Freedom of Information request - Express bus routes
Request ID: FOI-2881-2122 Date published: 07 April 2022
You asked
Dear Transport for London,
I am requesting the information of a assesment of the express routes that were considered in Outer London as part of the Mayor if London's election pledge in 2008. This was trial phase.
Please provide the assessment report of the express bus route proposals that were considered before implementing as a trial phase.
We answered
Our ref: FOI-2881-2122/GH
Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 17 March 2022 asking for information about Express bus routes.
Your request has been considered under the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our information access policy. I can confirm that we do hold some of the information you require.
The 2008 Mayor’s Transport Strategy (MTS) did not include reference to express buses, and no ‘trial’ of ‘express’ bus services has been carried out by TfL.
To this end, in December 2019 we introduced a new limited stop ‘express’ service X140 in west London. Details of the assessment of this service may be found here: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/changes-to-suburban-bus-services-to-support-the-elizabeth-line.pdf . A post-implementation review of the scheme will be carried after the western section of the Elizabeth line is connected to the new core central section, as this is expected to affect demand on route X140 and was included in the original assessment.
TfL has recently published its Bus Action Plan - https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-action-plan.pdf. This picks up on the MTS with more information about TfL’s current thinking on new types of service including express buses, with a specific action related to express bus routes (see page 67, and action 11).
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.
If you are not satisfied with this response please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal.
Yours sincerely
Graham Hurt FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
