questions about the SRM and Enviro400H City
Request ID: FOI-2615-1718
Date published: 23 January 2018
You asked
This is a follow up to my previous request (TfL Ref: 2272-1718) which is revised to questions about the SRM and Enviro400H City bus.
1. Since there are six SRM’s which are used by London Sovereign, are they purchased by TfL or London Sovereign?
2. Will the SRM fleet be increased by bus operating companies purchasing these vehicles upon new route contracts?
3. Can the SRM be purchased by bus companies outside of London?
4. How much does an individual SRM bus cost?
5. Does the SRM’s have ‘No Entry’ sticker signs on the middle doors so the passengers can’t mistake the SRM to be an open boarding bus like the New Routemaster?
6. Was TfL involved with the SRM project and how much did the project cost?
7. Will the SRM and Enviro400H City be a requirement for bus operating companies to purchase as part of the Mayor’s plan to require bus companies to purchase hybrids and zero emission buses only?
8. How much does an individual Enviro400H City bus cost?
9. Are the Enviro400H City buses purchased directly by the bus operating companies?
10. What bus routes are they currently served with the Enviro400H City buses?
11. Was TfL involved with the Enviro400H City bus project and how much did the project cost?
12. Will TfL require private bus operators to have interior livery based from the Enviro400H City bus upon new contracts?
13. When is the Volvo B5LHC with the SRM bodywork going to be trialled in London service and what route is it proposed to be on?
14. Does TfL have plans to increase the fleet of SRM’s and Enviro400H City buses?
15. According to (previous Mayor) Boris Johnson from his Mayor’s question time in late 2015 (reference: Question 2015/4173). He said: “I expect to see the DNA of the NRM adopted on many of the new double deck buses introduced, as older vehicles are renewed and contracts re-let, through the normal tendering programme. TfL is therefore well positioned to meet my aspiration by 2020.”
Does TfL plan to purchase buses with DNA design from the NRM’s upon new contracts?
We answered
TfL Ref: 2615-1718 – follow up request from TfL Ref: 2272-1718
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 12 December 2017asking for information about the SRM and Enviro 400H City bus. I sincerely apologise for the delay in replying.
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.
We have interpreted SRM as being ‘son of routemaster’. In other words, the spin-off vehicles being produced by Wrightbus and Alexander Dennis. These vehicles are bought or leased by bus operators, not TfL, and we do not determine that these models should be used for routes. It is their choice and therefore if the operators choose to buy or lease them, this will increase this type of bus in the fleet. We don't hold details such as vehicle costs as our private operators buy or lease, and we weren't involved in a project to develop them.
Your questions and our responses are as follows:
1.Since there are six SRM’s which are used by London Sovereign, are they purchased by TfL or London Sovereign?
These vehicles are bought or leased by bus operators, not TfL, and we do not designate name and model.
2.Will the SRM fleet be increased by bus operating companies purchasing these vehicles upon new route contracts?
These vehicles are bought or leased by bus operators, not TfL, and as such this will be the bus operator’s decision to make.
3.Can the SRM be purchased by bus companies outside of London?
Yes, the manufacturer can produce these for other suppliers.
4.How much does an individual SRM bus cost?
We do not have costs as the bus operators buy or lease them.
5.Does the SRM’s have ‘No Entry’ sticker signs on the middle doors so the passengers can’t mistake the SRM to be an open boarding bus like the New Routemaster?
The vehicle’s doors can be used for boarding and alighting. If you can provide details of ``no entry’’ stickers such as a smart phone picture, we will follow up with the operator involved.
6.Was TfL involved with the SRM project and how much did the project cost?
TfL was not involved in the project to develop the SRMs.
7.Will the SRM and Enviro400H City be a requirement for bus operating companies to purchase as part of the Mayor’s plan to require bus companies to purchase hybrids and zero emission buses only?
No, they are free to purchase or lease vehicles from the open market providing they meet capacity requirements for routes.
8.How much does an individual Enviro400H City bus cost?
We do not hold this data and prices vary with size of orders so unit cost is difficult to determine. It would be best to get this information directly from the manufacturer Alexander Dennis at https://www.alexander-dennis.com/
9.Are the Enviro400H City buses purchased directly by the bus operating companies?
Yes, or leased.
10.What bus routes are they currently served with the Enviro400H City buses?
We publish these details with our fleet data at https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/bus-fleet-data-and-audits and if you copy the data into a spreadsheet you can filter by route to find the vehicle types allocated.
Please note that in accordance with s21 of the Freedom of Information Act we are not obliged to supply the requested information if it is already available elsewhere.
11.Was TfL involved with the Enviro400H City bus project and how much did the project cost?
No, TfL was not involved.
12.Will TfL require private bus operators to have interior livery based from the Enviro400H City bus upon new contracts?
No, the interior livery is a choice of manufacturers subject to UK requirements such as colour schemes that comply with guidance on colour palettes, such as assisting passengers with visual disabilities.
13.When is the Volvo B5LHC with the SRM bodywork going to be trialled in London service and what route is it proposed to be on?
We are not aware of this and do not hold data on this matter. We do sometimes conduct technology trials and in rare instances this can involve some changes to body work but this is the exception not the rule and the manufacturer would normally determine the most suitable changes.
14.Does TfL have plans to increase the fleet of SRM’s and Enviro400H City buses?
See answers above. We do not select vehicle makes and models for operators following completion of the NRM order. It is an operator choice.
15.According to (previous Mayor) Boris Johnson from his Mayor’s question time in late 2015 (reference: Question 2015/4173). He said: “I expect to see the DNA of the NRM adopted on many of the new double deck buses introduced, as older vehicles are renewed and contracts re-let, through the normal tendering programme. TfL is therefore well positioned to meet my aspiration by 2020.”Does TfL plan to purchase buses with DNA design from the NRM’s upon new contracts?
See above. It is not a contracted requirement.
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
Sara Thomas
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London
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