New Routemasters withdrawn and cascaded to other bus routes
Request ID: FOI-1520-2122 Date published: 08 November 2021
You asked
Dear Transport for London Freedom of Information team
I have questions about the current situation with the New Routemasters (NRM).
1. Can you confirm NRMs have recently been withdrawn from routes 91 and 148 and replaced with conventional hybrids (for 91) and Enviro400EV City (for 148)? Can you provide a reason why they have been withdrawn?
2. Can you list the routes where the NRMs got withdrawn in the last 6 months?
3. Was it TFL or bus operators decision to remove the NRMs from these routes listed above?
4. Can you list the routes which have been recently converted to existing NRMs in the last 6 months?
5. When did all the NRMs convert to front door only boarding? What information have been provided to ensure passengers board the front door to touch in?
6. What is the current and future plans for the NRMs?
7. What is the total cost of the NRM project including design, development and manufacturing of 1,000 vehicles?
8. When is TfL going to fully withdraw the NRMs and replace them with new battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses?
We answered
TfL Ref: 1520-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 18 October 2021 asking for information about the New Routemaster buses (NRMs). 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 the information you require.
Your questions and our replies are as follows:
Can you confirm NRMs have recently been withdrawn from routes 91 and 148 and replaced with conventional hybrids (for 91) and Enviro400EV City (for 148)? Can you provide a reason why they have been withdrawn?
NRM vehicles are not being withdrawn from Route 148. For operational reasons, we have temporarily introduced some other vehicles onto route 148 alongside the NRMs. Route 148 will return to full NRM operation in due course. NRM vehicles are being phased out from Routes 91/N91 in favour of use on routes 17 and 332 instead. The change has enabled improved utilisation of the Metroline NRM fleet (with cost savings to TfL) compared to if no action had been taken.
Can you list the routes where the NRMs got withdrawn in the last 6 months?
NRM vehicles are currently being phased out from routes 91/N91. However routes 17, 332 and 349 have all gained allocations of the vehicles; and the allocation on route 176 has been added to.
Was it TFL or bus operators decision to remove the NRMs from these routes listed above?
The transfer of the NRM fleet from routes 91/N91 to routes 332 and 17 was a mutual decision made by the operator and TfL
Can you list the routes which have been recently converted to existing NRMs in the last 6 months?
See 2 above.
When did all the NRMs convert to front door only boarding? What information has been provided to ensure passengers board the front door to touch in?
All NRM routes were converted to front-door boarding by 5 September 2020. The phased introduction to front-door boarding following a trial on Route 8 in 2019 commenced from January 2020. Unfortunately, the impacts of Covid-19 interrupted part of the planned programme roll out from March until June 2020 when it was recommenced. As each route converted, we used the iBus system to make announcements before and immediately after the change The information provided included stickers advising of the need to board at the front doors and similarly no-entry stickers on the outside of the middle and rear doors. The middle door also had a notice saying wheelchair entry would still be via this entry point. Where we held contact details for passengers using specific NRM routes, we sent them direct text communications about the change too.
What is the current and future plans for the NRMs?
Our current plans are to make the London bus fleet zero emission no later than 2034 subject to Government support. As the NRM fleet was built from 2012 to 2017, most if not all would be due for natural replacement by the end of 2031. We anticipate the buses continuing in service in the meantime and will be refurbishing them as is normal with mid-life buses in London. Due to reduced patronage and fares income during the pandemic and several lockdowns, TfL is currently being partly funded by the Department for Transport (DfT).
What is the total cost of the NRM project including design, development and manufacturing of 1,000 vehicles?
The cost of the design, development and block orders of NRMs is estimated to be just over £350 million.
When is TfL going to fully withdraw the NRMs and replace them with new battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses?
See answer to question 6.
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Yours sincerely
Sara Thomas FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
