London Buses.

[markcf83]

Two routes had their latest tenders announced today. London United have held the 411:but have lost the 465 to Abellio. In the case of the latter I guess it'll provide work for the Enviros due to be replaced by electric buses from the R70. 

The 411 starts its next contract in September 24,the 465 in June 24. 

[markcf83]

Firstly a very Happy New Year to all of you. 

Onto the important business of London Bus Tender news and two routes had their futures secured today.

Route 211 will return to Abellio in late June and will retain it's current buses, creating yet more room at Stamford Brook who lose routes 9 and N9 next week. 

They've been successful in holding the E3 and will be using hybrid buses, presumably newer ones than the current Enviros. This latest tender is a three year one and also begins in June.

[winston]

Abellio seem to be having a good winning streak again with new TfL tenders. 

[markcf83]

Abellio seem to be having a good winning streak again with new TfL tenders.

...or as they are calling themselves now Transport UK......

[markcf83]

Stagecoach London have retained the W12/13/14, all with new electric buses on order. The latest contracts start in early September and all will get singlke deckers or in the case of the schoolbus duty on the W13 a double decker.  

[markcf83]

Some garage news. 

Arriva London is to reopen Stamford Hill at the end of next month for the 254. It will also be home to the 76 when it returns to Arriva in March. 

[markcf83]

Routes 17,28 and 395 had new contracts confirmed yesterday. Metroline hold the 17 at Holloway and in theory will be using New Bus for London although electric buses have been used on the route in recent times. Metroline have taken the 28 from London United and, unusual for London, will be operating diesel buses as opposed to the electric buses currently on it today. Finally London United have retained the 395 in Harrow using existing buses. 

The 28 changes hands in May,the contracts for the 17 and 395 begin in July and September respectively. 

[markcf83]

More news from London.

Firstly Go Ahead London have retained the 5,15 and 115 plus the N15 too. The 115 will retain it's current Hybrids,one of which was destroyed in a fire recently, while the other three are to keep their New Routemasters. All the contracts are to start on August 24th.

Incidentally details of the SL5 have become available. Arriva London will run it from Croydon using the Enviro midis previously on the 289, for which Enviros made available elsewhere are becoming available. It will operate between Croydon and Bromley though not via the old Green Line 726 routing. It starts this weekend with first departures from either end at around 5am daily. 

[Mayfield]

Good to read on Route One jail and £60000 fine for a cyclist who made a fraudulent claim against Metroline

[Wumpty]

Good to read on Route One jail and £60000 fine for a cyclist who made a fraudulent claim against Metroline

https://www.route-one.net/news/jail-and-60000-costs-for-fraudulent-claimant-against-metroline

Far too many people try to defraud bus and coach companies with these ridiculous claims. Not only does it increase operating costs for the companies, it increases fare costs and puts drivers and staff through terribly stressful and unnecessary investigations, sometimes of a disciplinary nature.

Bus driving is hard enough without being subjected to a process that you should never have been taken through.

I hope this sends a clear message to others - I'd have gone even further and crushed his motorbike too!

[Celestial Toymaker]

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=364722839827359&set=a.101588979474081

[markcf83]

Some more tender news from London. Routes 90,222,323 and H13 have been given new contracts today. All have been retained by their current operators, which with the exception of the 323-run by Stagecoach London-are operated by Metroline.

Route 90 will get new electric buses in time,the 222 keeps its current Volvo hybrids,the 323-which already has electric buses-will keep them while the H13 keeps its current midibuses.

Contracts start at varying dates with the 90 beginning at the end of August and the 323 not starting until early January next year.

[markcf83]

Forgot to mention that routes SL2 and SL3 start over the next few weeks. The latter brings NB4L buses to the outer reaches of South East London running between Thamesmead and Bromley and Stagecoach London is to run it from Bromley from next weekend. The following week the SL2 starts and is to run from North Woolwich to Walthamstow-via Barking and Ilford-and is to be run by Arriva London using some of the HA buses recently made available when Brixton lost the 133 and 333. Incidentally the 69 used to run to North Woolwich until about the start of the century. That starts the following week and bustimes.org has timetables for the SL3 on its website now. 

[markcf83]

More news on the tender front has been released. This actually emerged on Friday afternoon and large is good news for most of the operators concerned. 

Firstly the E1 has been regained by Metroline who will return it to Greenford after a decade away. London United have lost the route and it will be run with existing buses in the Metroline fleet as yet to be determined. This starts at the end of May on the same day as the E6 moves out to Abellio. 

Arriva London is breathing a huge sigh of relief as six routes were held. Hybrids are due to be allocated to the 66,103 and 370 on the start of their next contracts and with all three routes at Grays it largely secures the future of the Essex garage. They've also held the 34 and SL1 at Palmers Green and both are to get new electric buses. Enfield has held the 192 with their existing buses.

Stagecoach London has held the 257 at Leyton and it will get new electric buses too.

Finally New Cross in South London has held onto three busy routes. The 36 and 343 will keep their existing hybrid buses however they held the 172 on the basis of it getting new electric buses. 

As for the dates of starting these,the 257 is in October,the Arriva London routes are to begin on varying dates between late August and early November while the three routes at NX are to start next year. 

[markcf83]

Go Ahead London have retained the following routes,all of which are to get new electric buses. They will,in all likelihood,replace the majority of the Enviro midibuses delivered from 2010 onwards to Orpington.

The routes concerned are these;

R1
R2
R3
R4
R8
R11

All the new contracts are to begin in late March of next year.