The information below is published in good faith from available sources and as such is liable to change.

Route 51 [Selkent - PD] - Contract awarded to Selkent with existing fleet double deckers and operated from Plumstead Garage [PD]. New timetable incorporating improved train connections at Woolwich. New
OmniCity double deckers have been ordered for this route and are expected to be delivered in early 2009.

Route 80 [London General - A] - Contract retained by London General with existing fleet single deckers. New timetable incorporating earlier journeys. New E200Dart / Optare Esteem single deckers have been ordered for this route and are expected to be delivered in early 2009.

Route 93 [London General - A] - Contract retained by London General with existing fleet double deckers. New timetable with evening and Sunday services increased from every 12 minutes to every 10 minutes. New Alexander Dennis Trident / Optare Olympus double deckers have been ordered for this route and are expected to be delivered in early 2009.

Route 102 [Arriva London - AD] - New Monday to Friday timetable to improve reliability.

Route 151 [London General - A] - Contract retained by London General with existing fleet double deckers. New timetable incorporating earlier journeys from Worcester Park. New Alexander Dennis Trident / Optare Olympus double deckers have been ordered for this route and are expected to be delivered in early 2009.

Route 154 [London General - A] - Contract retained by London General with existing fleet double deckers. New Alexander Dennis Trident / Optare Olympus double deckers have been ordered for this route and are expected to be delivered in early 2009.

Route 163 [London General - AL] - Contract retained by London General with existing fleet single deckers. New timetable with late evening service increased from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes and Sundays and early evenings from every 15 minutes to every 12 minutes. New E200Dart / Optare Esteem single deckers and one new Alexander Dennis Trident / Optare Olympus double decker have been ordered for this route and are expected to be delivered in early 2009.

Route 164 [London General - AL] - Contract retained by London General with existing fleet single deckers. New timetable with Sunday service increased from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes. New E200Dart / Optare Esteem single deckers have been ordered for this route and are expected to be delivered in early 2009.

Route 212 [First - HO] - Main service converted back to DML class single deckers.

Route 244 [London Central - BX] - Owing to roadworks, temporarily diverted between Shooter’s Hill Road and Queen Elizabeth Hospital via Academy Road and Ha-Ha Road, instead of Baker Road.

Route 291 [Selkent - PD] - Restored to normal routing via Stadium Road.

Route 292 [London Sovereign - BT] - Contract retained by London Sovereign with existing fleet double deckers. No change to the timetable.

Route 297 [Metroline - PV] - Contract retained by Metroline with existing fleet double deckers.

Route 372 [Blue Triangle - BE] - Temporary timetable introduced with increased daytime frequency at weekends, Saturdays from every 20 minutes to every 15 minutes and Sundays from every 30 minutes to
every 20 minutes.

Route 469 [London Central - BX] - Restored to normal routing via Stadium Road.

Route D6 [First - DM] - Restored to DML class single deck operation.

Route R5/R10 [Metrobus - MB] - Contract retained by Metrobus with an existing fleet single decker.

Route R7 [Metrobus - MB] - Contract retained by Metrobus with an existing fleet single decker.

Route W3 [Arriva London - WN] - Emergency schedule withdrawn. Revised Monday to Friday timetable.

[Source: Transport for London]

Hybrid bus fleet to quadruple to 56, the largest in the UK, by early 2009.

Transport for London (TfL) has unveiled a range of new, single and double deck, eco-friendly hybrid buses for London today (2 December), the first stage in a major expansion of the Capital’s hybrid bus fleet.

By the end of January next year, the number of hybrid buses in the Capital will more than quadruple to 56 buses and confirm the Capital’s position as the home of the largest fleet of hybrid buses in the UK.

A further 300 hybrid buses will be in operation by 2011.

Twenty-five new hybrids will go into service this month on routes 16, 141, 276, 328 and E8; a further 18 hybrid buses will join the fleet early in 2009.

Hybrid technology

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: ‘A wonderful alliance of fuel efficiency and fume deficiency make hybrid engines the way to go for buses in our city.

‘Londoners that travel on buses with the green leaf livery can rest comfortably in their seats and enjoy clear environmental consciences, safe in the knowledge that their journey will guzzle far less fuel and expire a whopping forty per cent less carbon dioxide than a regular bus.

‘I’d urge all Londoners to look out for their leafy livery on the city’s streets and jump on board.’

Both TfL and the Mayor are committed to the introduction of hybrid technology and by 2012, TfL expects all new buses joining the fleet will be hybrid.

Cleaner energy

At a rate of 500 buses a year, it is expected to be the largest roll out of hybrid buses in Europe.

The bus industry has responded to that commitment and several major manufacturers have developed hybrid buses specifically for the London fleet.

The Mayor has also specified that the ‘New Bus for London’ should run on a hybrid engine.

Hybrid buses are cleaner and greener than their diesel counterparts.

Reduced emmisions

Their combination of a conventional engine and an electric motor uses less fuel and is better for air quality as they emit fewer pollutants and reduce CO2 emissions by up to 40 per cent.

Their roll out will contribute to the Mayor’s target of a 60 per cent reduction in emissions across London by 2025.

Londoners will notice that hybrid buses are also significantly quieter than diesel buses, making bus travel more pleasant for passengers and reducing noise for local residents along bus routes.

Alexander Dennis, Volvo and Optare have now produced their first hybrid buses for London, while Wrightbus has produced a new double deck hybrid, using different technology to that used in the 13 hybrids it already has operating in the London fleet.

Quieter engine

Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor’s Director of Transport Policy, said: ‘With bus ridership rocketing it is vital our buses are as clean and green as possible.

‘The trial of new hybrid buses is a further step towards that aim and will mean we can be sure that we get the best buses possible for Londoners.

‘By 2012 we expect every new bus entering the fleet should be using hybrid technology and their roll out will contribute to the Mayor’s target of a 60 per cent reduction in emissions across London by 2025.’

David Brown, Managing Director for Surface Transport at TfL, said: ‘London has led the way in the introduction of hybrid technology in its bus fleet, and I’m pleased to see so many manufacturers responding with new hybrid bus designs.

Cleanest in the UK

‘As we increase the number of hybrid buses in London, more people across the Capital will be able to see first hand the future of the bus fleet - cleaner, quieter and more pleasant for passengers and Londoners on the whole, but also more efficient and environmentally friendly.’

These vehicles are being introduced as part of an ongoing programme by TfL to test innovative technology and reduce emissions from its bus fleet, which is already the cleanest in the UK.*

All of London’s hybrid buses can be recognised by the green leaf motif over their traditional red livery.

Route Details

• The new hybrid buses joining the fleet in December will be used for driver training this week, and will start going into service from next week onwards on the following routes:
• Route E8, operated by Metroline between Ealing Broadway Station and Brentford (Commerce Road) - five Optare single decks
• Route 16, operated by Metroline between Victoria Station and Cricklewood Garage - five new Alexander Dennis Ltd double decks
• Route 141, operated by Arriva between Palmers Green (North Circular Road) and London Bridge Station - five new Wrightbus double decks
• Route 276, operated by East London Buses between Newham Hospital and Stoke Newington Common - five Optare single decks
• Route 328, operated by First between Golder’s Green Station and Chelsea (World’s End) - five new Wrightbus double decks.
• Eighteen further hybrid buses will join the fleet early in 2009 on the following routes:
  • Route 24, operated by London General between Pimlico (Grosvenor Road) and Hampstead Heath (South End Green) - five new Alexander Dennis Ltd double decks
  • Route 42, operated by East Thames Buses between Liverpool Street Station (Worship Street) and Denmark Hill (Sunray Avenue) - five new Alexander Dennis Ltd single decks
  • Route 141, operated by Arriva between Palmers Green (North Circular Road) and London Bridge Station - a further six new Volvo double decks
  • Route 482, operated by London United between Southall Town Hall and Heathrow Terminal Five - two Alexander Dennis Ltd double decks
• Thirteen hybrid buses, built by Wrightbus, are already in service in London:
  • Seven single decks operate on route 360, operated by London Central between Kensington (Queen’s Gate) and Elephant & Castle
  • Five single decks operate on route 129, operated by Travel London between Greenwich (Cutty Sark) and North Greenwich Station
  • One double deck hybrid on route 141, operated by Arriva between Palmers Green and London Bridge Station. This bus will be returned to Wrightbus early in the New Year, when all five of the later model are operating on the route

The information below is published in good faith from available sources and as such is liable to change.

Routes 101, 173, 300, 376, 474, 673, 678 & N551 - Revised to serve or terminate in Beckton Bus Station.

Route 220 [London United - S] - New timetable following completion of roadworks in Hammersmith and White City areas.

Route 246 [Selkent - TB] - Seasonal Sunday extension to Chartwell finishes.

Route 262 [East London - U] - Withdrawn between Showcase Cinema and East Beckton Savacentre. Diverted via Beckton Bus Station.

Route 365 [First - DM] - New Trident/Enviro400 double deckers introduced.

Route 366 [East London - BK] - Extended from Cyprus to Beckton Bus Station.

Route K50 [London United] - Start of seasonal operation.

Tramlink 1 & 2 (Joint service) - Owing to a tram shortage, frequency temporarily reduced from every 10 minutes to every 12 minutes during Monday to Saturday daytimes from 9/11/08. This will reduce the pvr
from 9 to 8 trams.

First London AD Enviro 400 DN33537 on Route 191 in Southbury Road

Following on from my previous post regarding Arriva London Route 491, First London have started to introduce the next batch of Alexander Dennis Enviro 400’s on to Route 191 (Edmonton Green - Brimsdown Station).  These vehicles were originally due for delivery in May to mark the commencement of the new contract for the route.  The vehicles are to the same specification as those purchased when First won Route 231 (Enfield Chase Station - Turnpike Lane Station) from Metroline earlier this year and vehicles from both batches can be seen working either route.

Arriva London North ENL13 at Arriva London's Enfield Garage

With the retention of Route 491 (Waltham Cross - North Middlesex Hospital), Arriva London was charged with running the route with all new single deckers.  The vehicles chosen were Alexander Dennis 10.2m Enviro 200 bodied Darts.  The vehicles were due to be available for the start of the contract on 31/5/2008 but have been delayed several times.  There are currently 4 vehicles at Arriva’s Enfield Garage which are being used for driver training.