Transport for London (TfL) has enhanced bus services to deliver an extra one million bus kilometres in outer London every year.
TfL is also delivering a further boost to its already leading zero emission bus fleet, with more than 80 zero emission buses introduced in the south London borough of Sutton to improve air quality.
On Wednesday, August 23rd, speaking from the Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton, Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, announced that over 80 new zero emission electric buses had been introduced to the streets of Sutton during the summer.
This significant addition brought the total number of such buses in operation in the area to nearly 100. The new buses have been incorporated into the borough on routes 93, 154, 164, 213, and 80, joining the existing zero emission buses on Route 413.
This substantial enhancement to Sutton’s bus fleet results in over half of the bus journeys taken in Sutton being on zero emission buses.
More zero emission buses are expected to join the borough’s fleet in the upcoming spring.
Additionally, Sutton will experience improved bus services, which will facilitate new or enhanced connections across the borough and between town centers and hospitals, adding more than 400,000 bus kilometers to the local network.
This deployment of new buses follows the milestone achievement of having more than 1,000 zero emission buses in operation throughout the capital.
This brings the total to over 1,100 zero emission buses and sets Transport for London (TfL) on a trajectory towards a fully zero emission bus fleet by 2034.
This target could potentially be reached by 2030 with continued government investment, enabling TfL to save an estimated 4.8 million tonnes of carbon by 2034 or approximately 5.5 million tonnes by 2030 with government funding.
From January to August of this year, enhancements across various bus routes have contributed to the addition of one million kilometers of service per year to the outer London bus network.
This expansion includes the Superloop, a network of limited-stop express bus routes encircling the entire capital, linking transportation nodes, town centers, and medical facilities.
To address London’s pressing air quality concerns, all new buses added to TfL’s contracted fleet since 2021 have been zero emission.
This initiative aids TfL in becoming an environmentally-conscious pillar of the city while helping to remove harmful emissions from the air.
All other TfL buses are low emission and comply with or surpass the Euro VI emission standards, equivalent to the Ultra Low Emission Zone standards.
The newly introduced zero emission buses in Sutton will feature various improvements, including larger areas for wheelchairs and strollers, panoramic roofing on the upper deck, USB phone charging ports, and new LED display screens.
Additionally, extensions to existing routes and a new service, S2, are planned for early next year in Sutton. These improvements are part of the larger effort to increase bus services in Sutton by 400,000 kilometers per annum.
Louise Cheeseman, Director of Buses at TfL, expressed their satisfaction in introducing these new zero emission buses to the Sutton fleet.
She highlighted the role of buses in quickly and affordably shifting trips from cars to public transport, ultimately improving air quality in the area.
Deputy Mayor for Transport, Seb Dance, emphasized that London’s growing zero-emission bus fleet contributes significantly to addressing air pollution and climate change, aligning with the city’s commitment to creating a better, greener future.
Path of TfL
Since 2016, the number of fully zero emission bus routes has increased from 5 to 54, with a further 15 routes using a mixture of zero emission and low emission buses.
The number of zero emissions buses on London’s roads has seen an increase of over 3,000 per cent since 2016, moving from 30 to 1,000 buses.
TfL’s zero emission bus fleet is the largest in western Europe and has the lowest CO2 emissions per passenger kilometres compared to other global cities such as New York, Paris and Vancouver.
