London Buses

London Buses is the part of Transport for London that manages most bus services in London, England. It helps people travel 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 takes care of London's bus services through London Buses. This group plans new bus routes, checks service quality, and looks after 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 makes helpful maps, called spider maps, which show bus routes clearly and are shown at major stops.

Legal status

See also: History of public transport authorities in London

London Buses is a company called London Bus Services Limited (LBSL). It is owned by Transport for London.

In 1985, another company called London Buses Limited (LBL) was made. It was part of an older group called London Regional Transport.

In the mid-1990s, LBL was not used much. Later, it was used again to help East Thames Buses, another bus service owned by Transport for London.

Scope

The local bus network in London is very big and has many routes. As of March 2024, 8,797 buses travel on over 670 different routes. In 2019/20, people made 2.09 billion trips on these buses.

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.

Children under 11 can travel for free anytime. 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. This 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 company has its own special code, and every bus garage in London also has a 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 many buses, including hybrid buses, battery electric buses, and hydrogen fuel cell buses. London's zero emission fleet is one of the largest in Europe, just behind Moscow. All buses have been easy to access and have low floors since 2006.

Bus operators under London Buses use many types of vehicles, but they all share a red color and white roofs with special markings. London Buses decides what features buses should have, like separate exit doors 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. This is an Automatic Vehicle Location system. It gives passengers audio and visual announcements. It also helps buses move faster at traffic junctions. The system was first tested in 2006 and then used on all bus routes by 2009.