Electric bus weight exceeding the weight limit for road
Request ID: FOI-2505-2122 Date published: 17 February 2022
You asked
In February last year the 184 bus route became fully electric. However the U/W of the single decker bus is 12.491 tons ( ie excluding battery and passengers) whereas the weight limit for Alexandra Park Road N22 is 7.5 tons. For this reason the double decker bus is restricted to twice a day. I want to request the impact assessment for introduction of the electric bus as cannot believe the bus exceeds the legal limit. Above all the impact on the underlying infrastructure must be taken into account before gas mains pipes/ utilities are damaged. The issue has national implications given the increasing emphasis on the switch to electric notwithstanding the well known disadvantage of excess weight. My MP Catherine West requested this months ago. I will not be fobbed off any longer.
We answered
TfL Ref: FOI-2505-2122
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 1st February 2022 asking for information about the 184 bus route.
Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy.
Specifically you asked:
“In February last year the 184 bus route became fully electric. However the U/W of the single decker bus is 12.491 tons ( ie excluding battery and passengers) whereas the weight limit for Alexandra Park Road N22 is 7.5 tons. For this reason the double decker bus is restricted to twice a day. I want to request the impact assessment for introduction of the electric bus as cannot believe the bus exceeds the legal limit. Above all the impact on the underlying infrastructure must be taken into account before gas mains pipes/ utilities are damaged. The issue has national implications given the increasing emphasis on the switch to electric notwithstanding the well known disadvantage of excess weight.”
I am afraid that TfL does not hold the requested information. TfL has not undertaken an impact assessment for the introduction of electric buses on Alexandra Park Road and therefore no such document is held by TfL. Note that the weight limit on the road relates to Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) only - this does not include buses. For more information on the weight restriction and how it is applied you may wish to contact Haringey Council, which was responsible for its introduction. FOI requests to the council can be made via its website here:
