London Underground Northern Line Extends From Kennington To Battersea Power Station! (With Video)

For the first time since 27^th March 2008, the Piccadilly Line has been extended from Heathrow Terminals 1, 2, 3 to Heathrow Terminal 5. The new Northern Line extension from Kennington to Battersea Power Station finally opens to passengers on 20th September 2021.

From TfL Press Release

Transport for London (TfL) today (Monday 20 September) opened the doors to its two new Tube stations making up the Northern Line Extension, at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station. The two step-free Zone 1 stations are set to dramatically improve the connectivity of these vibrant south London neighbourhoods and support the capital's recovery from the pandemic at a vital time.

Major construction on the 3km twin-tunnel railway between Kennington and Battersea Power Station, via Nine Elms, began in 2015. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the construction project stayed on track for an autumn opening.

London Bus Tender Awards: RATP Dev London Retains Route 70 with Existing Single-Deck Electric Buses and Route 135 to be Operated by Tower Transit with Existing Double-Deck Hybrid Buses

London Bus news update: TfL announces the new London Bus tender awards on 5 August 2021.

 

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

London Bus Tender Awards: Route 111 Confirmed To Use New Electric Buses

A recent London Bus tender award has confirmed route 111 (Kingston to Heathrow Airport via Hounslow) will convert to new double-deck electric buses by next year.

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

Ireland's NTA and Bus Éireann Unveils Hydrogen Buses and Orders Electric Buses. Funding to Increase Zero-Emission Buses in Scotland and TfL Launches ‘future Bus Project’

Four news items today in one article on the progress of the zero-emission bus rollout within the British Isles.

Two major cities in the Island of Ireland now have bus services served with double-deck hydrogen fuel cell buses; one in Belfast and now also in Dublin.

From National Transport Authority

The National Transport Authority (NTA) in conjunction with Bus Éireann has today unveiled three new hydrogen-fuel-cell-electric double-deck buses that will initially be used on commuter services in the Greater Dublin Area.

London Bus Tender Awards: Route 13 to Continue Using Double Deck Hybrids and Route 204 to Convert to New Double Deck Electrics

The new London Bus Tender Awards have revealed Tower Transit has retained route 13 with existing double deck hybrids and Metroline retained route 204 with new double deck electrics.

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

London Buses Tender Awards: Route 55 to Continue Using Hybrid New Routemasters - Routes 322 & 433 to Use Electric Single Deck Buses

Summary

• Existing hybrid New Routemasters (NRMs) will continue to operate with Stagecoach,
• Routes 322 and 433 will use single deck electric buses with Abellio,
• The rest of the tender awards reveal bus operators will use existing buses for their route contracts,
• BYD & Alexander Dennis jointly announce a new order of 195 electric buses by RATP Dev London.

The recent London Buses tender awards have revealed route 55 will continue to use three-door, two-staircase hybrid New Routemasters with Stagecoach London.

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

TfL Release Details of The New Routemaster Midlife Refurbishment Project

Summary
• The refurbishment plan will not include a retrofit of USB charging ports for passengers to charge their device.
• There are no current plans to convert NRMs to zero-emission battery electric vehicles.
• TfL said the refurbishment of the entire NRM fleet will take around five years.
• All New Routemasters are now front-door only boarding.

A Freedom of Information request made to Transport for London (TfL) has revealed details of the midlife refurbishment project of the three-door, two-staircase hybrid bus known as the New Routemaster. The NRM was designed by Heatherwick Studio and manufactured by Wrightbus.

Why TfL Withdrew Heritage AEC Routemasters by Axing Route 15H - Can I Still Ride Them in London?

This is a follow up to my previous article in which Transport for London (TfL) revealed in a Freedom of Information request the withdrawal of the last heritage Route 15H served with AEC Routemasters.

This article shows the Freedom of Information responses by TfL and the Greater London Authority - also the Mayor’s answers on why the last AEC Routemasters have been withdrawn by not renewing the contract for Route 15H last year (2020).

 

Let’s take a look at the Freedom of Information request to TfL and how they responded on 6 May 2021 with regards to the withdrawal of Route 15H.

 

TfL Ref: 0088-2022

06 May 2021

 

Some of your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold the information you require. You asked:

 

The following question have been answered under the FOIA -

 

2, How much did TfL pay to refurbish the AEC Routemasters for route 15H?

London Bus Tender Awards: Routes 148 & 415 to Continue Using New Routemasters and Route U5 to Convert to Double-Deck Electrics

The new tender awards have revealed routes 148 and 415 will continue to use three-door, two-staircase hybrid buses known as New Routemasters (NRMs) for their new contracts with RATP London United and Abellio.

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

UK Government to End Railway Franchising – Unique Identities For London Overground Services

It’s been a while since I’ve posted something railway related on my website. This recent news regarding railways in Britain is huge because the UK Government have drafted plans to end railway franchising and to simplify ticketing, although the operations will remain privatised.

Excerpt from Department for Transport

• Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail to reform Britain’s railways and launch a new era for passengers
• biggest change in 25 years sees creation of new public body Great British Railways – a single, familiar brand with united, accountable leadership
• simpler, modern fares delivered, starting with new flexible season tickets on sale from 21 June and a new Great British Railways website for all tickets and clearer compensation
• reforms support delivery of a financially sustainable railway as country recovers from coronavirus (COVID-19), with new contracts focused on punctuality and improved efficiency, making it easier and cheaper to plan maintenance, renewal and upgrades