As many of my Twitter followers know, I tend to tweet interesting Freedom of Information (FOI) requests from the Transport for London (TfL) website.
I’ve copied and pasted some of TfL’s FOI releases to my own article to make it easier to find the recent information about London Buses on a different website.
Another month and a new London Bus Tender awards have been announced by Transport for London (TfL), revealing more routes converting to new zero-emission electric buses.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
The awards show a whopping 11 routes will be expected to convert to zero-emission electric buses; the routes are: 40, 64, 83/N83, 213, 251, 265, 366, 377, 612, E5 & E7.
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:
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| High-spec Alexander Dennis-BYD Enviro400EV City on Route 63 |
First of all, this article is not intended to criticise bus manufacturers, their products, Transport for London (TfL) or bus operators.
The purpose of the article is to review and evaluate the Freedom of Information (FOI) requests released to the public and to give my ideas on how to improve the issues raised. I also understand that some people will have their own ideas that may differ from mine.
During the week I usually keep an eye on TfL’s Freedom of Information request disclosure log on their website and tweet some of the more interesting FOI requests to my Twitter.
Routes 63 and U5 use BYD-Alexander Dennis (ADL) Enviro400EV City buses with high-spec interiors; two FOI requests revealed complaints and issues raised about them.
The FOI requests worthy of an article are the ones concerning the average dwell times for New Routemasters in comparison to other buses on the London Bus network.
What are dwell times?
The definition from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Glossary states: “The period in which a vehicle or train discharges and takes on passengers at a stop, including opening and closing doors and time spent standing.”
Let’s take a look at the Freedom of Information releases published by TfL:
From TfL press release
Emergency Government funding needed as a result of the pandemic was provided with conditions, including the need for TfL to reduce operating expenditure.
• Proposals aim to mitigate effect on passengers as much as possible while fulfilling Government requirement for savings
• Plans mean most customers are still able to use a single bus for their journey, TfL having worked to ensure the impact of the reduction in bus services is minimised
• Mayor's 'Hopper' fare available for any passengers needing to change buses
Proposals on reshaping the central and inner London bus network, following a Government requirement for significant savings, have been outlined by Transport for London (TfL) today.
These proposals have been set out by TfL due to the Government requiring TfL to reduce service levels on London's bus network.
My suggestion could be seen as controversial and not everyone will agree with this. Bear in mind that I’m not an expert in marketing and promotions, but I do like to float ideas on how to make transport services more attractive.
Transport for London (TfL) is trying to become financially sustainable and find ways to increase their revenue; their current financial settlement with the Government ends on 24 June 2022 and could expect to be renewed by the Government.
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
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.
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: