1. Can you list the upcoming New Routemaster routes converting to front door only boarding? 2. Can you provide the dates of the NRM front door conversion? 3. Can you provide the date of the full completion for the NRM front door only boarding conversion? 4. What is the cost of the NRM front door only boarding project? 5. Will the change affect the open boarding for the electric single deck routes 507 and 521? 6. Do TfL plan to increase the bus fleet with 3 door (and 2 staircase) buses to enable faster boarding on more bus routes? 7. What are the future plans for the New Routemaster project? 8. Why is the New Routemaster a diesel hybrid instead of a zero emission hydrogen or electric bus? 9. What is the purpose of the New Routemaster project including the total costs? 10. Do TfL plan to replace all the New Routemasters with double deck electric buses to meet the target of making London carbon neutral by 2030? 11. When do TfL plan to start a new project to succeed the New Routemaster bus?

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TfL Ref: 3638-1920

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 22 February 2020 asking for information about New Routemaster buses.

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.  Your questions and our replies are as follows:

1.Can you list the upcoming New Routemaster routes converting to front door only boarding?

We expect the next upcoming routes to be 3, 16, 24, 27, 68, 91, 148, 159, 168, 189, 390 in March.

After that we expect routes 9, 11, 12, 59, 87, 137, 176, 211 to convert in April.

Later in spring, we hope the 67, 73, 76, and 253 will follow suit.

2. Can you provide the dates of the NRM front door conversion?

See above.

3. Can you provide the date of the full completion for the NRM front door only boarding conversion?

Not yet, as the dates haven’t been confirmed. Our aim is to roll out this change as quickly as possible so that all NRMs are operating the same way.

4. What is the cost of the NRM front door only boarding project?

There is a budget of around £900k to convert all NRMs to front-door boarding. This includes all related driver training, communications and engineering costs. We expect reduced fare evasion to more than offset this cost within a year or two.

5. Will the change affect the open boarding for the electric single deck routes 507 and 521?

The changes above are limited to New Routemasters. Routes 507 and 521 which are single decks and do not have high fare evasion rates will remain two-door boarding to clear some of London’s busiest stops

6. Do TfL plan to increase the bus fleet with 3 door (and 2 staircase) buses to enable faster boarding on more bus routes?

No.

7. What are the future plans for the New Routemaster project?

There are no plans for further New Routemaster vehicles, and the contract for the 1,000 buses has been completed.

8. Why is the New Routemaster a diesel hybrid instead of a zero emission hydrogen or electric bus?

Hybrid buses like New Routemasters came onto the market many years before pure electric vehicles in the bus sector and offered a proven and affordable way to reduce emissions such as CO2. While hydrogen fuel-cell technology was successfully trialled in the London fleet much earlier, the hydrogen industry was a long way from full commercialisation. One of the reasons for trialling such technologies in London and other European cities was to demonstrate an emerging market and encourage producers to move towards larger scale production. As they continue to be produced in small numbers, the capital costs of vehicles remain much higher than conventional low-emission diesel buses.

9. What is the purpose of the New Routemaster project including the total costs?

We are changing to front-door boarding to reduce the likelihood of customers coming on board without paying and reduce customer complaints about this issue. This will help reduce fare evasion which is currently more than double the rate on New Routemasters than elsewhere and is taking away revenue we need to invest in improving transport for everyone. Our last estimates for fare evasion on NRMs indicated around £3.6 million is lost each year. There will also be accessibility benefits as wheelchair users, who have always been able to use the middle doors of NRMs, will find that by only allowing those who need the accessibility ramp to board via the middle doors, and do so by opening these before the front doors before other customers board here, gives them greater priority.  

10. Do TfL plan to replace all the New Routemasters with double deck electric buses to meet the target of making London carbon neutral by 2030?

Our Business Plan objective is to make the bus fleet zero-tailpipe emission not later than 2037. As climate change is becoming a more pressing concern, we are looking at what would be required to electrify the bus network sooner.

11. When do TfL plan to start a new project to succeed the New Routemaster bus?

There is no plan for a successor vehicle at this time but some manufacturers have taken some of the rounded design features from the vehicle and used them on their own makes and models.

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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