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:

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).

Singapore Bus Tender Awards: SMRT Buses Wins the Serangoon-Eunos Bus Package

In the London, I mean Singapore, Bus Tender Awards, the Land Transport Authority has awarded routes 11, 22, 53, 58, 59, 60, 63, 64, 90, 94, 101, 103, 105, 109, 134, 137, 140, 141, 146, 148, 150, 154, 158, 315 and 317 to SMRT Buses.

From The LTA press release:

First Bus Essex Unveils Cross-Boundary Extension of Route B1 to Harold Wood Station – Launching Sunday 26 July 2026

Back in May 2026, I published an article making the case for more cross-boundary bus services. I highlighted how areas just outside Greater London suffer from a distinct lack of connectivity, pointing out major gaps like Transport for London's (TfL) route 375 terminating short at Passingford Bridge instead of Ongar, and the missing link between Waltham Abbey and Chingford.

It is incredibly rewarding to see progress being made on this exact issue so quickly.

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.

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:

Transport for London quietly increases the cost of a new Oyster card to £10.50

This is quite a surprise to some people that Transport for London (TfL) has quietly increased the cost of a new Oyster card to £10.50 without a refundable deposit.

Here's the freedom of information (FOI) response to a member of the public on the TfL website about the Oyster card price increase.

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:

Why is it important for TfL to preserve its digital history and retain documents for researchers to access?

I have come across a freedom of information (FOI) response on the Transport for London (TfL) website where they have started to remove pages and older documents from their website, which brings disappointment.

Here's what it states:

Request ID: FOI-0442-2627
Date published: 05 June 2026

The Funding Challenges Preventing the Original Launch Dates for the New Tube for London (2024 Stock) for the Bakerloo, Central, Piccadilly, and Waterloo & City Lines

A review of historical and recent Freedom of Information (FOI) disclosures outlines the development and subsequent changes to Transport for London's (TfL) plans for upgrading its deep-level Underground lines. What was originally structured as a coordinated programme across four lines has faced adjustments due to changing financial structures, funding constraints, and macroeconomic factors.

Good News and Bad News for the Electric Bus Industry: Over 400 New Electric Bus Orders Placed with Wrightbus

As we approach the end of May 2026, it is time for a round-up of excellent news for Wrightbus, which has secured orders for hundreds of new electric vehicles.

First up, First Bus has announced a major rollout of fully electric vehicles for the West of England network, including brand-new buses alongside repowered and refurbished models operating in Bath.

First Bus press release:

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:

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: