Route is the eighteenth to be converted to New Routemasters

Bus route 159 will become the latest in the Capital to be served entirely by New Routemaster buses.

The 24-hour route will convert to operate with New Routemasters on Saturday 12 December as Abellio takes over as the new operator of the route. Route 159 runs between Marble Arch and Streatham, via Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross), Westminster, Westminster Bridge, Kennington Church, Brixton and Streatham Hill.

During peak hours, 35 of these state-of-the-art buses will be in passenger service to carry the 27,000 people who travel on the route each week day.

Route 159 will operate with the rear platform closed when the bus is moving, with large numbers of passengers able to quickly board and alight using all three sets of doors and two staircases at bus stops.

To date, 17 bus routes in London have been converted to operate with New Routemasters. The conversion of route 159 will be another step towards the delivery of 800 New Routemasters on London's streets by 2016, reducing CO2 emissions in the Capital by around 27,500 tonnes a year.

The introduction of New Routemaster buses is part of a comprehensive programme to reduce emissions from London's bus fleet which includes 1,700 hybrids on the street by 2016, accelerating the introduction of ultra low emission Euro VI buses and retrofitting 2,000 older buses to reduce their NOx emissions by up to 88 per cent per bus.

Notes to Editors:
  • Abellio London operates bus services in central, south and west London. It operates 44 route from five depots and all services are operated under contract to London buses
  • New Routemaster buses are manufactured by the family-owned Wrightbus company in Northern Ireland. The original order, for 600 vehicles, resulted in the opening of a new chassis plant in Antrim and the safeguarding of 220 jobs, including 18 apprenticeships and the creation of 50 new jobs
  • The TfL Board approved the purchase of a further 200 New Routemaster buses on 5 November 2014. These buses improve the journey experience of passengers, enhance air quality, reduce vehicle noise and cut emissions with associated health benefits