TfL Ref: 0072-1718
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 10 April 2017 asking for information about bus route 240 and upcoming diversion and route changes for bus routes 251,113,186, 292 and 605.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require.
Recently, the name of the bus stops in both directions along route 240 formerly known as 'Medical Research Institute' have changed to 'Burtonhole Lane'. I am writing to ask for copies of any email correspondence/minutes of meetings/details relating to the change of the bus stop name at this location.
Please feel free to omit any personal details from emails etc.
The bus stops have been renamed as the medical institute has closed down and relocated from this site. The closest intersecting side road to the bus stops is Burtonhole Lane and the renaming was carried out in accordance with the agreed TfL Bus Naming Policy. We do not hold any correspondence or minutes of meetings regarding this change as we do not consult on changes of bus stop name. Bus stop name changes are requested electronically within our asset management system.
Our staff carry out a survey of all 19000 bus stops annually to review all aspects of the site including the information displayed at each stop. In a lot of cases we become aware of a change to usage of a local building from local intelligence (eg closure of a public building etc). We only notify the affected frontages if an existing bus stop is proposed to be re-sited. TfL would consult more widely on changes to a bus route and the installation of new stops or removal of existing stops that are no longer required.
Upcoming service changes to routes 240,251,113,186,292 and 605.
Please see our website for confirmed upcoming service changes to the bus network. This is updated every few weeks:
https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/buses
As this will only contain finalised changes, some routes may not have any entries, however this would be the most accessible document for confirmed changes to these routes.
In accordance with section 21 of the FOI Act, TfL is not obliged to supply you with a copy of the requested information as it is already accessible to you elsewhere.
Lastly, I understand that based on a contractual agreement, the route 240 was due to utilise Euro 5 buses. Why did this not happen (the route still uses older Euro 4 buses), and when the contract is due to be extended/re-tendered, will newer/more environmentally friendly buses be introduced, adhering to the mayor's plan to improve air quality? Will Metroline be penalised for not adhering to the contractual agreement? How does/will TfL enforce the contractual agreements made between itself and Metroline for route 240?
The current contract for the operation of the route 240 was awarded in April 2012 using our competitive tendering process. The contract was awarded to Metroline using Euro IV standard vehicles, and therefore the vehicles currently used on this route are the correct type. The current contract for this route expires in April 2019, as the service provider opted to apply for a two year contract extension, which we agreed following a review of the performance standards.
We carry out checks to ensure that the appropriate vehicle is used as per the contract, and should the wrong bus be used we will take steps to resolve this. However if the regular scheduled bus is unavailable, for example due to a fault, the operator may use a back-up vehicle to run the service. Most of the “engineering spares” will be of similar size and have similar specifications, and would not be expected to be seen in regular service.
TfL have an ongoing commitment to tackling emissions levels across the 9000 vehicle strong bus fleet, and our competitive tendering process is one way in which we promote the use of newer vehicles. We also specifically limit the age of vehicles that are permitted to operate on our network, and both we and our bus operators have invested heavily into emissions reducing technologies, such as zero emission buses on routes like the RV1, as well as investing in newer, cleaner burning vehicles.
Last year we finished our fleet-wide retro-fit program, that ran from 2014 to 2016, which saw buses either replaced or upgraded to Euro 4/5 standard. This was alongside our widespread introduction of hybrid vehicle technologies to further reduce emissions across the network.
We are proud to say that the London bus network is one of the cleanest transport systems in Europe, and the vehicles used in London comply with all current UK and EU legislation on vehicle emissions. I can assure you that TfL will continue to explore all options when looking to further reduce bus fleet emissions, both at the manufacturing level and at the operational level to help promote a green network. As contracts are up for renewal we will continue to examine ways to further reduce the emissions of the bus fleet, including specifying greener engine types.
If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for some reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.
Yours sincerely
Sara Thomas
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
