L1/Group Tube Strike Notice 29-30/04/14

Due to the tube strike, extra buses will be put on certain routes. Bus types and single/double decker status may not be kept. Strike extra buses with no London ticket machine will be free. Some non-London buses will be used. All extras are controlled from Heathrow North Garage:

L1/Heathrow Buses:

Route 16 will have 10 extra buses on the route - some will be loaned from Thames Travel, Oxford Bus Company and Go-Ahead Group. Passengers are recommended to take the 758 when possible.

Route 83 will have at least 7 extra buses on the route. Some buses will be loaned from Metroline

Route 237 will have 10 single decker E25Hs on the route, of which 9 are loaned from Go-Ahead London.

Route 278 will have at least 10 extra buses, which will be loaned from various places. Convertible training buses will be used on the route. 

Route 335 will be using all stored buses from HN as the Citaros will be used on Route X91. London OmniBus peak hour journeys will run throughout the day. This means at least 10 extra buses will be used on the route.

Route 392 will have at least 20 extra buses. All spare NBfLs will be used, and some E45Hs in various states of refurbishment will be taken from HN. Routemasters will be used on the route. Some buses will be loaned from Reading Buses and some buses from London OmniBus will be used. The extra buses will do short runs Brentford-Brixton (Reading Buses will do Turnham Green-Victoria).

Route 456 will have 10 extra buses to supplement, including Routemasters. Some more extra buses will include Sky SoloSRs and E45H displaced from 311.
Route 607 will have 6 extra buses, 4 from Beeline, 2 loaned from various sources.

Route 666 will run every 15mins throughout the day, and all except the actual school journeys will omit The Ride (Gunnersbury School), running between Kew Riverside and Southall North (all journeys).

Routes U1 and U3 will have extra double deckers (U1 shorts between Uxbridge and Ruislip).

Route X91 will have approximately 15 extra buses. Most will be from Non-London operations and Route 335 - Citaros, E25H, Optare TempoSR, E40D. Some coaches may operate the route from RailAir and some hired coaches will run the route. 

7series 74, 75 - No peak extra buses will run due to the buses being used at London routes.

Other bus routes will have at least three extra buses to help ease crowding and conditions, these will usually be from within the company.

Green Line 701/702 will serve Heathrow North Garage and Terminal 6 between Langley and Hammersmith. Travel is free between Heathrow North and Victoria due to tube strike, service will run every 20 minutes (between Slough and Victoria, normal service Bracknell-Slough). For fairness of customers, all tickets valid to Langley/Slough will be valid to Victoria during the tube strike.

Extra buses will be from the Beeline, 7series, 5series, Surrey Locals and Hemel Hempstead, and hired coaches will be used.

Green Line 748/758 will be free between Brent Cross and Victoria, all tickets to Brent Cross are valid to Victoria. Extra coaches will be provided when possible.

L1/Romford Buses:

Routes 5, 15 and 115 - at least 10 extra buses for each route loaned from Ensignbus, First Essex and Arriva will be used on the route.

Routes 25 and 205 - at least 44 extra vehicles (some buses, some coaches) will be used (22 each), from various sources, including Alexander Dennis, loaned buses from London United, Reading Buses, First Essex, Ensignbus, Blue Triangle, London Bus Company, Stagecoach amongst others. These will run between Stratford and Centrepoint TCR (25)/Baker Street (205).

Route 69 will have at least 7 extra buses, loaned from various sources.

Route 278: see Heathrow Buses.

Route 438 will have at least 10 extra buses loaned from Stagecoach.

Most of these services are not organised by TfL, but rather by the L1/Group instead.

NOTICE TO ALL DRIVERS:

Those who have called up their own garages and have been told that there they are not on a specific route, or are willing to work during their days off for extra pay (which is being offered during the Tube Strike), call Heathrow North to register for duties on the extra buses. Most drivers will either get a route they have been trained for, or will have an instructor to help out.

Berkshire, Surrey and Hemel drivers who are willing to help out in London are most welcome to, just call up Heathrow North for allocations.

L1/Heathrow Buses - Beeline, 7series & Surrey Local Changes 18/04/14

L1/Heathrow Buses have restructured their services, with minor timetable changes on the 7series, but major changes to some of the Surrey Locals routes:

7series

Feasibility studies have been done on all routes, and a restructuring of frequencies has occurred on the 7series routes:

7series 70: Mon-FRI every 20 mins, Saturday reduced to every 30mins, Sunday stays hourly

7series 70A: No change
7series 71: Mon-FRI: Peaks every 15mins, 1000-1300, 1800-2300 every 20mins, Sat-Sun stays every 30mins

7series 72: Mon-Sat every 15mins, Sun reduced to every 30mins

7series 73: Mon-FRI every 30mins, Sat decreased to hourly, Sunday increased to hourly. For Brooklands Museum - for certain events, the route is re-numbered 73A southbound only, runs every 30mins regardless of day, and is extended to Brooklands Museum/Mercedes Benz World.

7series 74: Mon-Sat every 20mins (thus increased Saturday service), Sunday no change (hourly)

7series 75: Mon-Sat decreased to every 12mins, Sun increased to every 20 mins. Night service still hourly.

7series 76: Mon-Sat every 20mins, Sun increased to every 30mins
7series 77: Mon-Sat increased to every 15mins Heathrow-Windsor only, decreased to every 30mins Heathrow-Dedworth (through service). Sunday service still every 30mins through.
7series 78: Mon-Sat still every 20mins, Sun decreased to hourly
7series 79: Mon-Sat decreased to every 30mins, Sun stays at every 30mins
7series 170: Mon-Sun stays at every 30mins
7series 171: Mon-Sat increases to every 15mins, Sun decreases to every 30mins
7series 172: Mon-Sun all every 30mins
7series 174: Mon-Sun every 30mins, every 15mins service between Garston and Heathrow with Green Line 724.
7series 175: Mon-FRI increased to every 12mins, Sat-Sun now at every 20mins
7series X74: no change (still every 30mins daily)
7series X75: no change (still every 30mins daily)
7series X78: Mon-Sat every 30mins, Sun hourly.

L1/Surrey Locals

Feasibility studies and a consultation has taken place, with large changes to take place on some routes:

9: Mon-Fri still every 30mins, Sat-Sun hourly
400: No change (still Mon-Fri limited service)
459: Mon-Fri no change in frequency, Sat increased to every 30mins, Sun increased to every 30mins. This route is diverted to serve Sheerwater, and will be coordinated with 7series 79 to provide an every 15min service between Sheerwater and Woking.
461: Mon-Sun increased to every 15mins. This route is extended to Staines from Addlestone. The timetable will be coordinated with 7series 79 so buses do not overlap Addlestone-Staines. The route will no longer serve Field Common Estate
461A: No change
513: Mon-Sat every 30mins, Sun hourly
514: Mon-Sat every 30mins, Sun hourly
515: Mon-Sat every 30mins
515A: Sunday increased to every 30mins
564: Mon-Sat reduced from every 30mins to every 40mins
566/567: Mon-Sat every 30mins
814: No change

L1/Beeline

9: See above (Surrey Locals)

2: Mon-Sat increased to every 20mins, Sun increased to every 30mins
3: Mon-Sun now every 30mins
4: Mon-Sun now every 30mins
6: No change
6A: Mon-Sun now every 30mins
8: Mon-Sun now every 30mins
53: Mon-Sun now every 30mins
151/151A: Mon-Sun now hourly
155: Mon-Sun now every 30mins
171/172: Mon-Sun now every 20mins each way
190: Mon-Sat increased to every 12mins, Sun increased to every 20mins
191: Mon-Sat increased to every 20mins, Sun increased to every 30mins
194: Mon-Sun increased to every 20mins
305: Mon-Sun increased to every 30mins
X94: Mon-Sun increased to every 30mins

All ex-Courtney operated routes are now by Thames Travel (again).

All changes are due to take place 18th April 2014. During Easter, these are the service levels expected:
Good Friday: Saturday service on all routes, except 7series 75 - Sunday service with earlier start, later finish.
Easter Saturday: Saturday service on all routes, except 7series 75 - Sunday service with earlier start, later finish (see Saturday timetable between 0400-0800, 1900-2300).
Easter Sunday: Sunday service on all routes.
Easter Monday: Saturday service on all routes.

LONDON OMNIBUS CHANGES including route 49

Route 49 is now nearly a year old, and the service has been very successful indeed. However, to meet the growing demand for travel along this corridor, a number of service changes will take place, mainly to route patterns:

NOT ALL SERVICES WILL RUN THE ENTIRE ROUTE:

- 4 morning services will terminate at Legoland (Windsor) from High Wycombe

- A few services during the day from Staines will divert at Windsor for Eton Wick via Datchet (numbered 49A), journeys are either return journeys or operated in conjunction with the Legoland services.

- Not all services will serve Marlow Court Gardens, instead passing by on the A404 direct to Maidenhead. Please check the timetable for service details to Marlow

- All services will continue to serve Maidenhead Town Centre and Bray, no services will by-pass these centres. One service (the 1620 from High Wycombe) will terminate at Maidenhead, Frascati Way before returning to High Wycombe.

- Monday-Friday service will be increased from every 30 minutes to every 20 minutes with new earlier and later journeys from both termini but with some journeys terminating at Legoland or Eton.

- Saturday service will stay at every 30 minutes but with minor timetable alterations including services to Legoland and Eton.

- Sunday service will remain at every 60 minutes with extra shuttles to (AM) and from (PM) Legoland Windsor.

The new PVR for routes 49/49A is 13, which means that we have had to purchase some new buses:

- Following major engine problems with 923 (PO54ACJ), we have regrettably had to scrap this bus.

- Our new acquisitions include some new and used buses:

                                    YJ55WRC, numbered 301, VDL SB120 / Wright Cadet (temporary)

                                    SN56AYB, numbered 351, Enviro200 10.7m - already in service

                                    BU14EHW, numbered 118, Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse 12m
                                    BU14EHY, numbered 119, Volvo B7RLE / Wright Eclipse 12m

New white blinds have been applied to all our remaining EVLs in preparation for these changes.

In addition, a special service will run tomorrow (13th April 2014) in a new venture from London OmniBus joint with London Bus Museum to provide long-distance services to Brooklands from Staines and High Wycombe. The service will be numbered 49C and will operate all day from High Wycombe to Brooklands with some journeys serving Marlow and others service Eton Wick between Maidenhead and Windsor. After Staines the route will follow L1/Heathrow Buses 73 to Weybridge before turning right into the LBM grounds. Please check the timetable for details.

The four buses running on this service tomorrow have been announced as:

#HS901 - Optare Versa 118 (BU14EHW)

#HS902 - Wright Eclipse 120 (BN14CVF)

#HS903 - Wright Meridian 111 (OM61BUS)

#HS904 - Leyland Lynx 105 (555MLX)

#HS905 - Optare Versa 883 (KX13DJW)

  with Versa 882 (KX13DJV) acting as our spare and President 963 (YN13AWT) on the Museum site

Finally, regular users can now opt to purchase the 49ticket, a new smartcard service which you can update with our London OmniBus app and make as many or as few journeys as you wish in any given time without being charged. A £10 deposit is required for the card; the app is free.

Other changes:

We have lost route U9 to Arriva the Shires, but won new routes 420 and 431.

     New Optare Versas have been ordered for route 420, and new buses have yet to be ordered for route 431. Route 420 follows much of our commercial route 45, and this will be discontinued when route 420 commences. Some services on route 41 (T6 - Britwell) will also be curtailed to West Drayton Station. The surplus buses from route 41 will transfer to route 49 to dispose of the old vehicles which have just entered service. Buses from routes U9 and 45 will either move to other areas within the company or transfer to Carousel Buses in High Wycombe.
     The new bus for route 421 has been announced as London's first Wright Eclipse, numbered 120 (BN14CVF), which was ordered alongside the two new buses for route 49.

WLTM March 2014 Tenders (from TfL)

Tranche 199:
159/159N: Retained by Arriva London South with new NBfL, contract start 13th December 2014
495: Retained by L1/Heathrow Buses with existing buses, contract start 1st November 2014

Tranche 200:
278/278N: Retained by L1/Group Buses with existing buses, contract start 1st November 2014
438: Awarded to Arriva London North (formerly L1/Romford Buses), contract start 1st November 2014

Tranche 202:
117/N117: Retained by L1/Heathrow Buses with existing buses (new buses for N117), contract start 1st November 2014
416: Retained by L1/Heathrow Buses with existing buses, contract start 1st November 2014

Tranche 202A:
431: Awarded to London OmniBus with new buses, contract start 18th October 2014

Other News:
Route 311 is partly converted to NBfL unofficially, for driver training and eventual early introduction before the official conversion date, due to an increase on Route 392.

NBfL Conversion Timetable (all LTs):
24 - 22nd June 2013 (LT9-36)
9 - 22nd June 2013 (LT37-49, 51-70, LT99)
11 - 21st September 2013 (LT70-98)
15 - 2nd November 2013 (LT100-111, 166-180)
392 - 2nd November 2013 (LT1, LT50, LT111-165)
390 - 30th November 2013 (LT181-204)
38 - 7th December 2013 (LT2-8, LT205-260)
16 - 1st February 2014 (LT261-282, 284-286)
7 - 15th February 2014 (LT283, 287-315)
148 - 15th February 2014 (LT316-343)
311 - 31st May 5th April 2014 (LT344-371 - this includes a 392 increase)
49 - 7th June 2014 (LT372-396)
22 - 21st June 2014 (LT397-423)
10 - 1st November 2014 (LT424-452)
8 - 1st November 2014 (LT453-485)
74 - 1st November 2014 (LT486-516 - this includes a 392 increase)
98 - 1st November 2014 (LT517-550)
159 - 13th December 2014 (LT551-

April Tenders:
Tranche 205:
414: Putney Bridge-Maida Hill (Abellio London)

Tranche 210:
177: Peckham-Thamesmead (Stagecoach)
322: Crystal Palace-Clapham Common (Abellio London)
432: Brixton-Anerley (Arriva)
G1: Streatham-Battersea (London General)

Tranche 211:
240: Edgware-Golders Green (Metroline)

L1/Group News January-February 2014

General Notes:

The Loaned Fleet (with same numbers): 
ex-Metroline VP317-347, 466-472, 474, 476, 477, 479. Code VPN  These will be returned when the 483 is lost - these buses are now allocated on Route 483 from DI.

There have been 42 second hand buses from Croydon Buses to supplement the two TENs currently on training or existing buses in service:
7 Enviro 200: LT56NBA-NBG (DEN5-11) (trainers)
3 E40Ds: SN63ABD-ABF (TEN113-115) (for Beeline 190 - refurbished)
3 Optare Versas: YN63 BMX-BMZ (OVN1-3) (trainers)
10 Mercedes Citaro: KX54TBX, KX05TBA-TBE, BX09ABA-ABC, BL59ABD (MCN910-920) (for Beeline and 7series spares)
1 Enviro 300: YN04CMJ (ETN4) (trainer)
1 DB250H: KX57EMN (Engineering Testbed)
17 E40H: LT58SXA, SN10SXB-H,J-T, SN60SXY (TE1400-1417) (London use to replace VPNs - then as trainers).

Also, there have been an order of 40 new diesel E40D and E20D (25/15) just as trainers or Beeline:
25 E40D (TEN114-139) (LU63HEA-H,J-P,R-Z, JN63CNT): TEN114-119,121,139 for Beeline, TEN122-134 for 7series (74/75 peaks, X74). As a first, all of these buses will have LED displays.
15 E20D (DEN12-26) (CU63SNT-V, HN63HEA-H, RM63FRD-G): All trainers

TE1256, the E45H demonstrator with non-standard doors will now move across each of the garages over 25 weeks (three weeks at each garage, 4 at UP), moving to F on 1st January, before moving to UP from the 22nd January for 4 weeks, then HO on the 19th February and continuing via, SD and U before returning to HN for use on Route X91.
It has turned out that the rear door of the outward swinging style is successful and is currently out on all new E45H from now.

The Volvo B5TL demonstrator went to DI for Route 456, coded VTN1090 arrived on 20th January, then moved to F on the 10th February for Route 85, and UP for Route 25 on the 24th February.

Henlev Group have sold out most operations - we have been the successful bidder for Hemel Hempstead (we have also bought Arriva operations at Hemel Hempstead), and practically everything else except what has been sold to Croydon Buses. This includes three TfL route contracts and two London area garages. Walton will be an outstation for Fulwell, whilst Chessington/Barwell will be a separate garage run (currently) jointly by Wellglade Group and L1/Group. The rest is in a joint holding company for re-sell or retention. Most areas have returned to their former owners for coincidence. Notably, the Isle of Wight operations are moved to Wellglade, and Hayling Island has been rebuilt to as before the bus operations - which has cost a lot.

L1/Heathrow Buses

Heathrow North (HN)

Rebuilding has been completed, after the crash in December. ADL are back to normal.

The Heathrow North expansion has started, for finishing work by November 2014. This expansion will be used for overhauling/bodyshop of buses (L1/Group only), mainly. This is due to it moving out of HN temporarily due to the expansion of the ADL part of the garage to ensure it can handle the new influx of orders from Hong Kong amongst other areas!

Route 457, a new route for TfL, has been won by us and will use new hybrid Optare TempoSR 10.7m (OTM) from 31st May 2014

A E350H from First Essex is being evaluated for use on 7series. This bus will run on route 74 as an extra bus, or on the 75 peak extras. In response, a E25H bus will move to First Essex to cover, and evaluation. This will be from the London fleet, displaced from the 456.

Route 175 between Heathrow North Bus Garage and Aldershot. This has had an increase to every 15 minutes due to very popular demand! Stagecoach tickets for Stagecoach Gold 1 is accepted between Camberley and Aldershot (that route has been decreased to every 15 minutes) - thus in that corridor, there is an every 7-8min service.

Due to the new Oxford LEZ, routes 74 and X74 will only be operated by hybrid Volvo 7900s (V), Enviro 450H (TE), or the newest Enviro 400 E40D (TEN122-134). E25H may appear, but is unlikely. Older TENs, E400H and Citaros will no longer appear on these routes.

From 20th January 2014, new 7series X75 will run between Heathrow Terminal 6 and Reading. The route is limited stop, calling at Heathrow North Garage, Maidenhead Station, Frascati Way then all stops via Twyford and Bath Road to Reading, St Mary's Butts. This service will run every 30 minutes. As a consequence, 7series 75 will be reduced to every 12 minutes. As per normal, L1/Card is accepted.

Hydrogen and CNG buses at Southall have infrastructure at Heathrow North.
Seven Scania KUB270/Enviro 300SG (12m) will be shared between 7series X74 and new 7series X75:
SEG4-10 (LR63 CNK-P, R)

When gained, Routes H13 and H14 will run from HN using E25Hs.

Route 461 will be extended to Staines from Addlestone in November 2014, existing buses ex-5series will be transferred. Those buses will be replaced by older Citaros from Beeline, which will get new E45H.

For better reliability, routes N95 and N117 have been re-routed. 
Route N95 will run via Park Lane, Piccadilly instead of via Oxford Street, Regent Street between Marble Arch and Piccadilly Circus. 
Route N117 will be rerouted via 495 (and thus Kew Riverside) and London Road between Chalker's Corner/Mortlake and Busch Corner/Isleworth. Affected areas including Twickenham and Richmond will have alternatives including Routes 281N, N22 and an extended N335, which is extended via the former N117 route to Twickenham.

Southall (SA)

Route 456 is not fully double decker due to reasons below:

Hydrogen, Electric, and Compressed Natural Gas single deck buses (ironically) will be trialled on the 456 for TfL and L1/Group:

Two hydrogen VDL SB200/Wright Pular 2s:
WS9-10 (HY63 GEN, HY63 GEM)

Two BYD Electric Buses:
BE1-2 (LT63 BYD, LS63 BYD)

Two Optare TempoSR Electric (10.7m):
OSE3-4 (OP63 ARE, LT63 TSR)

Three CNG Scania KUB270/Enviro 300SG (12m):
SEG1-3 (LR63 CNG, LR63 CNH, LR63 CNJ)

Two CNG MAN Ecocity/Caetano:
MCG4-5 (YN63 YTS, YN63 YTT) 

These buses will run extra services on the route every day. The infrastructure for the electric buses to run are based in Southall Garage. Hydrogen and CNG tanks will be based at Heathrow North Garage.
12m buses are prohibited from running between Southall and Greenford due to tight turns, hence the 12m buses will only run between Southall TH and Chiswick.

The Southall Garage Open Day (for itself), involving the alternative technology buses launch, will be on the 19th January 2014.

Route 335 runs solely from WE and HN, all SA involvement has been withdrawn.

Brentford (DI)

Route 695 shared duty will now share with Route 278 on Monday-Friday at DI. This change happens on the week beginning 20th January 2014.

Route 311 batch of NBfLs have now started arriving at HN for processing. These buses will initially enter service on the 392 (based at HN) until the whole batch is ready, in which the 311 will be converted.

Route 239 has been lost on tender and will leave on the 31st May 2014
Part of Route 480 has been retained, a sole double deck working between East Acton and Richmond (return), but the rest will move to Tower Transit.

Due to a PVR increase due to increased demand for the route, Route 392 will now have a PVR of 45, supplemented initially by existing TEs, before new NBfL addon orders from the 311 and 74 orders.

Wembley (WE)
All Route 16 NBfLs are in service on the 16.

Route 113/N113 will be run from Wembley Garage using new E45Hs, joining on the 26th April 2014.
Route 224 has been lost on tender and will leave on the 31st May 2014

Route 335 is now partly run from Wembley using MCs ex-Southall Garage.

Fulwell (F) and Walton (WT)

Route 411 will be gaining new Optare TempoSR diesels temporarily before the permanent Optare TempoSR Hybrids arrive, when the route is gained. These diesels will then transfer to non-London (Hemel Hempstead) operations.

Walton Garage has been acquired as an outstation for Fulwell, which will operate one bus each on Routes 411 and 418 when gained.

Also, when gained, London Routes 74 and N74 will be run from Fulwell, where new NBfLs will be introduced.

Bracknell (BL)
Bracknell will re-open in 2014, moving most Bracknell-based Beeline routes to the bus garage.

The following routes will move to Bracknell:
Beeline: 151/A, 153, 155, 171, 172, 190, 194, X94, part of 191
7series: part of 72

Hemel Hempstead (HE)
Bought from Arriva and Henlev Groups - this operation will be influenced by trentbarton, rebranded and routes restructure by January 2014. New buses - Optare TempoSR diesel and hybrid will be used. Route 320 (now berry) will use new E45Hs.

L1/Romford Buses

Upminster (UP)
East London Transit will be surrendered early by Blue Triangle on the 4th January, as all the buses have been delivered for some time now.

Routes 66 and 499 have had their contracts novated to L1/Romford Buses. Existing E45H/E40H (for 66) and existing E25H (for 499) have been transferred from the conversion to NBfL for the 15 and double deck conversion of the 456.

Hackney (HO)

E45H has been ordered for 55/N55, Volvo B5LH/Wright Gemini 2 (x5 - the last new Wright Gemini 2s), Volvo B5LH/Wright Gemini 3 (x15) and Plaxton President (x9) have been ordered for the 48. The Volvo Gemini 3s will be coded VT.

Stratford (SD)

Route 8 will be converted to NBfL buses in 2014. SD will host these buses next year.

Route 15 will lose 2 LTs - LT99 has transferred to London United for the 9, and LT164 has moved to DI for the 392.

Upton Park (U)

No new news.

chessingtonbuses, part of L1/Group and Wellglade Group

Chessington (CH)

This garage has been bought from Henlev Group. Route 166 is planned to run from here. Route 418 will be transferred to Fulwell under L1/Heathrow Buses.
Wellglade are also evaluating local services around Chessington and the surrounding area to the south.

WLTM Tenders February 2014 (from TfL)

Tranche 191:
U9: Awarded to Arriva the Shires & Essex (formerly London OmniBus) with new buses, contract start 1st November 2014

Tranche 192:
29/N29: Retained by Arriva London with hybrid buses, contract start 26th July 2014

Tranche 194:
104: Awarded to Stagecoach (formerly L1/Romford Buses) with new hybrid buses, contract start 26th July 2014
308: Awarded to Stagecoach (formerly L1/Romford Buses) with new hybrid buses, contract start 26th July 2014
376: Awarded to Docklands Buses (formerly L1/Romford Buses) with new hybrid buses, contract start 26th July 2014

Tranche 195:
6/6N: Awarded to London United (formerly Metroline) with new and existing hybrid buses, contract start 19th July 2014
98/N98: Awarded to L1/Heathrow Buses (formerly Metroline) with New Bus for London (N98 with new hybrid buses), contract start 1st November 2014.

Tranche 196:
192: Retained by Arriva London with existing buses, contract start 26th July 2014

Tranche 197:
E9: Retained by L1/Heathrow Buses with new hybrid buses, contract start 1st November 2014
E10: Retained by L1/Heathrow Buses with new and existing hybrid buses, contract start 1st November 2014

March Tenders:
Tranche 199:
159/159N: Paddington Basin-Streatham Station (Arriva London) - NBfL
495: Hanwell-Wimbledon (L1/Heathrow Buses)

Tranche 200:
278/278N: Acton Green-Newington Green (L1/Group Buses)
438: Aldwych-Canning Town (L1/Romford Buses)

Tranche 202:
117: Staines-West Middlesex Hospital (L1/Heathrow Buses)
416: Feltham Station-Hanwell Terminus (L1/Heathrow Buses)
N117: Colnbrook By-Pass, HN Garage-Trafalgar Square (L1/Heathrow Buses)

Tranche 202A:
431: Harrow Bus Station-Radlett Station (new route)

Other News:
A consultation is taking place for either the re-routing of 421 to Bushey Heath instead of Kenton, or an introduction of a new route 431 between North Harrow and Radlett Station.
Another consultation is taking place of replacing the 335 between Turnham Green and Chiswick Grove Park with an extension of the 70 via Acton Town and the 335 route to Chiswick Grove Park. This will also take into account the double decker conversion of the 70. The results will be ready by March.

Route 311 is partly converted to NBfL unofficially, for driver training and eventual early introduction before the official conversion date, due to an increase on Route 392.

NBfL Conversion Timetable (all LTs):
24 - 22nd June 2013 (LT9-36)
9 - 22nd June 2013 (LT37-49, 51-70, LT99)
11 - 21st September 2013 (LT70-98)
15 - 2nd November 2013 (LT99 100-111, 166-180)
392 - 2nd November 2013 (LT1, LT50, LT111-165)
390 - 30th November 2013 (LT181-204)
38 - 7th December 2013 (LT2-8, LT205-260)
16 - 1st February 2014 (LT261-282, 284-286)
7 - 15th February 2014 (LT283, 287-315)
148 - 15th February 2014 (LT316-343)
311 - 31st May 2014 (LT344-371 - this includes a 392 increase)
49 - 7th June 2014 (LT372-396)
22 - 21st June 2014 (LT397-423)
10 - 1st November 2014 (LT424-452)
8 - 1st November 2014 (LT453-485)
74 - 1st November 2014 (LT486-516 - this includes a 392 increase)
98 - 1st November 2014 (LT517-550)

L1/Group - Tube Strike Notice 04-07/02/14, 11-14/02/14

Due to the tube strike, extra buses will be put on certain routes. Bus types and single/double decker status may not be kept. Strike extra buses with no London ticket machine will be free. Some non-London buses will be used:

L1/Heathrow Buses:

Route 16 will have 20 extra buses on the route - some NBfLs (except 4, which will go to 392), some will be loaned from Thames Travel, Oxford Bus Company and Go-Ahead Group. Passengers are recommended to take the 758 when possible.

Route 83 will have at least 7 extra buses on the route. Some buses will be loaned from Metroline

Route 237 will have 10 single decker E25Hs on the route, of which 9 are loaned from Go-Ahead London.

Route 278 will have at least 20 extra buses, which will be loaned from various places. Convertible training buses will be used on the route. 

Route 392 will have at least 20 extra buses. All spare NBfLs will be used, and some E45Hs in various states of refurbishment will be taken from HN. Some buses will be loaned from Reading Buses and some new buses intended for other operators will be used.

Route 607 will have 12 extra buses, all loaned from various sources.

Routes U1 and U3 will have extra double deckers (U1 shorts between Uxbridge and Ruislip).

Route N111 will be free past 0400 until 2200, and will run 24 hours throughout the strike, every 30 minutes. Hired buses may be used on this route.

Route X91 will have approximately 15 extra buses. Most will be from Non-London operations - Citaros, E25H, Optare TempoSR, E40D. Some coaches may operate the route from RailAir and some hired coaches will run the route.

7series 74, 75 - No peak extra buses will run due to the buses being used at London routes.

Other bus routes will have at least one extra bus to help ease crowding and conditions, these will be from within the company.

Green Line 701/702 will serve Heathrow North Garage and Terminal 6 between Langley and Hammersmith. Travel is free between Heathrow North and Victoria due to tube strike, service will run every 15 minutes. For fairness of customers, all tickets valid to Langley/Slough will be valid to Victoria during the tube strike.

Extra buses will be from the Beeline, 7series, 5series, Surrey Locals and Hemel Hempstead, and hired coaches will be used.

Green Line 748/758 will be free between Brent Cross and Victoria, all tickets to Brent Cross are valid to Victoria. Extra coaches will be provided when possible.

L1/Romford Buses:

Routes 5, 15 and 115 - at least 10 extra buses for each route loaned from Ensignbus, First Essex and Arriva will be used on the route.

Routes 25 and 205 - at least 40 extra buses will be used, from various sources, including Alexander Dennis, loaned buses from London United, Reading Buses, First Essex, Ensignbus, Blue Triangle, London Bus Company, Stagecoach amongst others. These will run the shuttles between Stratford and Victoria/Paddington.

Route 69 will have at least 7 extra buses, loaned from various sources.

Route 438 will have at least 10 extra buses loaned from Stagecoach.

A free 'Strike-buster' service will run via routes 15, 115 and 5 between Romford and Aldwych with Ensignbus, amongst other operators, which will be called N15. A timetable is unknown for this service, but will run at least every 20 minutes.

Most of these services are not organised by TfL, but rather by the L1/Group instead.