London Buses Discussion

[Mikey C]

Last week (I've been away) I was very surprised to see Metroline VWH2092 with a MASSIVE advert on the side, blocking the 2 windows next to the wheelchair area. I'm really surprised that this is allowed.

 

[Mattplans]

Last week (I've been away) I was very surprised to see Metroline VWH2092 with a MASSIVE advert on the side, blocking the 2 windows next to the wheelchair area. I'm really surprised that this is allowed.

View attachment 209583

What do you find objectionable about it?

 

[MotCO]

If I was a passenger, I would not lle to sit beside a blank wall and not be able to see out. If they are beside the disabled spaces, then wheelchair users would nit have any option but to sit there. Not very welcoming.

 

[Mikey C]

If I was a passenger, I would not lle to sit beside a blank wall and not be able to see out. If they are beside the disabled spaces, then wheelchair users would nit have any option but to sit there. Not very welcoming.

Exactly. That is the wheelchair/buggy area.

 

[MCR247]

Using space where there isn’t any windows is one thing, but fully blocking pre-existing windows is certainly a choice.

 

[capitalpotter]

Using space where there isn’t any windows is one thing, but fully blocking pre-existing windows is certainly a choice.

The advert that covers the windows are actually seethrough

 

[duncombec]

It's not really clear from an outside picture, but could the window-covering part of the poster be contravision?

 

[MotCO]

It's not really clear from an outside picture, but could the window-covering part of the poster be contravision?

Even contravision is not to clever for passengers, particularly at night.

 

[MCR247]

The advert that covers the windows are actually seethrough

Ah, well in that case I actually think this is potentially quite clever. I’m generally not a fan of contravision, however if it is going to be there why not make it look better

 

[PGAT]

Last week (I've been away) I was very surprised to see Metroline VWH2092 with a MASSIVE advert on the side, blocking the 2 windows next to the wheelchair area. I'm really surprised that this is allowed.

View attachment 209583

I have just seen the same thing on the 35 (fleet Ee192)

 

[Thirteen]

Saw a old style diesel 270 bus today which is odd considering the route is now all electric, guessing bus shortage at the Beddington Garage?

 

[ukiki323]

Saw a old style diesel 270 bus today which is odd considering the route is now all electric, guessing bus shortage at the Beddington Garage?

Maybe heat issues with the electric buses it uses. Since a number of buses from the 270's old smart hybrid allocation were kept as spares they have strayed occasionally since the route converted .

 

[bb21]

TfL have now published the annual bus fleet audit (as at 31 March 2026)

Lots of tables, some showing summary numbers for last few years

fleet grew 185 buses in a year
929 buses added in 2025 (highest since 2017), all were electric

As data is in tables, not practical to quote it

https://content.tfl.gov.uk/31-march-2026-bus-fleet-audit.pdf

For anyone interested in lots more info on each of the 8982 buses there is a hefty spreadsheet on this link

Bus fleet data & audits

An audit of the LBSL contracted fleet is carried out once a year. The data provides the fleet size, respective percentage of the fleet and average age by operator

tfl.gov.uk

I know this table was correct to end of March, but are there any 09 reg buses still in TfL services? There are still a bunch of 59 ones congregated around Croydon (Metrobus single-door WVLs on SL7, WVNs on 403, and Arriva DWs on 194) so presumbaly they are the last surviving lot from that year.

 

[Kay_M]

I know this table was correct to end of March, but are there any 09 reg buses still in TfL services? There are still a bunch of 59 ones congregated around Croydon (Metrobus single-door WVLs on SL7, WVNs on 403, and Arriva DWs on 194) so presumbaly they are the last surviving lot from that year.

No more 09-reg buses on London services. I think the last one operated either later last year or early this year. Arriva's DW263 and DW266 are the oldest buses in london service being registered January 2010

 

[Snow1964]

No more 09-reg buses on London services. I think the last one operated either later last year or early this year. Arriva's DW263 and DW266 are the oldest buses in london service being registered January 2010

GoAhead also has a few 59-reg :
WVL336, 341, 343 and WVN 20, 22 still operating

 

[Thirteen]

The 485 has gone back to using diesel for some buses as its buses are being used for the 378.

 

[Mark L]

The 485 has gone back to using diesel for some buses as its buses are being used for the 378.

The 378 and 485 interwork so the combined allocation is currently about 50:50 diesel and battery-electric. More GB Kite Electroliners are due soon.

 

[LUYMun]

The SL12 route between Gants Hill and Rainham, Ferry Lane will be launching on 5th September with fares being free in the first week of service, TfL announces.

 

[Thirteen]

I was in Wimbledon today and saw a 93 going to Morden that was a StreetDeck Electroliner which is unusual because the route is normally served by the Enviro400, I wonder if it was borrowed from Merton Garage?

 

[Mark L]

I was in Wimbledon today and saw a 93 going to Morden that was a StreetDeck Electroliner which is unusual because the route is normally served by the Enviro400, I wonder if it was borrowed from Merton Garage?

Sutton has DELs for the 151.

 

[DesDobramento]

Can an observation be confirmed that there have been allocation changes at Metrobus with 450 moving to Sydenham (London Central) from Croydon and part or all of London General’s 157 filling the gaps left at Croydon by 450 and 119 - the latter still seemingly absent from BUSTIMES.ORG?

 

[capitalpotter]

Can an observation be confirmed that there have been allocation changes at Metrobus with 450 moving to Sydenham (London Central) from Croydon and part or all of London General’s 157 filling the gaps left at Croydon by 450 and 119 - the latter still seemingly absent from BUSTIMES.ORG?

The 450 has definitely moved to Sydenham but if you check bustimes then route 119 is in limbo. It's neither on Metrobus or Transport UKs list of routes

 

[MotCO]

The 450 has definitely moved to Sydenham but if you check bustimes then route 119 is in limbo. It's neither on Metrobus or Transport UKs list of routes

And also in due course, the loss of the 359 from Metrobus - Croydon.

http://www.londonbusroutes.net/garages.htm#c shows the 157 now operating out of Croydon, along with
127 264 359 403 434 439 463 S4 SL7, Night routes: 264 and School/mobility routes: 633

Edit:for some reason the link is not completely working. When you use it, select the second option to get a web page.

 

[Thirteen]

Sutton has DELs for the 151.

Odd that the 93 needed to be covered by the StreetDeck, I assume it won't be a regular occurence

 

[PGAT]

Sutton has DELs for the 151.

Indeed but DEL31 is a loan from Merton

 

[Snow1964]

Falcon (based in Byfleet) has taken over its first London tendered route today, first new Operator in London for few years. It is now operating the 2 bus route 467 (Hook to Epsom)

Initially seems to be using ex Stagecoach E400s LX12DDF and LX12DGF, but has new ADL E400ev on order.

Falcon has also taken over the Kingston University inter-site buses from 1st September (also has new E400 electric buses on order), a 1 or 2 bus service during holidays, but at least 5 buses term time (from mid Sept)

 

[londonbridge]

Journey times on SL7 seem to be longer since the switch to electric busses. Just seems to trundle along at a much slower speed. On a Saturday morning I could pick up the 7:30 bus at Carshalton High Street and be at Hatton Cross by 825-8:30 for an H26 to Bedfont Lakes parkrun. Today, with similar amounts of traffic, it’s now 8:10 and we’re just at Kingston station, beforehand the bus would be at Teddington by now, where I’m gonna have to jump off and head back to Bushy as I obviously won’t make Bedfont for 9:00.

 

[MotCO]

Journey times on SL7 seem to be longer since the switch to electric busses. Just seems to trundle along at a much slower speed. On a Saturday morning I could pick up the 7:30 bus at Carshalton High Street and be at Hatton Cross by 825-8:30 for an H26 to Bedfont Lakes parkrun. Today, with similar amounts of traffic, it’s now 8:10 and we’re just at Kingston station, beforehand the bus would be at Teddington by now, where I’m gonna have to jump off and head back to Bushy as I obviously won’t make Bedfont for 9:00.

Are the times quoted for the pre-electric buses the timetabled or actual times? I often see SL7s bunching, so clearly are not running to time; maybe the electric buses, with their better acceleration, can keep to time better, which means sticking to the timetable.

 

[Snow1964]

Are the times quoted for the pre-electric buses the timetabled or actual times? I often see SL7s bunching, so clearly are not running to time; maybe the electric buses, with their better acceleration, can keep to time better, which means sticking to the timetable.

I think it is TfLs obsession with 20mph even on the A roads that SL7 route uses. And the new buses have Intelligent speed limiters, so have to potter along at the new lower speed limits.

They have changed the timetabled running times to reflect that parts of its route have been dropped from 40mph (or 30mph) to 20mph which greatly extends journey time on limited stop service.

 

[3rd rail land]

I think it is TfLs obsession with 20mph even on the A roads that SL7 route uses. And the new buses have Intelligent speed limiters, so have to potter along at the new lower speed limits.

They have changed the timetabled running times to reflect that parts of its route have been dropped from 40mph (or 30mph) to 20mph which greatly extends journey time on limited stop service.

Why not have a bus go at the speed limit if it is capable and safe to do so? If slower speeds are enforced surely more buses are needed to operate the route and this increasing the cost to TFL?

In fact is it safe to have a bus doing 20mph while other vehicles are doing up to 40mph?