Sadiq Khan puts London buses back into public ownership for first time in 30 years in move with giant union

The buses are part of the first large-scale move for 30 years to put London buses into public control.

Lord Khan said: “London’s iconic red buses are a vital lifeline for many people, which I’m committed to supporting.

“Sometimes that means taking bold new approaches, so that our world-leading transport network can deliver even more for all those who rely on it.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is bringing some London buses back into public ownership

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City Hall believes the new publicly-owned bus company will give TfL greater control over how services are run.

The aim is to boost reliability and safety, while reinvesting profits to further improve the capital’s transport network.

A further four routes will be announced over the coming year, to come into operation from 2028.

Their performance will then be reviewed and a decision made on whether to roll out publicly-owned buses more widely across the capital.

The operational base for Buses for London will be the Park Royal Depot in west London and it will initially run around 100 zero-emission buses.

TfL is working in partnership with the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation to develop the site.

London buses

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However, there are some doubts over the success of the move, with claims that London commuter services on South Western Railway have deteriorated.

Lord Khan, who took up his seat in the House of Lords recently, insisted: “This is an opportunity to really reimagine our bus network so that it provides better value for money, supports our climate goals, makes our roads safer, and overall just works better for passengers and drivers alike.

“I look forward to seeing Buses for London build on the success of our world-leading bus network as we continue to create a greener, fairer, more prosperous city for everyone.”

Buses for London will seek to identify new ways to deliver high-quality, reliable and sustainable services for customers.

It will help TfL test new approaches to innovation, operational efficiency, safety, decarbonisation, customer experience and driver welfare.

London buses were last in public ownership on any significant scale in the mid 1990s.

East Thames Buses, a small arm’s length subsidiary of TfL operated between 1999 and 2009 after a bus company failed. It was eventually sold to Go-Ahead London.

Buses are popular with tourists as well as Londoners

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Lorna Murphy, TfL's director of buses, said: "Today's announcement marks an exciting new chapter for London's buses and an important first step in exploring how a publicly owned bus company could support the future of the capital's transport network.

“The (Royal Park) depot will provide a base for cleaner, greener services, helping us to build on the progress we've already made towards a more sustainable transport system.”