View source for Buses in London

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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

[[File:Routemaster bus alongside new bus.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|A 2005 [[Alexander ALX400]] passing a 1963 [[AEC Routemaster]]]]

Buses have been used as a mode of [[public transport]] in [[London]] since 1829, when [[George Shillibeer]] started operating a horse-drawn ''omnibus'' service from [[Paddington]] to the [[City of London]]. In the decades since their introduction, the red London bus has become a symbol of the city. In 2019, buses accounted for 11 per cent of trips taken in the city.

{{asof|2023}}, London has 675 bus routes served by over 8,700 buses, almost all of which are operated by private companies under contract to (and regulated by) [[London Buses]], part of the publicly-owned [[Transport for London]].<ref name="tflcorpbus">{{cite web |title=What we do |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/what-we-do#on-this-page-0 |website=Transport for London |access-date=10 May 2021}}</ref><ref name="TfL bus fleet audit2">{{cite web |last= |first= |date=31 March 2024 |title=Bus fleet audit—31 March 2024 |url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/fleet-annual-audit-report-31-march-2024.pdf |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=16 July 2024 |website= |publisher=Transport for London}}</ref> Over 1,400 buses in the fleet are [[Battery electric bus|battery electric]] and [[Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle|hydrogen fuel cell]] buses, the second largest zero emission bus fleet in Europe (behind [[Electric buses in Moscow|Moscow]]).<ref name="TfL bus fleet audit22">{{cite web |last= |first= |date=31 March 2024 |title=Bus fleet audit—31 March 2024 |url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/fleet-annual-audit-report-31-march-2024.pdf |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=16 July 2024 |website= |publisher=Transport for London}}</ref> In 2006, London became one of the first major cities in the world to have an [[Accessibility of transport in London|accessible, low floor]] bus fleet.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":8" />

== History ==
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="max-width:450px;"
|+ Management of London Transport 1933-2000
|-
! Dates !! Organisation !! Overseen by
|-
| 1933–1947|| [[London Passenger Transport Board]] || [[London County Council]]
|-
| 1948–1962 || [[London Transport Executive]] || [[British Transport Commission]]
|-
| 1963–1969 || [[London Transport Board]] || [[Secretary of State for Transport|Minister of Transport]]
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1970–1984 || [[London Transport Executive (GLC)|London Transport Executive]]<br />(Greater London only) || [[Greater London Council]]
|-
| [[London Country Bus Services]]<br />(Green Line only) || [[National Bus Company (UK)|National Bus Company]]
|-
| 1984–2000 || [[London Regional Transport]] || [[Secretary of State for Transport]]
|-
| 2000– || [[Transport for London]] || [[Mayor of London]]
|}

Buses have been used on the streets of London since 1829, when [[George Shillibeer]] started operating his horse-drawn ''omnibus'' service from [[Paddington]] to the [[City of London|City]]. In 1850, [[Thomas Tilling]] started [[horse bus]] services,<ref>[http://www.petergould.co.uk/local_transport_history/pioneers/people/tilling.htm Thomas Tilling by Peter Gould]</ref> and in 1855 the [[London General Omnibus Company]] (LGOC) was founded to amalgamate and regulate the horse-drawn omnibus services then operating in London.<ref name="ltm1829">{{cite web | title = From omnibus to ecobus, 1829-1850 | url = http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/learning/online_resources/ecobus_omnibus/pg/1829.htm | publisher = [[London Transport Museum]] | access-date = 3 July 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070609023652/http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/learning/online_resources/ecobus_omnibus/pg/1829.htm |archive-date = 9 June 2007}}</ref>

The LGOC began using motor omnibuses in 1902, and manufactured them itself from 1909. In 1904, Thomas Tilling started its first motor bus service. The last LGOC horse-drawn bus ran on 25 October 1911, although independent operators used them until 1914.<ref name="ltm1901p3">{{cite web | title = From omnibus to ecobus, 1901-1913, 3rd page | url = http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/learning/online_resources/ecobus_omnibus/pg/1901b.htm | publisher = [[London Transport Museum]] | access-date = 3 July 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070630201231/http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/learning/online_resources/ecobus_omnibus/pg/1901b.htm |archive-date = 30 June 2007}}</ref>

In 1909, Thomas Tilling and the LGOC entered into an agreement to pool their resources. The agreement restricted the expansion of Thomas Tilling in London, and allowed the LGOC to lead an amalgamation of most of London's bus services. However, also in 1909, Thomas Clarkson started the National Steam Car Company to run [[steam bus]]es in London in competition with the LGOC. In 1919, the National company reached agreement with the LGOC to withdraw from bus operation in London, and steam bus services ceased later that year.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.petergould.co.uk/local_transport_history/generalhistories/general/steambus.htm |title=The Steam Bus 1833-1923 by Peter Gould |access-date=18 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012182835/http://www.petergould.co.uk/local_transport_history/generalhistories/general/steambus.htm |archive-date=12 October 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

<gallery mode=packed>
File:Traffic in London in 1927.jpg|Early days: London General omnibuses in 1927
File:London Transport RF503.JPG|The London Transport brand continued on buses until 1986
File:Leyland National Greenway nearside.jpg|A post-privatisation London bus bearing private operator branding
</gallery>Initially, buses in London were regulated with very limited oversight, licensed by the Police in a similar manner as taxicabs are licensed today, anyone could provide a bus service according to their best commercial judgement. After the First World War, many demobilised soldiers had learned to operate and maintain heavy vehicles like buses and established bus companies.  In 1922, the Chocolate Express ran its first services, and many other independent operators entered the market until by 1924, the market was saturated with small independent bus companies which depressed patronage from established railways and larger bus companies – the worst affected being the London County Council's tramways which ran at a deficit.  Management's efforts to control costs lead to a strike across the whole network, which was shortly followed by the major bus companies and railways in London.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}  

Some of the bus operators in London included;<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.countrybus.org/DS/DS.html | title=Ian's BUS STOP: The LONDON TRANSPORT Dennis DS }}</ref>
{{div col}}
*[[Birch Brothers]]
*London Public Omnibus Company
*Orange Omnibus Company Ltd.
*Admiral Omnibus
*Premier Omnibus Company	
*Watford Omnibus 	
*Ashley and Westwood Omnibuses
*St. Alban's & District	
*East Surrey
*National Omnibus Company
*Thomas Tilling
*[[London General Omnibus Company]]
*Chocolate Express
*Prince Omnibus
*City Motor Omnibus Ltd.
*Renown
*United
*Overground
*Imperial of Romford 
*Amersham & District Motor Bus & Haulage Co.Ltd
*Elite Omnibus Service of Watford
*Woking & District
*Capitol Buses<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.romfordrecorder.co.uk/news/21467601.heritage-tragedy-1920s-bus-company-heroic-actions-employee/ | title=Heritage: The tragedy of a 1920s bus company and the heroic actions of an employee | date=10 December 2021 }}</ref>
*Westminster Omnibus Company
*Sevenoaks Motor Services
*Darenth Bus Service 
*Royal Highlander
*Henry Turner of Wandsworth
*The Reliable Omnibus & Motor Coaches
{{div col end}}
=== London Passenger Transport Board to London Regional Transport ===
{{multiple image
|align=left
|footer = May 1912 [[London General Omnibus Company]] route map, showing the first 50 or so bus routes, many of which are broadly unchanged to the present day
|image1 = London General Omnibus Company route map May 1912 Cover.jpeg
|image2 = London General Omnibus Company route map May 1912.jpeg
|image3 = London General Omnibus Company route map May 1912 Zoom.jpg
|caption1 = Cover
|caption2 = Map
|caption3 = Zoom of central area
|width1 = 50
|width2 = 135
|width3 = 120
}}
In 1912, the [[Underground Electric Railways Company of London]] (UERL), which at that time owned most of the [[London Underground]], bought the LGOC. In 1933, the LGOC, along with the rest of the UERL, became part of the new [[London Passenger Transport Board]] (LPTB). The name London General was replaced by '''London Transport''', which became synonymous with the red London bus.<ref name="ltm1919p3">{{cite web | title = From omnibus to ecobus, 1919-1938, 3rd page | url = http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/learning/online_resources/ecobus_omnibus/pg/1919aa.htm | publisher = [[London Transport Museum]] | access-date = 3 July 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070608234748/http://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/learning/online_resources/ecobus_omnibus/pg/1919aa.htm |archive-date = 8 June 2007}}</ref>

Bus numbers were first used in 1906. When the independent firms started in 1922, they used General route numbers, along with alphabetical suffixes to denote branch routes, so, for instance, the 36A ran parallel to the 36 for most of its route. In 1924, under the [[London Traffic Act 1924|London Traffic Act]], the Metropolitan Police was authorised to allocate route numbers, which all buses had to carry.<ref name="Marshall"/>

Under the direction of the Chief Constable responsible for traffic, [[A. E. Bassom]], the LGOC were allocated numbers 1-199; the independent bus companies 200-299; country routes north of the Thames, working into the Metropolitan Police area, 300-399; country routes south of the Thames, working into the Metropolitan Police area, 400-499; Thames Valley routes working into the Met area, 500-510. All short, early morning, weekend or other special duties were to be given a suffix from the alphabet. To make way for these suffixes, previous suffix routes, denoting a branch, had to be renumbered in the one hundreds, so therefore, 36A became 136. Soon there were not enough route numbers and the police had to allocate 511-599 to the independents and 600-699 to the LGOC.<ref name="Marshall"/>

This ultimately led to chaos, and in the [[London Passenger Transport Act 1933]] the power to allocate route numbers was taken away from the police and handed once again to professional busmen.<ref name="Marshall">{{cite book|author=Marshall, Prince (1972)|title=Wheels of London|year=1972|pages=55–56|publisher=The Sunday Times Magazine |isbn=0-7230-0068-9}}</ref> Suffixes were gradually abolished over the decades, the last such route in London being the 77A, which became the 87 in June 2006.

The LPTB, under [[Albert Stanley, 1st Baron Ashfield|Lord Ashfield]], assumed responsibility for all bus services in the [[London Passenger Transport Board#London Passenger Transport Area|London Passenger Transport Area]], an area with a radius of about 30 miles from Central London. This included the London General country buses (later to be London Transport's green buses), [[Green Line Coaches]] and the services of several [[Tilling Group]] and [[List of transport undertakings transferred to the London Passenger Transport Board|independent companies]].

London buses continued to operate under the London Transport name from 1933 to 2000, although the political management of transport services changed several times. The LPTB oversaw transport from 1933 to 1947, when it was nationalised and became the [[London Transport Executive]] (1948 to 1962). The responsible authority for London Transport was then successively the [[London Transport Board]] (1963 to 1969), the [[London Transport Executive (GLC)|Greater London Council]] (1970 to 1984) and [[London Regional Transport]] (1984 to 2000). However, in 1969, a new law transferred the green country services, outside the area of the Greater London Council, to the recently formed [[National Bus Company UK|National Bus Company]]. Trading under the name '''London Country''', the green buses and Green Line Coaches became the responsibility of a new NBC subsidiary, [[London Country Bus Services]], on 1 January 1970.

Despite a comprehensive replacement of the bus fleet in the early 1950s, bus ridership fell dramatically – from 4.5 billion in 1950, to 3.1 billion by 1962 – while private car ownership rapidly increased.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Daniels |first=Leon |date=2022-02-02 |title=Leon Daniels: Government control of Transport for London is not what the capital needs |url=https://www.onlondon.co.uk/leon-daniels-government-control-of-transport-for-london-is-not-what-the-capital-needs/ |access-date=2022-08-18 |website=OnLondon |language=en-GB}}</ref> A seven day strike in 1958<ref>{{Cite web |title=Britain at Work 1945 - 1995 |url=http://www.unionhistory.info/britainatwork/display.php?irn=1182&QueryPage= |access-date=2022-08-18 |website=www.unionhistory.info |quote=The London bus strike saw the complete withdrawal of all Central and Country areas buses from May 5 to June 20, 1958}}</ref> and a fall in [[History of London|London's population]] by over a million people exacerbated the fall in ridership.

A former network of express buses operated by London Transport in Central London was the [[Red Arrow (London Buses)|Red Arrows]]. The routes, all numbered in the 500s, ran from main line stations to various locations in the West End and City. They were introduced in 1966 and expanded in 1968, but in the 1990s they were gradually phased out, with the last two routes withdrawn in 2023.<ref>{{cite book|author=Marshall, Prince (1972)|title=Wheels of London|year=1972|page=114|publisher=The Sunday Times Magazine |isbn=0-7230-0068-9}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Marius |first=Callum |date=2023-04-28 |title=Final journeys on 2 TfL bus routes show how commuting to Zone 1 has plummeted |url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/nostalgia/london-buses-final-journeys-2-26807636 |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=MyLondon |language=en |quote=The two remaining London bus routes which were specifically designed to link commuters from key National Rail terminals to key areas of high-density commercial office blocks in Zone 1 are making their final journeys, after more than half a century of service.}}</ref>

In 1974, [[Jill Viner]] became the first female bus driver for London Transport.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/the-incredible-women-who-changed-the-face-of-londons-famous-transport-network-a3784931.html|title=These are the incredible pioneering women of London's transport network through the years|date=9 March 2018}}</ref><ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/bci3pyiQz2s Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20201102002326/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bci3pyiQz2s&feature=youtu.be Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bci3pyiQz2s| title = LONDON'S 1st BUS DRIVER - COLOUR | website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

In 1979, the operation of London's buses under the GLC was divided among eight areas or districts:

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!District
!Area
!Logo (positioned above LT roundel)
|-
|Abbey
|West central
|Coronet
|-
|Cardinal
|West and Southwest
|Bust of [[Thomas Wolsey]]
|-
|Forest
|East and Northeast (after [[Epping Forest]])
|Squirrel
|-
|Leaside
|North (after [[River Lea]])
|Swan
|-
|Selkent
|Southeast
|Hops
|-
|Tower
|East central
|[[White Tower (Tower of London)|White Tower]]
|-
|Wandle
|South (after [[River Wandle]])
|Water wheel
|-
|Watling
|Northwest
|Bust of Roman soldier<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.eplates.info/maps/areas.html |title=London Transport - Local Bus Maps |publisher=eplates.info |access-date=26 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317205652/http://www.eplates.info/maps/areas.html |archive-date=17 March 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|}

The districts were later reorganised and reduced to six (with the abolition of Tower and Watling), and, following the Transport Act of 1985, were done away with in 1989 with privatisation imminent.

=== Privatisation ===
{{Main articles|Privatisation of London bus services}}
[[File:Capital Citybus 130 J130YRM (cropped).jpg|thumb|Bus operators did not have to paint their buses red - such as this [[Capital Citybus]] in 1999]]
In the 1980s the [[Premiership of Margaret Thatcher|government of Margaret Thatcher]] decided to [[Privatization|privatise]] the bus operating industry in Great Britain. At the time, local bus transport was dominated by London Transport in London, and in other major cities by large [[List of former municipal bus companies of the United Kingdom|municipally owned operators]], as well as by the government-owned [[National Bus Company (UK)|National Bus Company]] and [[Scottish Bus Group]] elsewhere. The [[Transport Act 1985]] brought about [[Bus deregulation in Great Britain|bus deregulation throughout Great Britain]] which opened up local bus operation to private operators and required municipal companies to operate independently of local government on a commercial basis.<ref name="parker">{{cite book|last=Parker|first=David|title=The official history of privatisation|url=https://archive.org/details/officialhistoryp00park|url-access=limited|year=2009|publisher=Routledge|location=London|isbn=9780203881521|page=[https://archive.org/details/officialhistoryp00park/page/n254 232]}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite web|last=Butcher|first=Louise|date=18 June 2010|title=Buses: deregulation in the 1980s|url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN01534/SN01534.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=10 August 2021|website=[[House of Commons Library]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609175752/http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN01534/SN01534.pdf |archive-date=9 June 2015 }}</ref>

However, the Transport Act 1985 did not apply in London – instead, the [[London Regional Transport Act 1984]] required that an arms-length subsidiary company of London Transport called [[London Buses]] to be set up. London Buses would specify details of routes, fares and services levels, and the running of bus services would be contracted to private companies on a tendered basis.<ref name="tfllbhist">{{cite web|title=About TfL - Culture & heritage - London's transport - a history - London buses|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/culture-and-heritage/londons-transport-a-history/london-buses|url-status=live|access-date=10 August 2021|publisher=[[Transport for London]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140328175934/http://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/about-tfl/culture-and-heritage/londons-transport-a-history/london-buses |archive-date=28 March 2014 }}</ref> From 1985, bus routes were gradually tendered out to private companies, with London Buses split into business units from 1989.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Rifkind|first=Malcolm|date=22 July 1991|title="A Bus Strategy for London" (Hansard, 22 July 1991)|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1991/jul/22/a-bus-strategy-for-london|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-10|website=api.parliament.uk|quote=The Government's policy remains, as it has been since the Transport Act 1985 was introduced into Parliament, that the London bus market should be deregulated and privatised as soon as possible.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810215641/https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1991/jul/22/a-bus-strategy-for-london |archive-date=10 August 2021 }}</ref> These business units were sold off in the private sector in the mid 1990s. Controversially, private operators were allowed to run buses in colours other than the traditional red. Following a campaign by tourism groups, tender specifications since 1997 specify that buses in London be 80% red.<ref name=":03">{{Cite web|last=Butcher|first=Louise|date=18 June 2010|title=Buses: deregulation in the 1980s|url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN01534/SN01534.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=10 August 2021|website=[[House of Commons Library]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150609175752/http://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN01534/SN01534.pdf |archive-date=9 June 2015 }}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|date=March 2019|title=Bus graphics standard Issue 2|url=http://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-buses-graphics-standard.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=10 August 2021|website=[[Transport for London]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218050619/http://content.tfl.gov.uk/london-buses-graphics-standard.pdf |archive-date=18 February 2020 }}</ref>

Despite proposals from the Government in the 1990s to deregulate bus routes in London,<ref name=":4" /> the bus tendering regime is still in place today, with individual bus routes put out to [[Procurement|competitive tendering]] by private companies.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|date=August 2015|title=London's Bus Contracting and Tendering Process|url=http://content.tfl.gov.uk/uploads/forms/lbsl-tendering-and-contracting.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=10 August 2021|website=[[Transport for London]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160123010522/http://content.tfl.gov.uk:80/uploads/forms/lbsl-tendering-and-contracting.pdf |archive-date=23 January 2016 }}</ref><ref name=":15">{{Cite web |date=March 2022 |title=Bus Action Plan |url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-action-plan.pdf |access-date=16 October 2024 |website=Transport for London |pages=11-12}}</ref> In 2024, Mayor of London [[Sadiq Khan]] pledged to bring bus routes back into public ownership as contracts expire.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Frank-Keyes |first=Jessica |date=2024-04-16 |title=Sadiq Khan to review bringing London buses into public ownership |url=https://www.cityam.com/sadiq-khan-to-review-bringing-london-buses-into-public-ownership/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=CityAM |language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== Growth ===
In 2000, as part of the formation of the new [[Greater London Authority]], the management of buses in London moved from the central government controlled London Regional Transport to the [[Mayor of London]]'s transport body, [[Transport for London]] (TfL).<ref name="tfllbhist" /> Upon appointment in 2000, the new Mayor of London, [[Ken Livingstone]] did not have the power to improve Tube service. Instead, investment was directed to increasing the number of, and the frequency of London's bus routes, as well as introducing more bus lanes – assisted by income from the [[London congestion charge|congestion charge]]. [[Flat rate|Flat fares]] were introduced in 2004, to speed boarding.<ref>{{Cite press release |date=2 January 2004 |title=New Year, New Fares |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2004/january/new-year-new-fares |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=Transport for London}}</ref> From September 2005, under 16's were able to ride buses for free.<ref>{{Cite press release |date=1 September 2005 |title=Free under-16s bus and tram travel begins |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2005/september/free-under16s-bus-and-tram-travel-begins |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=Transport for London}}</ref> 

Bus ridership subsequently rose rapidly, with a 19 per cent growth in passengers between 1999/00 and 2002/03, with ridership was at levels last seen in the late 1960s.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2004 |title=London Buses - About London Buses |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/buses/cib_about.shtml |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041209042912/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/buses/cib_about.shtml |archive-date=9 December 2004 |access-date= |website=Transport for London}}</ref> Between 2000 and 2006, ridership growth was at 40 per cent in London, while ridership in the rest of the country fell by 6 per cent.<ref>{{Cite press release |date=23 May 2006 |title=Londons bus improvements get Parliamentary seal of approval |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2006/may/londons-bus-improvements-get-parliamentary-seal-of-approval |access-date=2022-08-18 |website=Transport for London |quote=London has seen bus usage increase by 40 per cent since 2000/01 while elsewhere in England bus usage has fallen by seven per cent.}}</ref> The bus fleet grew to cope with demand, from around 5,500 buses to over 8,000. Traffic speeds across London improved, and levels of air pollution in central London decreased. By 2010, bus journeys in London had increased by 69 per cent since 2000, despite the growth rate in passengers slowing since the late 2000s.<ref name=":15" />

From 2013 onwards, bus ridership fell slowly, with TfL blaming traffic congestion and roadworks, and some commentators blaming the introduction of [[Cycle Superhighway|Cycle Superhighways]] under [[Mayor Boris Johnson]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Darren |last2=Johnson |first2=Boris |date=18 April 2016 |title=Mayor's Question Time - Bus ridership drop |url=https://www.london.gov.uk/who-we-are/what-london-assembly-does/questions-mayor/find-an-answer/bus-ridership-drop-2 |website=Greater London Authority}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stops |first=Vincent |date=2022-11-04 |title=Vincent Stops: The cycling lobby has been allowed to ruin London's bus service |url=https://www.onlondon.co.uk/vincent-stops-the-cycling-lobby-has-been-allowed-to-ruin-londons-bus-service/ |access-date=2024-10-16 |website=OnLondon |language=en-GB}}</ref> The fall in ridership was mitigated by the introduction of the [[hopper fare]] in 2018, which allowed passengers to make multiple bus journeys within 1 hour.<ref>{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2016-09-12 |title=Sadiq Khan launches 'hopper' fares for London buses |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/sep/12/sadiq-khan-launches-hopper-fares-for-london-buses |access-date=2024-10-16 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name=":15" /> In 2019, buses accounted for 11% for daily trips in London.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019 |title=Travel in London Report 12 |url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/travel-in-london-report-12.pdf |access-date=16 October 2024 |website=Transport for London}}</ref>

== Vehicles ==
{{main|List of bus types used in London}}
[[File:Enviro400-VE-VirtualElectricRte69-P1370183.JPG|thumb|London double decker bus, in traditional red]]
{{As of|2024|March}}, the [[London Buses]] fleet total of 8,776 buses includes 3,826 [[hybrid bus]]es, 1,397 [[Battery electric bus|battery electric buses]], and 20 [[Fuel cell bus|hydrogen fuel cell buses]].<ref name="TfL bus fleet audit2" /> The [[Low emission buses in London|zero emission fleet]] is the largest in Europe, ahead of [[Electric buses in Moscow|Moscow]].<ref name=":74">{{Cite web |date=2023-08-28 |title=TfL introduces over 80 new zero-emission buses in Sutton (and add over 1 million km per year to outer London bus services) |url=https://www.sustainable-bus.com/news/sutton-transport-for-london-zero-emission-buses/ |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=Sustainable Bus |language=en-US |quote=London’s zero-emission bus fleet, which is now the largest in Europe}}</ref> All buses have been [[Accessibility of transport in London|accessible and low floor]] since 2006,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|date=2013-12-02|title=Start of Low floor buses - a Freedom of Information request to Transport for London|url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/start_of_low_floor_buses|access-date=2021-08-07|website=WhatDoTheyKnow|language=en}}</ref> one of the first major cities in the world to achieve this.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web|date=14 December 2007|title=Transport for London wins Independent Living Award|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2007/december/transport-for-london-wins-independent-living-award|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-10|website=Transport for London|language=en-GB|quote=We have the biggest wheelchair accessible bus network in the world|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810223758/https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2007/december/transport-for-london-wins-independent-living-award |archive-date=10 August 2021 }}</ref> 

The various bus operators operate a wide variety of vehicles, about the only immediately obvious common feature being their use of a largely red livery (mandatory since 1997).<ref name=":03" /><ref name=":5" /> For each bus route, [[London Buses]] sets a specification for buses to be used, with the choice of particular vehicle that meets the specification left up to the operator.<ref name=":6" /> Particular examples of London Buses specification include the use of separate exit doors (increasingly unusual on buses in the United Kingdom outside London) and, on double-deckers, the use of a straight staircase.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|date=May 2019|title=LONDON BUS SERVICES LIMITED Specification for new buses|url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/596921/response/1418561/attach/3/Bus%20Vehicle%20Specification%20v1.1%20May%202019.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1|url-status=live|access-date=10 August 2021|website=www.whatdotheyknow.com|publisher=[[London Buses]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210810223758/https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/596921/response/1418561/attach/3/Bus%20Vehicle%20Specification%20v1.1%20May%202019.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1 |archive-date=10 August 2021 }}</ref> Additionally, London Buses has previously specified that vehicles operating in London use traditional printed roller destination blinds, whereas in most other parts of the country, electronic dot matrix or LED displays are the norm on new buses.<ref name=":7" />

=== History ===
From the early days of motor bus operation by the [[London General Omnibus Company]] (LGOC) in the 1900s (decade) until the 1960s, London went its own way, designing its own vehicles specially for London use rather than using the bus manufacturers' standard products used elsewhere. The [[Associated Equipment Company]] (AEC) was created as a subsidiary of the LGOC in 1912 to build buses and other equipment for its parent company, and continued in the ownership of LGOC and its successors until 1962. Many of London's local service buses over this period were built by AEC, although other manufacturers also built buses to London designs, or modified their own designs for use in London.<ref name="ltm1901p3" />

The last bus specifically designed for London was the [[AEC Routemaster]], built between 1956 and 1968. Since then, buses built for London's local services have all been variants of models built for general use elsewhere, although [[bus manufacturer]]s would routinely offer a 'London specification' to meet specific London requirements. Some manufacturers even went so far as to build new models with London in mind such as the [[Daimler Fleetline]] and [[Leyland Titan (B15)|Leyland Titan]].

London did see the introduction of several of the newly emerging [[minibus]] and [[midibus]] models in the 1980s and 1990s, in a bid to up the frequency on routes, although the use of these buses dropped off to the level of niche operation on routes not suitable for full size buses.

==== Introduction of low floor buses ====
{{See also|Accessibility of transport in London}}

London was one of the earliest major users of [[low-floor bus]]es, with the first low-floor single decker vehicles entering service in 1993 and the first low-floor double decker vehicles entering service in 1998.<ref name=":1" /> From 2002, the mainstay of the fleet, [[double-decker bus]]es, were augmented with a fleet of [[articulated bus]]es, rising to a peak fleet size of 393 [[Mercedes-Benz Citaro]]s.<ref name="BusesMagazineAugust2008">Buses Magazine, August 2008 issue, page 5, Ian Allan Publishing</ref> These were introduced to help replace the (high-floor) AEC Routemaster, as well as to cope with an increased capacity.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2001-10-08 |title='Innovative' bendy buses |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/1587406.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113015703/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1587406.stm |archive-date=13 November 2022 |access-date=2021-08-07 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> Following withdrawal of older, high floor vehicles, the bus fleet became fully accessible at the end of 2005, 10 years ahead of the national requirement.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Bus and coach accessibility and the Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 2000 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/accessible-buses-and-coaches/bus-and-coach-accessibility-and-the-public-service-vehicle-accessibility-regulations-2000 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204081356/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/accessible-buses-and-coaches/bus-and-coach-accessibility-and-the-public-service-vehicle-accessibility-regulations-2000 |archive-date=4 February 2024 |access-date=2021-08-07 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref>

==== New Routemaster and bendy bus withdrawal ====
[[File:London General bus MAL117 (BP57 UJY) 2008 Mercedes-Benz Citaro, route 453, 10 June 2011.jpg|thumb|[[London General]] [[Mercedes-Benz Citaro]] articulated bus]]<!--section title linked from [[Red Arrow (London Buses)]], the London route 38 article, [[Articulated buses in the United Kingdom]], [[Articulated buses in London]] -->
{{See also|New Routemaster|Articulated buses in London}}
In the [[2008 London mayoral election|2008 London mayoral election campaign]], prospective mayor [[Boris Johnson]] made several commitments to change the London Buses vehicle policy, namely to introduce a new Routemaster, and remove the [[articulated bus|bendy buses]]. Johnson was elected to office on 4 May 2008, and on 4 July 2008 [[Transport for London]] announced the New Bus for London Competition,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/corporate/projectsandschemes/technologyandequipment/anewbusforlondon/default.aspx |title=A New Bus for London &#124; Transport for London |access-date=4 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080804192346/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/corporate/projectsandschemes/technologyandequipment/anewbusforlondon/default.aspx |archive-date=4 August 2008 }}</ref> in which conceptual and detailed design proposals would be sought for a new [[hybrid vehicle|hybrid]] Routemaster, with development of a design that could be put into production hoped for completion by 2012 (the expected date of the next mayoral election).<ref name="BusesMagazineAugust2008"/>

In August 2008, the [[Commissioner of Transport for London]] [[Peter Hendy]] announced that the withdrawal of the bendy buses would take place, starting in 2009. To reduce additional costs to TfL, the articulated buses would be withdrawn as their 5-year operating contracts came up for renewal, with the replacement buses being decided by operators. Options for replacement would not preclude such measures as [[multi-axle bus|tri-axle bus]]es. However, research by [[London TravelWatch]] in 2008 indicated that replacing articulated buses with double decker models would be more expensive, as additional vehicles would be required to maintain overall route capacity (capacity of 85 per bus versus 120).<ref name="ltw255">{{cite web|title=Consultation on Articulated Bus Routes 38, 507 and 521 (sec. 4.8.1)|url=http://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/document/3526/get|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090304043549/http://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/document/3526/get|archive-date=4 March 2009|access-date=30 September 2008|publisher=[[London TravelWatch]]}}</ref><ref name=":2" />

The first buses to be withdrawn would be the [[Red Arrow (London Buses)|Red Arrow]] fleet on routes [[London Buses route 507|507]] and [[London Buses route 521|521]] in May 2009.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20081207032631/http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=20037 The beginning of the end for the bendy bus] Mayor of London 5 December 2008</ref> The last were withdrawn on 9 December 2011.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=2011-12-10 |title=Bendy bus makes final journey for Transport for London |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-16091997 |access-date=2022-10-18}}</ref>
[[File:LHR Go-Ahead London Central LT274 LTZ1274 453 2023-11-16.jpg|thumb|[[New Routemaster]]s gradually replaced all articulated buses in London]]
In May 2010, [[Mayor of London]] Boris Johnson unveiled the design of the [[New Routemaster]], the proposed replacement for the Routemaster as an iconic standard bus for exclusive use in London.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Mulholland |first1=Hélène |title=Boris Johnson unveils redesigned Routemaster bus for London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/dec/16/boris-johnson-routemaster-bus-london |access-date=9 September 2020 |work=The Guardian |date=16 December 2011}}</ref> The buses, designed by [[Thomas Heatherwick|Heatherwick Studio]] and built by [[Wrightbus]]<ref>[http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/news/boris-hails-78m-deal-for-london-bus-with-ballymena-firm-28536317.html £7.8m London bus contract for Ballymena firm]</ref> feature two staircases, three doors and an open platform allowing passengers to hop on and off, and commenced operating in 2012. In December 2011 the British car magazine ''[[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]]'' praised the New Routemaster in a road test, rating it ahead of contemporary and historic buses.<ref>[http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/260508/ New Bus for London driven]</ref>

However, in December 2016 the new Mayor of London [[Sadiq Khan]] decided that no more orders would be placed for the bus after only 1,000 of Johnson's envisaged fleet of 2,000 had been procured.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/dec/31/boris-bus-london-transport-sadiq-khan-end|title = London's 'Boris bus' reaches end of road as Sadiq Khan halts purchases| website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |date = 31 December 2016}}</ref> In 2020 Transport for London announced that the New Routemasters would be converted so passengers only enter by the front door, with the middle and rear doors becoming exit-only. This was done to reduce fare evasion, which had been double that of other London buses.<ref name=guardian-20200110>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jan/10/fare-dodging-forces-closure-of-rear-doors-on-new-routemaster-bus |title=Fare-dodging forces closure of rear doors on New Routemaster bus |last=Topham |first=Gwyn |newspaper=The Guardian |date=10 January 2020 |access-date=11 January 2020}}</ref>

==== Transition to zero emission bus fleet ====
{{See also|Low emission buses in London}}
Since the early 1990s, efforts have been underway to reduce the emissions of the bus fleet. Early work involved replacing older buses like the AEC Routemaster and fitting particulate filters to exhausts.<ref name=":22">{{Cite web |date=14 January 2005 |title=Bright first year for London's Fuel Cell buses |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2005/january/bright-first-year-for-londons-fuel-cell-buses |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221112024246/https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2005/january/bright-first-year-for-londons-fuel-cell-buses |archive-date=12 November 2022 |access-date=2021-08-13 |website=Transport for London |language=en-GB}}</ref> In the 2000s, hybrid and hydrogen fuel cell buses were trialed – and the first hybrid buses entered service in 2006.<ref name="TfL bus fleet audit2" /> It was originally intended that every bus introduced into service after 2012 would be a hybrid,<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news |last=Milmo |first=Dan |date=26 October 2006 |title=London plans hybrid bus fleet to cut carbon emissions |url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2006/oct/26/travelsenvironmentalimpact.ethicalliving |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110221246/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2006/oct/26/travelsenvironmentalimpact.ethicalliving |archive-date=10 November 2023 |access-date=1 October 2020 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> but this requirement was later dropped.<ref name="TfL">{{cite web |title=Hybrid buses |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/2019.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101115123145/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/2019.aspx |archive-date=15 November 2010 |publisher=Transport for London}}</ref> 

Battery electric buses first entered service in 2014, and double decker hydrogen fuel buses were introduced in 2021.<ref name=":52">{{Cite news |date=2021-06-23 |title=England's first double-decker hydrogen buses to launch in London |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-57578043 |access-date=2021-08-14}}</ref> London now has the second largest zero-emission bus fleet in Europe with over 1,400 battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses in service.<ref name="TfL bus fleet audit2" /><ref name=":73">{{Cite web |date=2023-08-28 |title=TfL introduces over 80 new zero-emission buses in Sutton (and add over 1 million km per year to outer London bus services) |url=https://www.sustainable-bus.com/news/sutton-transport-for-london-zero-emission-buses/ |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=Sustainable Bus |language=en-US |quote=London’s zero-emission bus fleet, which is now the largest in Europe}}</ref> In 2021, it was announced that all buses in the fleet meet or exceed [[Euro VI]] emission standards, following the phasing out of older buses, the retrofitting of diesel vehicles and the introduction of new hybrid & electric buses.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=14 January 2021|title=London's buses now meet ULEZ emissions standards across the entire city|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2021/january/london-s-buses-now-meet-ulez-emissions-standards-across-the-entire-city|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-07|website=[[Transport for London]]|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114124237/https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2021/january/london-s-buses-now-meet-ulez-emissions-standards-across-the-entire-city |archive-date=14 January 2021 }}</ref> 

The [[Mayor of London]] is currently aiming for a zero emission bus fleet by 2037.<ref>{{Cite web|date=17 March 2015|title=Cleaner buses|url=https://www.london.gov.uk//what-we-do/environment/pollution-and-air-quality/cleaner-buses|access-date=1 October 2020|website=London City Hall|language=en-GB}}</ref> From 2021, all new buses entering the fleet are either electric or hydrogen zero emission buses.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |date=2021-09-21 |title=All new London buses to be zero emission, Mayor Sadiq Khan announces. Full electrification by 2034 |url=https://www.sustainable-bus.com/news/sadiq-khan-mayor-london-buses-zero-emission/ |access-date=2023-08-30 |website=Sustainable Bus |language=en-US}}</ref> 

==Operation==
===Local buses===
{{main|List of bus routes in London}}
[[File:London Bus Stop flag.svg|thumb|The typical design of a London bus stop flag. Light blue denotes a "night bus".]]
Most local buses within London form a network managed by [[London Buses]], an arm of [[Transport for London]]. Services are operated by [[private sector]] companies under contract to London Buses. With the introduction of the [[London congestion charge]] in central London and because at peak times the [[London Underground|Underground]] is operating at maximum capacity, many bus service improvements have been undertaken, and central bus services are currently enjoying something of a resurgence.<ref name=tfllbhist/>

Although the rear-entrance double-deck [[AEC Routemaster]] is the archetypal London bus, they were withdrawn in the early 2000s owing to their age, their inability to comply with [[Disability Discrimination Act 1995|disability legislation]] or accept [[wheelchairs]] or [[baby transport|pushchairs]], and their requirement for a two-person crew.<ref name="bbceoai">{{cite web |date=20 May 2004 |title=End of the road for an icon |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast/3729115.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106234830/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/breakfast/3729115.stm |archive-date=6 November 2020 |access-date=4 July 2007 |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref>

All other local bus services are now operated by modern low-floor buses, which may be single-deck or double-deck. Most buses operating in London have two sets of doors, and passengers board the bus using the front door and alight using the rear door, whilst some buses on less busy routes have only one door. Since 2006, all buses are low-floor and accessible, accepting passengers in [[wheelchair]]s and other mobility impaired passengers.<ref name=":1" />

[[File:London United RATP.jpg|thumb|A [[London United Busways|London United]] bus bearing the logo of the [[RATP Group]]]]
Following the [[privatisation of London bus services]] in the 1990s, the operating contracts for local buses in London are subject to a system of competitive tender. A wide range of companies now operate bus routes across London. Many services have been contracted out to leading transport groups such as [[Arriva]], [[ComfortDelGro]], [[Go-Ahead Group]], [[RATP Group]], [[Stagecoach Group|Stagecoach]], [[Transport UK Group]] and [[Abellio (transport company)|Abellio]], [[Transit Systems]]. [[Veolia Transport|Connex]], [[FirstGroup]], [[National Express]] and [[Transdev]] previously operated services in London.<ref name=brummer>{{cite book|last=Brummer|first=Alex|title=Britain for Sale: British Companies in Foreign Hands|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-1448136810|chapter=7. the Export of Transport|year=2012}}</ref><ref name="guardian-arriva">{{cite news|title=Arriva takeover bid revives foreign takeover row|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2010/apr/22/foreign-takeovers-row-deutsche-bahn|access-date=17 April 2013|newspaper=The Guardian|date=22 April 2010|author=Macalister, Terry|author2=Milmo,Dan}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! rowspan=2| Company
! rowspan=2 width=280pt|Routes
! colspan=2|Parent company
|-
!Nationality
!Name
|-
| [[Abellio London]] || South & West London, Surrey || {{flagicon|United Kingdom}}|| [[Transport UK Group]]
|-
| [[Arriva London]] || London || {{flagicon|United Kingdom}}{{flagicon|Germany}}|| [[Arriva]] ([[Deutsche Bahn]])
|-
| [[Carousel Buses]] || Buckinghamshire || rowspan="3" | {{flagicon|GB}} || [[Go-Ahead Group]]
|-
| [[First Berkshire & The Thames Valley]] || Berkshire || [[FirstGroup]]
|-
| [[Go-Ahead London]] || London || [[Go-Ahead Group]]
|-
| [[Green Line Coaches]] || Express services to Berkshire & Hertfordshire || {{flagicon|GB}}{{flagicon|Germany}}|| [[Arriva]] ([[Deutsche Bahn]])
|-
| [[London Sovereign]] || North West London || rowspan="2" | {{flagicon|France}} || rowspan="2" | [[RATP Group]]
|-
| [[London United Busways|London United]] || West & Central London 
|-
| [[Metrobus (South East England)|Metrobus]] || South & South East London, parts of Surrey, Kent, West and East Sussex. || {{flagicon|GB}} || Go-Ahead Group
|-
| [[Metroline]] || North & West London || {{flagicon|Singapore}} || [[ComfortDelGro]]
|-
| [[Stagecoach London]] || South & East London || rowspan="3" | {{flagicon|GB}} || [[Stagecoach Group]]
|-
| [[Sullivan Buses]] || Hertfordshire & North London || -
|-
| [[Uno (bus company)|Uno]] || Hertfordshire & North London || [[University of Hertfordshire]]
|}
[[File:TfL London Buses express routes.png|thumb|Map showing the current four [[limited-stop]] bus routes in London]]

==== Limited stop / Express routes ====
A small number of bus routes (namely routes [[London Buses route SL1|SL1]], [[London Buses route SL2|SL2]], [[London Buses route SL5|SL5]], [[London Buses route SL6|SL6]], [[London Buses route SL7|SL7]], [[London Buses route SL8|SL8]], [[London Buses route SL9|SL9]] and [[London Buses route SL10|SL10]], run a daily [[limited-stop]] service, travelling a long distance but serving few stops in its route. These became part of the wider [[London Superloop]] express bus network in 2023.

==== Other bus services ====
Some local bus routes in the outer areas of London cross the London boundary. London Buses services that cross the boundary have standard red buses, and charge London fares for the whole length. Buses from outside London that cross into London are in their operators' own colour schemes, and may not accept the London fares even within the boundary.

Privately run bus services may also be operated independently of the regulated London bus network, but still require a permit from TfL. This permit applies to any service which has a stop in London and another within 15 miles of Greater London, such as commuter coaches, school buses and supermarket shuttle buses.<ref name="lsp">{{cite web |title=London Service Permits |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/businessandpartners/busoperators/1228.aspx |access-date=17 April 2013 |publisher=TfL}}</ref>

===Night buses===
[[Night buses in London|Night buses]] began running as early as 1913, and they form part of the London Buses network. For many years until 1961, the night routes were numbered from around 280 to 299. But the imminent withdrawal of trolleybuses meant that numbers between 1 and 299 were in short supply. The 280+ route numbers were freed by giving night bus routes a prefix N for the first time. For example, while [[London Buses route 9|route 9]] travels from [[Aldwych]] to [[Hammersmith bus station|Hammersmith]], [[London Buses route N9|route N9]] continues a further 16 miles (26&nbsp;km) from Hammersmith to [[Heathrow Terminal 5]].

There are also 24-hour routes, which run throughout the day and night. These do not have distinguishing numbers. Some of these only run at night during weekends, whereas others run throughout the week.

===Heritage routes===
[[File:Routemaster RM1562.jpg|thumb|A [[First London]] [[AEC Routemaster]] on [[London Buses route 9 (Heritage)|heritage route 9]]]]
Following the withdrawal of rear-entrance double-deck [[AEC Routemaster]] from all regular service routes in 2005,<ref name=bbceoai/> a small fleet was retained to operate on heritage routes.<ref name="bbchrrm">{{cite web |date=9 September 2005 |title=Heritage routes for Routemaster |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4229106.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231215195259/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4229106.stm |archive-date=15 December 2023 |access-date=4 July 2007 |publisher=[[BBC]]}}</ref> As the AEC Routemaster buses were not accessible to passengers in [[wheelchair]]s and other mobility impaired passengers, the heritage route was operated as a short-working of a regular service route bearing the same route number, thus ensuring that passengers unable to board the heritage buses are offered equivalent alternative transport arrangements.<ref name="bbchrrm" />

Initially running on [[London Buses route 9 (Heritage)|route 9]] and [[London Buses route 15 (Heritage)|route 15]],<ref name="bbchrrm" /> Route 9H was withdrawn on 26 July 2014.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=2021-04-13 |title=Transport for London retires last heritage service of Routemaster buses |url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/13/transport-for-london-retires-last-heritage-service-of-routemaster-buses |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413123632/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/apr/13/transport-for-london-retires-last-heritage-service-of-routemaster-buses |archive-date=13 April 2021 |access-date=2021-08-07 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref> In 2019, the remaining heritage route 15 was cut back to a seasonal service, running on weekends and bank holidays through the summer. In 2021, TfL announced that the heritage route would not return following the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref name=":3" />

In 2022, a private operator started operating 'Route A', a tourist focused heritage route between [[Piccadilly Circus]] and [[London Waterloo station|London Waterloo]] using AEC Routemaster buses.<ref name=":04">{{Cite web |last=Waywell |first=Chris |date=12 October 2022 |title=There's a new regular London bus route using vintage Routemasters |url=https://www.timeout.com/london/news/theres-a-new-regular-london-bus-route-using-vintage-routemasters-101222 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016175955/https://www.timeout.com/london/news/theres-a-new-regular-london-bus-route-using-vintage-routemasters-101222 |archive-date=16 October 2022 |access-date=2022-10-16 |website=Time Out London |language=en-GB}}</ref> Unlike previous heritage routes, a higher fare is charged.<ref name=":04" />

===Tour buses===
{{See also|Open top buses in the United Kingdom}}
[[File:Big Bus Company 10-5-07.jpg|thumb|A partial open [[Big Bus Tours|Big Bus Company]] top tour bus]]
A common sight in central London are [[tour bus]]es, the majority being [[open-top bus]]es. These are double-decker buses with a fully or partially open upper deck, which provide tourist services with either live or recorded commentary. Most of these services allow passengers to embark and disembark at any of the company's [[bus stop|stops]], continuing their journey on a later bus.

There are several competing operators of such services which do not form part of the London Buses network and do not issue or accept London Buses tickets, although at least one paints its buses in the same red as London's local buses.

Other tours use coaches and generally need to be booked in advance through [[travel agent]]s.

===Long distance coaches===
[[File:National Express route 561.jpg|thumb|right|A typical [[National Express Coaches|National Express]] coach on a route serving London]]
[[Coach transport in the United Kingdom|Long-distance coaches]] link London with the rest of the United Kingdom and with other cities across the European mainland. Many domestic services are run by [[National Express Coaches|National Express]], with international services mainly provided by [[Flixbus]] and [[Eurolines]]. National Express' predominantly white vehicles are common on the roads of central London, on their way to and from their terminus at [[Victoria Coach Station]].

In 2006, competition for long-distance traffic was introduced by [[Megabus (Europe)|Megabus]], a subsidiary of the large UK bus operating company [[Stagecoach Group|Stagecoach]]. This company operates cheap services aimed at [[student]]s and the like, which must be booked in advance on the internet.

Other coach services link London to medium-distance destinations, and unlike National Express or Megabus provide walk-on fares. Good examples of this are the [[Green Line Coaches|Green Line]] services to the Home Counties, mainly operated by [[Arriva UK Bus|Arriva]], the [[Oxford to London coach route|service to the city of Oxford]], where Stagecoach's frequent Oxford Tube service competes with Go-Ahead's similar [[Oxford Bus Company|Oxford Express]] service, and the many commuter services to medium-distance destinations operated by individual coach companies during peak times.

===Airport buses===
{{See also|Airport bus}}
[[National Express Coaches|National Express]] is also the principal airport bus operator, serving [[Heathrow Airport|Heathrow]], [[Gatwick Airport|Gatwick]] and [[Stansted Airport|Stansted]] with its ''National Express Airport'' brand. Unlike their longer distance cousins, these are walk-on services, which serve stops throughout central London rather than running to [[Victoria Coach Station]].

== Bus priority and bus lanes ==
[[File:Bus Lane and bus lane sign (cropped).jpg|thumb|[[Road signs in the United Kingdom#Bus and cycle signs|Sign and road markings]] denoting a bus lane]]
{{As of|2021}}, London has over {{Convert|304|km|mi}} of [[Bus lane|bus lanes]],<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=5 April 2024 |title=Question on bus lane length - FOI request |url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Transport for London |language=en-GB}}</ref> which generally restrict use of a traffic lane to buses, taxis, motorcyclists and cyclists.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Bus lanes |url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/red-routes/rules-of-red-routes/bus-lanes |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Transport for London |language=en-GB}}</ref> Bus lanes are clearly marked with [[Road signs in the United Kingdom#Bus and cycle signs|road markings and signs]], and sometimes with red paving.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bus and cycle signs and road markings |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/know-your-traffic-signs/bus-and-cycle-signs-and-road-markings |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref> Other bus priority measures used in London include over 4000 [[Bus priority signal|traffic lights that give buses priority]], dedicated bus [[queue jump]] lanes and [[Bus lane#Bus gates|bus gates]].<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":11">{{Cite web |last=Bloomfield |first=Michael |last2=Oram |first2=David |date=September 2020 |title=Bus Priority in London – getting more out of what we have |url=https://www.jctconsultancy.co.uk/Symposium/Symposium2020/PapersForDownload/13%20Bus%20Priority%20in%20London%20-%20getting%20more%20out%20of%20what%20we%20have%20Mike%20Bloomfield%20and%20David%20Oram.pdf |publisher=Transport for London}}</ref> Some streets (such as [[Oxford Street]]) are entirely designated as bus lanes, with no access for general traffic. Bus priority is enforced by TfL, usually by [[closed-circuit television]] or cameras mounted to the front of buses.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |date=19 September 2007 |title=Effective enforcement by Transport for London keeps the Capital's roads moving |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2007/september/effective-enforcement-by-transport-for-london-keeps-the-capitals-roads-moving |access-date=10 May 2024 |website=Transport for London}}</ref>

=== Bus lanes ===
The first bus lane in London was introduced on [[Vauxhall Bridge]] on 26 February 1968.<ref>{{citation |last=Matthews |first=Peter |title=London's Bridges |year=2008 |location=Oxford |publisher=Shire |isbn=978-0-7478-0679-0 |oclc=213309491}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2021-12-03 |title=Clearing the way for London’s buses |url=https://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/blog/clearing-the-way-for-londons-buses/ |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=London TravelWatch |language=en-US}}</ref> This bus lane was estimated to have saved "up to 182 hours of passenger time" each day.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=April 1969 |title=New bus-only lane |journal=London Transport Magazine |volume=23 |issue=1 |pages=3 |quote=the success of the Vauxhall Bridge bus lane, which is estimated to have saved up to 182 hours of passenger time each day.}}</ref> In 1972, Oxford Street was designated a bus lane during peak hours, reportedly causing an increase of £250,000 in retail sales.<ref>{{cite journal |date=30 June 1972 |title=Through traffic ban for Oxford Street |url=http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/30th-june-1972/20/through-traffic-ban-for-oxford-street |url-status=live |journal=Commercial Motor |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713222255/http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/30th-june-1972/20/through-traffic-ban-for-oxford-street |archive-date=13 July 2015 |access-date=13 July 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=9 July 1973 |title=Urban Transport Planning Expenditure |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1973/jul/09/urban-transport-planning-expenditure#S5CV0859P0_19730709_HOC_373 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714000811/http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1973/jul/09/urban-transport-planning-expenditure#S5CV0859P0_19730709_HOC_373 |archive-date=14 July 2015 |access-date=13 July 2015 |work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]}}</ref> By 1977, over 130 bus lanes had been installed across London, totalling around {{Convert|40|km|mi}} in length.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Beatson |first=J.E. |last2=Hewing |first2=R.B. |date=May 1977 |title=Informal discussion - bus priorities in London |url=https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/iicep.1977.3239?src=recsys |journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers |volume=62 |issue=2 |pages=335-337}}</ref> Despite this, London Transport considered that bus lanes were "spread thinly" across London, with many bottlenecks remaining.<ref name=":13">{{Cite journal |last=Gardner |first=Kevin |last2=Cobain |first2=Paul |date=November 1997 |title=Bus priorities: a solution to urban congestion? |url=https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/itran.1997.29973?src=recsys |journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers - Transport |volume=123 |issue=4 |pages=205-260}}</ref> From the early 1990s, work to address substantial traffic congestion in London led to the introduction of [[Red route|red routes]] (which prohibit vehicles stopping, loading or unloading along them), as well as a larger rollout of bus lanes.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=2021-12-03 |title=Clearing the way for London’s buses |url=https://www.londontravelwatch.org.uk/blog/clearing-the-way-for-londons-buses/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=London TravelWatch |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Turner |first=D |date=3 August 1997 |title=Red routes in London - not just red lines |url=https://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/abs/10.1680/itran.1997.29647 |journal=Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers |volume=123 |issue=3 |pages=151-162}}</ref> By 1997, over 377 bus lanes were in place across London.<ref name=":13" /> Research showed that bus routes with bus lanes along them had journey time improvements of around 14 per cent, as well as ridership improvements around 15 per cent.<ref name=":13" /> Enforcement of bus lanes with cameras began in 1997.<ref name=":12" />

In 2020, TfL announced that they would convert all bus lanes in London to 24/7 operation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2020-07-22 |title=24/7 bus lanes for London’s busiest roads to support a sustainable recovery from the pandemic |url=https://www.urban-transport-magazine.com/en/24-7-bus-lanes-for-londons-busiest-roads-to-support-a-sustainable-recovery-from-the-pandemic/ |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Urban Transport Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> This was made permanent in December 2021, with TfL stating that bus journey times had reduced and service reliability had improved.<ref>{{Cite web |date=22 December 2021 |title=24-hour bus lanes trial set to become permanent as bus journey times improve |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2021/december/24-hour-bus-lanes-trial-set-to-become-permanent-as-bus-journey-times-improve |access-date=10 May 2024 |website=Transport for London}}</ref> TfL aims to add {{Convert|25|km|mi}} more bus lanes by 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Toms |first=Adam |date=2023-03-27 |title=Massive stretches of roads across London to get new bus lanes and 20mph zones |url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/north-london-news/london-buses-850m-new-bus-26568620 |access-date=2024-05-10 |website=My London |language=en |quote=TfL aims to build 25 kilometers of new bus lanes in the capital by March 2025.}}</ref>

=== Traffic light priority ===
Following a successful large-scale trial in 1987, London Transport began introducing [[selective vehicle detection]] to provide traffic light bus priority in the 1990s.<ref name="tflpriofarity">{{Cite journal |last=Housnell |first=N. B. |last2=Shrestha |first2=B. P. |last3=Head |first3=J. R. |last4=Palmer |first4=S. |last5=Bowen |first5=T. |title=The way ahead for London's bus priority at traffic signals |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/TfL-bus-signals-priority.pdf |url-status=dead |format=PDF |journal=[[IET Intelligent Transport Systems]] |publisher=[[Institution of Engineering and Technology]] |publication-date=2008 |volume=2 |issue=3 |doi=10.1049/iet-its:20070060 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091117000338/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/TfL-bus-signals-priority.pdf |archive-date=17 November 2009 |access-date=28 April 2010}} {{Open access}}</ref> This delivered journey time savings, as well as increased service reliability and reduced costs, as a smaller number of vehicles were required to deliver the same frequency.<ref name=":14">{{Cite web |date=January 2006 |title=Bus priority at traffic signals keeps London's buses moving Selective Vehicle Detection (SVD) |url=https://content.tfl.gov.uk/svd-brochure.pdf |access-date=10 May 2024 |website=Transport for London}}</ref> For example, it was estimated that [[London Buses route 15|route 15]] could have a journey time 4 minutes shorter, due to the number of selective vehicle detection points passed.<ref name=":14" /> 

Selective vehicle detection was replaced by the [[IBus (London)|iBus]] system in the late 2000s, which uses the [[Global Positioning System]] instead of physical roadside equipment.<ref name="tflpriofarity2">{{Cite journal |last=Housnell |first=N. B. |last2=Shrestha |first2=B. P. |last3=Head |first3=J. R. |last4=Palmer |first4=S. |last5=Bowen |first5=T. |title=The way ahead for London's bus priority at traffic signals |url=http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/TfL-bus-signals-priority.pdf |url-status=dead |format=PDF |journal=[[IET Intelligent Transport Systems]] |publisher=[[Institution of Engineering and Technology]] |publication-date=2008 |volume=2 |issue=3 |doi=10.1049/iet-its:20070060 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091117000338/http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/TfL-bus-signals-priority.pdf |archive-date=17 November 2009 |access-date=28 April 2010}} {{Open access}}</ref> iBus which tracks all London's buses, allowing passengers to be provided with audio-visual announcements and improved information on bus arrivals, as well as triggering bus priority at traffic lights. All buses in London were fitted with the iBus system by 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=23 April 2009 |title=All London's buses now fitted with iBus |url=https://www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2009/april/all-londons-buses-now-fitted-with-ibus |access-date=10 May 2024 |website=Transport for London}}</ref> The system can shorten red traffic lights or extend green lights as necessary to give buses priority, with some traffic lights only giving priority when buses are delayed.<ref name=":11" /> A new iBus system will be introduced from the mid 2020s.<ref name=":05">{{Cite web |date=4 March 2024 |title=New generation of iBus set to enhance bus travel in London |url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2024/march/new-generation-of-ibus-set-to-enhance-bus-travel-in-london |access-date=10 May 2024 |website=Transport for London}}</ref>

== Bus and coach stations ==
{{Main article|List of bus and coach stations in London}}
There are around 50 bus and coach stations across London, located at transport interchanges, town centres and other major destinations such as shopping centres and hospitals.<ref name="tflcorpbus" /> The busiest coach station in London is [[Victoria Coach Station]], which serves around 14 million passengers a year.<ref>{{Cite web|date=23 August 2019|title=Victoria Coach Station to remain major coach hub|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2019/august/victoria-coach-station-to-remain-major-coach-hub|url-status=live|access-date=2021-08-07|website=Transport for London|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191020123919/https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2019/august/victoria-coach-station-to-remain-major-coach-hub |archive-date=20 October 2019 }}</ref> [[Kingston bus stations#Cromwell Road bus station|Cromwell Road bus station]] in [[Kingston upon Thames]] is the largest London Buses bus station, with 17 bus stands.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-06-24|title=Which Is London's Biggest Bus Station?|url=https://londonist.com/2016/06/which-is-london-s-biggest-bus-station|access-date=2021-08-07|website=Londonist|language=en}}</ref>

==Major accidents and incidents==
[[File:Air Raid Damage in Britain during the Second World War HU36188.jpg|thumb|The damaged bus LT 669 in the bomb crater in [[Balham]] High Road, October 1940]]
* October 1940: LT 669, operating on [[London Buses route 88|route 88]], was abandoned by its passengers and crew on [[Balham]] High Road seconds before a bomb fell, creating a huge crater into which the bus rolled. It was hauled out of the crater two weeks later.<ref>Marshall, pp. 84-85.</ref>
* 13 June 1957: [[Leyland Titan (front-engined double-decker)|RTL]] 780, operating on [[London Buses route 7|route 7]] collided with a queue of people at a bus stop in [[Oxford Street]], resulting in eight deaths. The driver had collapsed with heat exhaustion.<ref>Marshall, p. 124.</ref>
* 18 February 1996: An explosive device [[Aldwych bus bomb|detonated prematurely]] on a [[London Buses route 171|route 171]] [[Catford]] to [[Holborn]] double-decker bus, operated by [[London Central]], in [[Aldwych]]. The bomb killed [[Edward O'Brien (Irish republican)|Edward O'Brien]], the [[Provisional Irish Republican Army|IRA]] terrorist transporting the device, and injuring eight others including the driver. The force ripped the bus apart, destroying its front.<ref name=bbcawbb>{{cite web | title = 1996: Bomb blast destroys London bus | publisher = [[BBC News]] | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/18/newsid_4165000/4165719.stm | access-date = 3 July 2007 | date=18 February 1996}}</ref>
* 7 July 2005: An explosion occurred as part of a [[7 July 2005 London bombings|coordinated attack on London]] on a [[London Buses route 30|route 30]] [[Hackney Wick]] to [[Marble Arch]] double-decker bus, operated by [[Stagecoach London]], in [[Tavistock Square]]. The force ripped the roof off the top deck and destroyed the back of the bus, killing thirteen passengers and the suicide bomber.<ref name=bbctsbb>{{cite web | title = London Attacks - Tavistock Square | publisher = [[BBC News]] | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/uk/05/london_blasts/html/tavistock.stm | access-date = 3 July 2007}}</ref>
* 21 July 2005: A suicide bomber attempted to explode a bomb as part of a [[21 July 2005 London bombings|second coordinated attack on London]] on a [[London Buses route 26|route 26]] [[London Waterloo railway station|Waterloo station]] to [[Hackney Wick]] double-decker bus, operated by Stagecoach London, in [[Haggerston]]. The device failed to detonate properly and there were no injuries.<ref name=bbcshbb>{{cite web | title = 'Bus bomb bid' CCTV shown to jury | publisher = [[BBC News]] | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6309783.stm | access-date = 3 July 2007 | date=29 January 2007}}</ref>
* 20 December 2013: 30 people were injured, and two critically, after a double-decker on route 59 crashed into a tree while swerving to avoid hitting a car in [[Kennington]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.channel4.com/news/london-bus-crash-two-critical-and-at-least-30-injured | title=London bus crash: Two critical and at least 30 injured | date=20 December 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://news.sky.com/story/london-bus-crash-leaves-32-passengers-injured-10423897 | title=London Bus Crash Leaves 32 Passengers Injured }}</ref>
* 4 June 2014: 10 people on a night [[London Buses route N38|route N38]] bus in [[Clapton, London|Clapton]] were injured after the bus was smashed into by a passenger car racing at speeds of around 100 mph. The driver of the car lost his life and his front-seat passenger was critically injured.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/east-london-bus-crash-one-dead-and-13-others-injured-in-clapton-smash-with-car-9481901.html | title=London bus crash: 100mph 'street racer' dead, one man critically | date=5 June 2014 }}</ref>
* 18 July 2015: The roof of a double-decker on [[London Buses route 197|route 197]] in [[South Norwood]] was ripped off under a bridge, with seven people injured.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jul/19/london-bus-crash-injures-seven-norwood | title=London bus crash: Seven injured after roof ripped off double-decker | website=[[The Guardian]] | date=19 July 2015 }}</ref>
* 15 May 2016: 17 people including four children were wounded when a double-decker bus operating on route 18 crashed into a shop in the town centre of [[Harlesden]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/at-least-17-people-injured-after-doubledecker-bus-smashes-into-london-shopfront-a7031111.html | title=At least 17 people injured after a double decker bus smashed into London shopfront | website=[[Independent.co.uk]] | date=16 May 2016 }}</ref>
* 31 October 2019: A major road accident involving the [[London Buses route R11|route R11]], [[London Buses route 358|route 358]] and a car in [[Orpington]], with one of the bus drivers losing his life and 15 others wounded.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/oprington-crash-horrific-bus-collision-that-killed-one-and-injured-15-shook-ground-say-witnesses-a4276171.html | title='Horrific' bus crash that left one dead and 15 injured 'shook ground' | date=November 2019 }}</ref>
* 25 January 2022: 19 people were injured after a double-decker bus operating on [[List of bus routes in London|route 212]] crashed into a shop in [[Highams Park]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=25 January 2022|title=Highams Park bus crash: Nineteen injured after double-decker smashes into shop|work=[[Evening Standard]]|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/highams-park-bus-crash-london-ambulance-treating-number-of-people-b978600.html|access-date=8 February 2022}}</ref>
* 18 May 2024: A single-decker [[Alexander Dennis Enviro200]] bus on [[London Buses route 490|route 490]] burnt down to a shell in the [[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]. Everybody was evacuated with no fatalities.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Huge fire destroys bus on road in Twickenham |url=https://news.sky.com/story/five-fire-engines-tackle-bus-blaze-on-richmond-road-in-twickenham-13138525 |website=[[Sky News]]|date=2024-05-18 |access-date=2024-05-19}}</ref>

== Media ==

[[File:Chance Glass - Sights of London - Kenneth Townsend - ashtray.jpg|thumb|1970s glass ashtray by [[Chance Brothers]] of [[Smethwick]], in the 'Sights of London' series, featuring a design by Kenneth Townsend]]

A revamped London bus has been used to promote the work of British artist [[Peter Blake (artist)|Sir Peter Blake]]. An [[anthropomorphic]] Routemaster named ''Topper Deckington III'' is a fictional character in the [[Pixar]] movie ''[[Cars 2]]''.
In ''[[America: The Motion Picture]]'' the London buses appears as Walkers from ''[[Star Wars]]''

==Facts and figures==
''Note that these figures only take Transport for London services into consideration, and exclude school and other bus services.''

* {{As of|2024|March}}, the [[London Buses]] fleet total of 8,776 buses includes 3,826 [[hybrid bus]]es, 1,397 [[Battery electric bus|battery electric buses]], and 20 [[Fuel cell bus|hydrogen fuel cell buses]].<ref name="TfL bus fleet audit2" />
* [[London Buses route 18|Route 18]], running between [[Sudbury, London|Sudbury]] and [[Euston bus station]] is the busiest bus route. The service carried over 16.6 million passengers in 2018/19. The next busiest routes (over 10&nbsp;million) are: [[London Buses route 25|25]], [[London Buses route 29|29]], [[London Buses route 140|140]], [[London Buses route 149|149]], [[London Buses route 243|243]], [[London Buses route 207|207]], [[London Buses route 86|86]], [[London Buses route 36|36]], [[London Buses route 38|38]], [[London Buses route 5|5]], [[London Buses route 279|279]], [[London Buses route 53|53]], [[London Buses route 109|109]], [[London Buses route 141|141]] and [[London Buses route 43|43]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=6 March 2020|title=Buses performance data - Bus service usage: passengers and kilometres operated by route|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/bus-service-usage-19-20.xlsx|access-date=2021-08-07|website=Transport for London|language=en-GB}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
* [[London Buses route U9|Route U9]] has the highest mean observed speed of daytime routes, at 18.8&nbsp;mph. The slowest was [[London Buses route 15 (Heritage)|15H]] at 3.8&nbsp;mph.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://content.tfl.gov.uk/route-all-bus-speeds.xls |title=Archived copy |access-date=28 July 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819105918/http://content.tfl.gov.uk/route-all-bus-speeds.xls |archive-date=19 August 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[London Buses route SL7|Route SL7]], running from [[West Croydon bus station|Croydon]] to [[Heathrow Central bus station|Heathrow Airport]], is the longest daytime route at {{Convert|24|mi|km}}. The next longest are routes [[London Buses route 166|166]], [[London Buses route 358|358]] and [[London Buses route 465|465]] (all {{Convert|17|mi|km}}), [[London Buses route 111|111]] and [[London Buses route 246|246]] ({{Convert|16|mi|km}}) and [[London Buses route 492|492]] ({{Convert|15|mi|km}}).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/218189/response/539748/attach/3/09%2015062014%20sched%20mileage%20by%20route%20direction%20final.xls|title=Bus route mileage - a Freedom of Information request to Transport for London|date=28 June 2014}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
*Marshall, Prince ''Wheels of London; The story of London's street transport''. [[The Sunday Times Magazine]], 1972. {{ISBN|0-7230-0068-9}}.

==External links==
{{Bus transport in the United Kingdom}}
{{Transport in London}}
{{London Bus Routes}}

[[Category:Bus transport in London| ]]