Transport for LondonNew bus for London
The new bus for London
It's the first bus in more than 50 years to be designed specifically for the Capital's streets.
Using the bus
The buses will operate on route 38 between Victoria and Hackney.
The bus has three sets of doors, each with Oyster card readers, making it easier to get on and off. Inside, there are two staircases, one near the front and one at the back, for easy access to and from the upper deck.
The bus will run with a conductor for most of the day. Conductors will not collect fares but will supervise the rear platform when they are on board, ensuring passenger safety when hopping on or off and providing travel advice.
When conductors are not present, the rear doors will be operated by the driver.
How to pay
Oyster card holders can use any of the doors to board.
Passengers paying with cash, in Central London, must use the roadside ticket machine at the stop to buy a ticket before boarding. Outside of Central London, passengers must board through the front door and buy a ticket from the driver. Passengers with a pre-paid ticket or Travelcard must use the front door and show these to the driver.
Watch your step
When getting on or off using the open rear platform, please only do so when the bus is stationary and watch out for moving traffic.
About the bus
Design and innovation
The design makes use of lightweight materials, with glass highlighting key features and producing a light and airy feel inside the bus. The interior and external styling of the bus was developed with help from our design partner, Heatherwick Studio.
Accessibility
The bus has a step-free gangway on the lower deck from the front to the back, allowing ease of access for people with mobility impairments and passengers with buggies. There will be a large wheelchair bay directly opposite the ramped centre door. Passengers will be alerted to the next stop by audio and visual announcements. There's also a T-Loop system which transmits announcements for passengers with hearing aids.
Better for the environment
The bus uses the latest green diesel-electric hybrid technology. In test condidtions the new bus produces less than half the harmful emissions of conventional diesel buses and is twice as fuel efficient.
How does it work?
A battery pack powers the electric motor which drives the wheels on the bus. The battery is charged by a generator and through regenerative braking (where the system recycles the energy lost during the braking motion). Stop-start technology means the engine only runs when it needs to charge the battery.
Watch as the new bus for London is built
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