Platinum bus wraps begin Transport for London’s celebrations to commemorate Her Majesty The Queen’s Jubilee

Eight buses with special commemorative wraps will be in service across the capital from today as Transport for London's celebrations to mark Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee get underway. 

The platinum buses will be in operation on selected routes passing by some of the iconic central London locations associated with the Royal family including Kensington Palace and Westminster Abbey, and Royal Parks such as Hyde Park and Green Park. Bus operators Arriva, RATP, Abellio, Go-Ahead, Metroline and Stagecoach have funded the special wraps. 

Customers using the Jubilee line, Elizabeth line or stations that have a Royal link in their name will see and hear special celebratory messages during the four day Platinum Jubilee weekend which takes place from Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June. Station announcements and platform digital display boards will help Londoners and visitors get into the party spirit from Queen's Road Overground station in Walthamstow, to Queensbury Underground and Royal Victoria DLR - and beyond.  
 
Throughout the Jubilee weekend, all of the TfL's public transport will be running with no planned closures, Night Tube services will be running on the Central, Jubilee & Victoria lines on Friday 3 June & Saturday 4 June and a special service will be in operation on the Elizabeth line on Sunday 5 June. 

TfL services and central London roads may be busier than usual, particularly on the Saturday night and Sunday daytime at key interchanges, but customers will be able to get to where they need to go. Some short-term safety measures such as queuing, temporary station or road closures, or changes to the way customers enter or exit a station may be necessary. 

Large-scale events during the weekend will involve road closures in central London, which are expected to cause travel disruption, delays and bus route changes. People should avoid driving in Central London and use routes that avoid the area if they are not attending the events. 
 
Many popular central London locations, including the Royal Parks, are accessible by foot. TfL's West End Walking Map covers the Westminster area where Jubilee events will be taking place. Cycling is also a fantastic option for those not attending events. However some roads will be closed, including the Cycleway 3 stretch on Constitution Hill which is closed until after the Jubilee. Those cycling may have to walk at some locations with their bike if it's busy.

Hiring a Santander Cycle costs £2 for unlimited journeys up to 30 minutes, within a 24 hour period. Any registered member who hires a Santander Cycle using the Santander app or online at tfl.gov.uk/santandercycles between Friday 27 May and Sunday 5 June will receive an email providing a 20 per cent discount on annual membership. Simply download our Santander Cycles app or go to any docking station terminal with your bank card and touch the screen to get started. There's no need to book - hire a Santander Cycle, ride it, then return it to any docking station.

It is recommended that customers plan ahead, allow more time for their journeys and use TfL's real-time information to see how services are operating. A dedicated page offering travel advice for the Jubilee weekend is available at https://tfl.gov.uk/platinum-jubilee

For the latest information on how services are operating, use the TfL Go app or visit www.tfl.gov.uk.    

Andy Lord, TfL's Chief Operating Officer, said: "We are delighted to commemorate Her Majesty The Queen's incredible achievement of becoming the first British monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. I hope that Londoners and visitors alike will enjoy looking out for our celebratory bus wraps and station activities while making the most of what the capital has to offer during the bank holiday weekend.  

"I am pleased that all of TfL's public transport will be running with no planned closures and the Elizabeth line will be running a special service on the Sunday of the Jubilee weekend - but I encourage customers to check before you travel."

Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport, said: "London is looking forward to hosting the historic celebrations of the Platinum Jubilee in June, and it will be exciting to see the celebratory TfL buses on our streets. 

"The large scale events will mean road closures in central London, so I'd advise people to plan ahead before they travel. I encourage Londoners and those visiting to mark the celebrations to make the most of the public transport options, as there are no planned closures and there will be additional service on Sunday 5 June on the brand new Elizabeth line."

Her Majesty The Queen has a long history of unveiling TfL milestones including opening the Victoria line in March 1969 when she became the first reigning monarch to use the Underground. The Queen unveiled the Piccadilly line extension to Heathrow in 1977 and the Docklands Light Railway in 1987, and marked London Underground's 150thanniversary with her late husband the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Cambridge at Baker Street in 2013.

The Tube has a particularly longstanding history with the Royal Family. The Queen's Silver Jubilee was commemorated by the Jubilee line, and the Victoria line was named after the Queen's great-great grandmother.  

The Elizabeth line is the newest railway to be named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II. Set to launch on May 24, it will serve as a tribute to Her Majesty for many generations to come.

Major events in the capital celebrating the Queen's Platinum Jubilee include the Queen's Birthday Parade on Thursday 2 June where officials will troop the colour, the private Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral on Friday 3 June, the BBC Platinum Party at the Palace concert on Saturday 4 June and the Platinum Jubilee Pageant on Sunday 5 June.

Street Parties will be taking place across London and some residential roads will be temporarily closed. Local authorities will have details of the roads affected in local areas. 

Notes to editors
•    The commemorative Platinum Jubilee bus wraps will be in operation on selected buses on routes 6, 52, 98, 29, 319, 148, 65, 281,371, 205, 106, 212, 230, 357 and 270.
•    A special service will operate on the Elizabeth line on Sunday 5 June for the Platinum Jubilee weekend. Services will run from approximately 08:00 - 22:00.
•    Night Tube services will be running on the Central, Jubilee & Victoria lines on Friday 3 June & Saturday 4 June. The Jubilee line Night Tube service will resume on Saturday 21 May. Despite ongoing RMT strike action across Night Tube services over new rosters, which have been agreed by the other recognised union and were introduced for Tube drivers in August, TfL is running a normal service on the Victoria line each weekend and a regular service on the Central line, with at least two trains an hour.  It is anticipated that the Jubilee line will return with a regular service.