New Routemaster refurbishment project reaches 665 buses
Work to refurbish London’s fleet of New Routemaster buses has taken a step forward as the total reaches 665.
Transport for London own 998 of the buses ordered under previous Mayor Boris Johnson.
It appears the target was reached a year late with TfL previously stating “We will have refurbished 650 by the end of the 2023/24 financial year.”
That wasn’t met – though now they state “Our milestone target was 650 refurbishments in 2024/25, which we have exceeded.”
Work includes deep cleaning and new seat covers including clearer marking for mobility impaired people. Retrims and resprays are also part of the plan.
Buses are now up to 13 years old and hybrid technology has moved on, with pure electrics also ever more of London’s overall fleet.
Unlike other buses in London the New Routemaster was funded directly by TfL rather than bus operators.
How long they have left is the big unknown. Refurbishment suggests they won’t be binned off imminently, though they are being lost on some routes such as Superloop SL3.
Buses running from Thamesmead to Bromley will become electric this year.
