Crossrail Elizabeth Line FINALLY OPENS For Passenger Service!

After a very long wait, the Elizabeth Line finally opens for passenger service. Today (24 May 2022) has certainly been energetic, especially for people who took the very first train service to travel through the new tunnels which run from Paddington to Abbey Wood, via Canary Wharf.

Let us have a look at the press release from TfL on the opening of the Elizabeth line.

From Transport for London

Services on the transformational railway will start running from 06:30 this morning between Paddington and Abbey Wood

Consultation to Expand ULEZ to Greater London

TfL have announced a consultation on their proposal to expand ULEZ to most of Greater London to help reduce emissions and improve air quality.

From TfL press release

 

Proposals to improve air quality across the capital and significantly reduce the number of vehicles not meeting pollution standards

 

A consultation on plans to expand the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to cover almost the whole of the capital from 29 August 2023 has been launched. 

 

The Mayor of London and Transport for London (TfL) have delivered a range of schemes to tackle the capital's toxic air crisis, the climate emergency and traffic congestion, but further bold action across the city is required. Around 4,000 premature deaths in 2019 were attributed to filthy air, with the greatest number in outer London. Bromley, Barnet, Havering and Croydon were the boroughs with the highest number of early deaths, showing that poor air quality is not just a central London problem. More extreme weather events are predicted if the world fails to act to reduce carbon emissions, with London already seeing these in the form of flash floods in 2021.

London Bus Tender Awards: Route 307 to Receive New Double-deck Electric Buses and Elizabeth Line’s Main Central Core to Open on 24th May 2022

Route 307 which serves the north of Greater London from Barnet Hospital to Brimsdown Station will soon be operated with new double-deck electric buses as part of the new contract won by Arriva London.

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

Why is Transport for London Proposing to Withdraw from the Travelcard Agreement? As Part of Phasing out Paper Tickets?

I’ve been hesitant in writing this article because I’ve seen there are concerns on social media about Transport for London’s (TfL) proposal to withdraw from the Travelcard Agreement. The purpose of this article is to reveal more information from my own research on why the proposal is happening.

This was first revealed in December 2021 by a BBC London News journalist as part of TfL’s negotiations for a new financial settlement by the Government.

London Bus Tender Awards – Electric Buses for Routes 353, 359 & B13 and New Routemasters for Routes H32 & H91

We have received a London Bus news update as TfL have recently announced new London Bus tender awards.

 

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

London Bus Tender Awards: Route 149 To Continue Using New Routemasters – Also, Bus Types To Be Commenced For Other Routes

This is a brief London Bus news update as TfL have recently announced new London Bus tender awards.

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

My Response To TfL’s Bus Action Plan, Published In March 2022 - Does London Have The Largest Bus Rapid Transit System? And Bus Improvement Plans In The UK And Ireland

I realise I’m rather late with my report covering this news but I’ve been writing this article in my spare time. I have also included the news from Manchester and Ireland about their bus improvement plans.

On 11th March 2022, Transport for London unveiled their new Bus Action Plan to help improve bus services in Greater London.

From TfL Press Release

Bus Action Plan sets out TfL's priorities for faster journeys, an improved customer experience, and the decarbonising of the network.

London Bus Tender Awards: Route 248 Awarded To Arriva London With Existing New Routemasters – Route 111 to be served with Wrightbus Electroliners

It’s been a while since Transport for London (TfL) announced a new London Bus tender awards, which was delayed due to funding renewal issues with the Department for Transport (DfT), as mentioned in my previous article last month (February 2022).

 

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

It’s been 10 years since the New Routemaster entered service – from a rear platform bus with conductor, to a three-door, two-staircase hybrid bus

Ten years ago, the Wrightbus New Routemaster (LT2) first entered public service on 27th February 2012, on Route 38.

The New Routemaster (previously named New Bus for London) is a three-door, two-staircase diesel-hybrid bus. It originally had an open platform design with conductor which lasted until September 2016 on routes 9, 10, 11, 24, 38 and 390.

This article features texts from Transport for London (TfL), the Greater London Authority (GLA), and Government and UK Parliament websites about the New Routemaster, including specifications.

Let’s take a look at the press release of the passenger service launch day of the New Routemaster which took place on 27th February 2012.

TfL Launches ‘Enhanced Customer Specification Electric Buses’ on Route 63

It’s been nearly two months since I’ve published an article on my website due to the fact that I’ve been posting on Twitter more often, and also because there hasn’t really been any interesting bus related news to report on, due to TfL’s current financial situation.

TfL Press Release:

New green, productivity boosting buses introduced – but no more will be delivered until a long-term funding deal is secured

New route 63 buses include a host of customer-friendly features to make bus travel an even more attractive alternative to the car

A fleet of new, higher specification all-electric buses are being introduced on a key London bus route to encourage even more people back on to public transport as London recovers from the pandemic.

The new ultra-modern buses were first developed around two years ago, and are a sign of what the future of buses could be if the Government agrees a long term funding deal with Transport for London (TfL). Without a deal, the less green and increasingly ageing bus fleet will have to remain on the roads.