport by 2041. The plan sets out a timeline for critical infrastructure upgrades and the implementation of advanced systems to tackle fare evasion and improve operational efficiency.

Tap-in and tap-out contactless ticketing extended to 50 more stations across South East England, i̶n̶c̶l̶u̶d̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶L̶o̶n̶d̶o̶n̶ ̶S̶t̶a̶n̶s̶t̶e̶d̶ ̶a̶n̶d̶ ̶S̶o̶u̶t̶h̶e̶n̶d̶ ̶a̶i̶r̶p̶o̶r̶t̶s̶ — launching 14 December 2025!

Map of stations that will offer contactless ticketing

Update - 23rd February 2026 

Please read the latest article here.

Update - 3rd December 2025

Noooooooooooooooooo! 😞

The Rail Delivery Group has announced that the expansion of contactless ticketing to Stansted and Southend Airports in London has been delayed.

Transport for London Reveals the Top 20 Busiest Bus Routes and Top Three Longest Night Bus Routes of 2025

In searching through the Freedom of Information (FOI) releases on the Transport for London (TfL) website, I noted they have published a couple of interesting requests relating to London Buses.

Firstly, let's take a look at the top 20 busiest bus routes and commendations by bus users.

Request ID: FOI-2919-2526
Date published: 12 November 2025

London Bus Tender Awards: Falcon Coaches Wins Route 467 with New Double-Decker Electric Buses

Transport for London has announced that an independent bus operator, Falcon Coaches, has entered the London bus market after winning the Route 467 contract with new double-decker electric buses.

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

Transport for London Should Introduce Rolling Recruitment for More London Underground Customer Service Assistants to Reduce Disruption, Including Station Closures

This is a follow-up to my previous article earlier this year (2025), where I raised the issue of there being no vacancies from Transport for London (TfL) to hire more Customer Service Assistants (CSAs) for the London Underground.

Transport for London to launch Bakerloop BL1 express bus route on 27 September 2025 with free travel for first week

Bakerloop Bus
TfL Image

It has been revealed that TfL will be launching the Bakerloop BL1 route from Elephant & Castle to Lewisham. The service will be operated by Go-Ahead London, who won the bid to run the route at £4,931,033 per annum using existing electric buses. The service will be free to use for the first week after its launch.

TfL press release:

Transport for London reveals reason for delays to new DLR rolling stock B23, expected to enter service later in 2025

After a long hiatus, the new £942 million Docklands Light Railway rolling stock B23 is finally back in trial service. Transport for London (TfL) has explained the reasons for the delay in response to a Freedom of Information request.

Your exclusive sneak peek of the new DLR trains 👀

Coming soon. Find out more about the new features ⬇️ https://t.co/eYvOKFOfjy pic.twitter.com/DLHxD2aTgt

— TfL (@TfL) September 1, 2025

Request ID: FOI-1452-2526
Date published: 08 September 2025