Transport for LondonHistory
The bus network was complemented by tram and trolleybus systems
At the time, they served much of what is now Greater London, as well as areas in many of the adjacent counties.
Within Greater London, the bus network was complemented by tram and trolleybus systems. The trams were finally withdrawn in 1952 and the trolleybuses a decade later, in 1962, with buses replacing both services.
From 1970 to 1984, London Transport (LT) came under the direct control of the Greater London Council. The area for which LT was legally responsible was also reduced to the present 1,580 sq km (610 sq miles), although a few services into outlying areas were retained to maintain well-established links.
Subsidiary companies
Under the London Regional Transport Act 1984, LT was again brought under central government control. The Act required LT to set up subsidiary companies to run both buses and the Underground.
It also stipulated that, where appropriate, competitive tendering should be introduced to ensure LT operated economically and required less financial assistance from public funds.
In 1985, bus services outside London were deregulated. This meant that any licensed operator could apply to run a new route even if another company already ran a service along the same roads.
Although London was exempted, it was intended that once bus services in the Capital had become less dependent on government assistance and steps had been taken to encourage greater competition between operators, deregulation should be extended to include it.
In 1985, LT set up a subsidiary known as London Buses Limited (LBL) to run its bus services. However, route planning and fare structures remained the responsibility of LT.
Competitive tendering
In the same year, LT set up the Tendered Bus Division to begin the process of competitive tendering. This required LBL to compete against operators in the private sector for the opportunity to run individual bus routes on behalf of LT.
The routes were awarded to the operator which could run the best service at the most cost-effective price, and several of the initial routes went to private companies rather than to LBL. It also led to another change as buses began appearing on London's streets in livery that was not traditional LT red.
Between 1970 and 1984, control of London Transport passed to the Greater London Council
As a step towards the planned deregulation of services, LBL therefore created 13 locally based subsidiary companies, each with its own commercial remit.
These companies conducted their own wages negotiations, took appropriate steps to reduce their overheads and competed against each other, as well as private sector companies, for the contracts to run LT bus routes. The subsidiaries became increasingly successful in competing for routes.
In December 1992, the government announced that the LBL companies would be sold into the private sector ahead of deregulation. However, a year later, it decided to postpone deregulation until after the General Election in May 1997.
The Labour government elected that year was committed to reintroducing a strategic governing authority for London. In July 2000, London Transport was replaced by a new organisation called Transport for London (TfL), part of the Greater London Authority headed by London Mayor Ken Livingstone.
As part of TfL, London Buses is today responsible for one of the largest urban bus networks in the world. In addition to planning routes and monitoring service quality, it is responsible for bus stops, stations and other support services. The bus services themselves are operated under contract to London Buses, largely by private sector companies.
