London will create a new publicly owned bus operator next year, marking a major change in how parts of the capital’s bus network will be managed.
The company, Buses for London, will begin operating selected routes from late 2027, with the first service expected to be route 6 between Willesden and Victoria station. Transport for London (TfL) says the move will give it more control over service standards, investment decisions, and future improvements across the network.
TfL Plans A New Public Model For London Bus Services
According to The Guardian, TfL announced that Buses for London will gradually take over a small number of routes from the nearly 700 services currently operating across the capital. Four additional routes planned for public operation from 2028 will be announced at a later date.
At present, London’s buses are delivered through contracts with eight privately owned operators. TfL said creating its own company would allow it to reinvest any financial returns into the transport network and provide greater oversight of daily operations.
The new operator will also support London’s environmental targets, with TfL highlighting plans for a depot in the Old Oak regeneration area. Lorna Murphy, TfL’s director of buses, described the site as “the first home of a new generation of zero-emission buses” and said it would build on existing efforts toward a more sustainable transport system.
The announcement comes as London’s bus network faces long-term challenges. Passenger numbers have declined over the past decade, while buses have become slower because of congestion and increasing competition for road space.
Sadiq Khan Says Public Ownership Could Change London’s Bus Network
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said the new operator represents an opportunity to rethink how bus services work for passengers and workers.
“This is an opportunity to reimagine our bus network so that it provides better value for money, supports our climate goals, makes our roads safer, and overall just works better for passengers and drivers alike,” Khan said.
TfL argues that a public operator will provide more flexibility when making decisions about routes, technology, vehicles, and workforce standards. The first phase will involve only a limited number of routes, while the wider network will continue to operate through existing private contracts.
London’s transport authorities have also pointed to changes in national policy that allow local authorities to create publicly owned bus companies more easily. Since 2025, Labour-led reforms have expanded the use of franchising and public control models for bus services.
Unions Welcome Return To Public Bus Ownership
Trade unions welcomed the announcement, arguing that public control could improve conditions for bus workers and passengers.
The 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.”
Wayne King, Unite’s national officer for passenger transport, said the launch of Buses for London was “only the beginning”. He added that Unite expected the company to “lead the way in workers’ pay, terms and conditions and treatment and will hold TfL and the mayor to account on this”.
The union’s position reflects wider debates over the role of private companies in delivering public transport services. Supporters of public ownership argue that local authorities can place service quality and workforce issues at the centre of decisions.
Private Bus Operators Question The Impact Of The Change
The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), which represents bus companies, said changing the ownership structure would not address the main problems affecting London buses.
CPT chief executive Graham Vidler said passengers needed faster and more reliable journeys, arguing that investment should focus on reducing congestion, improving bus priority measures, and increasing road efficiency.
“Regardless of who operates the service, buses typically travel at just 9 mph in London – slower than the average cyclist,” Vidler said.
He also said private operators had invested in new vehicles and technology across the capital’s bus network. CPT warned that uncertainty around the new public operator could affect future investment decisions by private companies.
