Key facts
- Transport for London will launch a new publicly owned bus operator, Buses for London, starting in late 2027.
- The new company will initially operate a handful of London's nearly 700 bus routes.
- Buses for London will begin with route 6, running between Willesden and Victoria station.
- The public operator aims to increase control over services, improve reliability and safety, and reinvest profits.
- Mayor of London Sadiq Khan stated the initiative aims for better value, climate goals, and road safety.
- Unite union welcomed the move, advocating for public ownership and improved worker conditions.
Transport for London (TfL) has announced the creation of a new publicly owned bus operator, Buses for London, which will begin running services in the capital starting in late 2027. This initiative is described by TfL as a "major milestone" aimed at enhancing bus services for both drivers and passengers.
The new company will initially take over a small selection of London's nearly 700 bus routes, starting with route 6, which connects Willesden and Victoria station. An additional four routes are slated to be operated by Buses for London from 2028. TfL stated that establishing a public company will grant it greater oversight of service operations, leading to improved reliability and safety, with profits being reinvested into the transport network.
Currently, TfL contracts its bus services to eight private operators. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan expressed that this move presents an opportunity to redesign the bus network to offer better value, support climate objectives, enhance road safety, and improve the overall passenger and driver experience. London's buses have faced challenges with increasing slowness and declining passenger numbers over the past decade due to congestion.
Lorna Murphy, TfL's director of buses, highlighted that the new public company marks an "exciting new chapter" and will operate from a depot in the Old Oak regeneration area, housing a new generation of zero-emission buses. Unions, including Unite, welcomed the return of bus services to public ownership, citing issues with outsourcing and the need for better working conditions for bus staff and improved services for passengers. Sharon Graham, Unite's general secretary, stated that the union expects Buses for London to set a precedent for workers' pay and treatment.
However, the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), representing private bus firms, voiced concerns that the new public operator would not solve London's bus issues. Graham Vidler, chief executive of CPT, argued that investment should focus on tackling congestion and improving bus priority measures, noting that buses in London typically travel at only 9 mph. He also warned that the uncertainty created by a new public operator could hinder future investment from private companies.