TfL Ref: 0822-1920

Thank you for your email received by us on 20 and 24 June 2019 asking for information about non-TfL buses using bus lanes.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked:

whether normal buses (not TfL red, etc authorised buses ) can use the "london bus lanes".

I thought that the indicated bus lanes can only be used by the TfL authorised bus companies providing a regular transport service to the public and not by Touristic, School Buses or Sightseeing seeing buses.

On a daily basis I come across many normal buses using the buses lanes and bulling us motorists very often so I was wondering

I can advise that any vehicle with more than nine seats (or at least ten seats including the driver) is classified as a bus and may use many of the bus lanes on the Transport for London Road Network during permitted hours. London tour buses are also included.

The exception is where the word ‘local’ appears within the bus symbol featured on a road sign. In this case only local buses are permitted, which mainly covers London ‘red buses’. In the capital this also includes certain other passenger services where a London Service Permit has been issued accordingly.

Further information about bus lane usage and hours of operations can be found on our website at: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/red-routes/rules-of-red-routes/bus-lanes

If not, how many tickets has TfL issued to them in 2019 and 2018?

As we do not record the vehicle type when issuing a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN), we do not hold information on how many PCNs have been issued to bus companies.

How does TfL monitor compliance with the restrictions?

Please see the following link to our website for further information about our enforcement process via: https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/red-routes/penalty-charge-notices/enforcement-process

In accordance with section 21 of the FOI Act, we are not obliged to supply you with a copy of the requested information as it is already accessible to you elsewhere.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any 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

Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
Information Governance
Transport For London