Transport for London’s (TfL) plans to establish a publicly owned bus operator in London have received a mixed response from the capital’s bus sector. Unite has welcomed the move, while the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has questioned whether a new operator will address the network’s underlying challenges.
TfL plans to launch Buses for London in late 2027, with route 6 between Willesden and Victoria station set to become its first service. Four further routes are expected to transfer to the publicly owned operator in 2028, with Park Royal Depot in west London set to become its first operating base.
Unite, which represents bus workers in the capital, has welcomed these plans, and stated that it worked with TfL and the Mayor of London’s office in establishing them. The union said it wants the new operator to become the first step towards fully returning London’s bus network to public ownership.
Currently, TfL awards contracts for franchised bus services to private operators. Contracts generally run for seven years, with operators receiving an agreed income linked to performance.
TfL works with eight private bus operators across almost 700 routes. According to Unite, City Hall is spending almost 1.2 billion GBP a year subsidising London’s bus network amid rising costs and lower bus speeds, which have contributed to falling passenger numbers.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:Unite has long been calling for London's bus services to be returned to public ownership. Outsourcing to private companies hasn’t worked well for workers or passengers.
For too long bus workers have been subjected to intolerable working conditions and passengers have experienced worsening services while bus firms and their shareholders rake in huge profits. Today's news is a positive step, Unite will now be doing everything possible to ensure that Buses for London provides well-paid, unionised jobs with excellent conditions.
Meanwhile, the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), which represents the bus and coach industry, has taken a different view of TfL’s plans.
CPT chief executive Graham Vidler said the priority should be improving journey speeds and reliability rather than establishing a new public operator.
Graham Vidler said:Passengers don't need a new public bus operator. They need faster, more reliable journeys and investment should be made where passengers will actually feel the difference: tackling congestion, giving buses priority and getting London moving.
Regardless of who operates the service, buses typically travel at just 9 mph in London – slower than the average cyclist. Nothing in the announcement will tackle this chronic issue and get Londoners to their destinations more quickly.
Tackling unplanned, uncoordinated streetworks and giving buses priority at junctions is essential for improving passenger journeys. Making buses 10% faster in London would improve the lives of all those who rely on them, increase passenger numbers and unlock around £284m for investment in better services.
CPT said London buses typically travel at around 9 mph, which it said was slower than the average cyclist. Vidler argued that the new operator would not address the underlying causes of slow journeys.
Vidler also highlighted the financial contribution made by private operators to London’s bus network. According to CPT, operators have absorbed 36 million GBP in costs associated with the recent increase in National Insurance, alongside higher fuel costs. Private operators also invest in vehicles, infrastructure and technology.
The organisation argued that, under TfL’s plans, more of these costs and investment requirements could ultimately fall on London taxpayers. It also warned that the introduction of a publicly owned operator could create uncertainty for private companies considering future investment in the capital’s bus network.
