London Buses

London Buses is the part of Transport for London that takes care of most bus services in London, England. It helps people move around the city easily and quickly.

The group started after a law called the Greater London Authority Act 1999. This law changed who was in charge of buses in London. Now, the Mayor of London and Transport for London make the big decisions.

London has many buses, and they go to many places. This makes it easier for people to visit friends, go to school, or get to work without using cars. The buses are an important part of keeping London moving. For a more general look at buses in London, you can read about Buses in London.

Overview

Transport for London manages many important tasks for London's bus services through London Buses. This includes planning new bus routes, checking service quality, and taking care of bus stations and stops. They also help passengers with timetables, maps, and online information.

All bus services are run by different operators who bid for routes. These operators drive the buses and follow rules set by Transport for London. They are paid based on how many miles each bus travels. London Buses also creates helpful maps, known as spider maps, which show bus routes clearly and are displayed at major stops.

Legal status

See also: History of public transport authorities in London

London Buses is legally known as London Bus Services Limited (LBSL), a company fully owned by Transport for London. Another company, called London Buses Limited (LBL), was created in 1985 during changes to bus services in London. It was part of an older organization called London Regional Transport.

After some changes in the mid-1990s, LBL stopped being used active until it was brought back to support East Thames Buses, another bus service also owned by Transport for London.

Scope

The local bus network in London is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. As of March 2024, 8,797 buses run on over 670 different routes. In 2019/20, there were 2.09 billion passenger journeys made.

Fares and concessions

Buses in London use special cards like Travelcards, Oyster cards, and contactless payment to make travel easier. Since 2014, you can’t pay with cash, but there are still ways to ride without extra cost. For example, children under 11 can travel for free anytime, and those aged 11 to 15 can ride free with a special Oyster photocard.

There are also special passes for older people and those with disabilities, like the Freedom Pass, which lets them travel for free. Passengers can also save money with daily or weekly limits on how much they pay, no matter how many trips they take in a day.

Operators

Bus services in London are run by several companies, including Arriva London, First Bus London, Go-Ahead London, Metroline, Stagecoach London, Transport UK London Bus, and Uno. Each of these companies has its own special code, and every bus garage in London also has its own unique code.

In the past, other companies such as RATP Dev Transit London, First London, HCT Group, Sullivan Buses, and Tower Transit also helped operate the buses.

Vehicles

Main article: List of bus types used in London

As of March 2025, the London Buses fleet had 8,797 buses, including 3,776 hybrid buses, 1,951 battery electric buses, and 20 hydrogen fuel cell buses. London's zero emission fleet is the second largest in Europe, just behind Moscow. All buses have been accessible and low floor since 2006, making London one of the first major cities to achieve this.

Bus operators under London Buses use many types of vehicles, but they all share a red livery and white roofs with special markings to stay cool in summer. London Buses decides what features buses should have, like separate exit doors and straight staircases on double-deckers. Some buses also have air conditioning for the driver.

iBus

Main article: iBus (London)

All of London's buses use the iBus system, an Automatic Vehicle Location system. This system gives passengers audio and visual announcements and helps buses get priority at traffic junctions. It was first tested in 2006 and then used on all bus routes by 2009.