Are buses in London overcrowded?

London's buses are already frequently overcrowded. A quarter of those responding to our passenger survey said their bus was overcrowded and yet TfL has no plans to significantly increase services. Unlike the rest of England, London's buses are regulated.



People Also Ask

What is the Hopper? Any second bus or tram journey made within one hour of the start of your first journey will be free, if you're using contactless or Oyster pay-as-you-go.

MORE DETAILS

TfL, however, estimates that a standard hybrid diesel-electric double-deck bus is in the region of £300,000. The latest New Routemaster with Euro VI engine costs £349,500.

MORE DETAILS

Route 18, running between Sudbury and Euston bus station is the busiest bus route. The service carried over 16.6 million passengers in 2018/19. The next busiest routes (over 10 million) are: 25, 29, 140, 149, 243, 207, 86, 36, 38, 5, 279, 53, 109, 141 and 43.

MORE DETAILS

'Transport for London, which includes London Underground, doesn't make a profit,' he says. 'We reinvest all our income in running and improving transport in London.

MORE DETAILS

As of March 2023, the London bus fleet total of 8,643 buses includes 3,835 hybrid buses, 950 battery electric buses, and 20 hydrogen fuel cell buses. Route 18, running between Sudbury and Euston bus station is the busiest bus route. The service carried over 16.6 million passengers in 2018/19.

MORE DETAILS

It's about 230 miles long. It takes 7 hours and 50 minutes. It's Scottish Citylink's route 915 (or 916) from Glasgow's Buchanan Bus Station all the way to Uig Pier on the Isle of Skye via Fort William and Kyle of Lochalsh.

MORE DETAILS

The main reason for their continued popularity was because the single-level buses simply couldn't hold enough people, and the longer accordion version couldn't handle London's narrow streets. People also liked the viewing capacity and having open tops.

MORE DETAILS

The infamous number 14 bus no longer holds the unenviable title of being London's slowest bus with it's neighbour somehow even slower. Taking 80 minutes to cover seven miles from Fulham to Central London, the number 11 bus is officially London's slowest, according to the latest TfL data.

MORE DETAILS

Remember the 'rush hour' The London Underground is very busy during 'rush hour' with commuters moving around the city. You can expect the trains and stations to be overcrowded between 7.30AM and 9AM in the morning and between 5PM and 7PM in the evening.

MORE DETAILS

In all three cases, these were slower than for the equivalent three periods of the last financial year, 2022/23, when the average speeds were 9.7 mph, 9.4 mph and 9.5 mph. And the year before that, 2021/22, they were 9.8 mph, 9.6 mph and 9.5 mph.

MORE DETAILS

The average pay for a Bus Driver is £36,717 a year and £18 an hour in London, United Kingdom. The average salary range for a Bus Driver is between £26,730 and £43,877. On average, a High School Degree is the highest level of education for a Bus Driver.

MORE DETAILS

The reason behind their colour dates to the early 1900s, when the transport system was operated by different rival companies. London General Omnibus Company (or L.G.O.C.) owned most of the buses and in 1907 painted its entire fleet red to stand out from competitors.

MORE DETAILS

The top ten fastest bus routes in London
  • 1) 637: Kemnal College, Sidcup to Grove Park Station - school special (22.3mph)
  • 2) 636: Kemnal College, Sidcup to Grove Park Station - school special (19.6mph)
  • 3) N33: Hammersmith to Fulwell (19.1mph)
  • 4) N34: Barnet High Street to Walthamstow Bus Station (18.5mph)


MORE DETAILS

London's buses are no longer accepting cash. Transport for London (TfL) said dwindling numbers of passengers using money to pay for their journeys had prompted the change. Research shows that 99% of customers use Oyster, prepaid tickets, contactless payment cards or concessionary tickets.

MORE DETAILS

Fares are the single largest source of our income and help to cover the costs of operating and improving our transport services.

MORE DETAILS