Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced a new publicly owned bus company for the capital, with Route 6 between Willesden and Victoria set to become the first service run directly under Transport for London control.
The operator, Buses for London, is expected to launch its first service in late 2027. A further four routes are due to follow from 2028.
Khan said:
"A brand new bus company. Owned by London. Run by London."
He added:
"For years, Londoners have told me they want to see more bus routes under public ownership. Today, we begin our mission to deliver just that."
Park Royal to become first base
Transport for London has confirmed that Park Royal bus depot in west London will become the first base for the new company.
At present, TfL plans and regulates the capital's bus network but contracts day-to-day operation of its almost 700 routes to eight private operators. The new arrangement will mean TfL itself directly operating some services.
TfL says public ownership will give it more control
TfL says having its own operating company should give it greater control over how services are delivered and provide a direct benchmark against private operators.
The move is not an immediate takeover of the entire London bus network. Instead, individual routes are expected to move into public operation as existing contracts expire and decisions are made about which services should be brought in-house.
Unite welcomes announcement
Unite, which represents thousands of London bus workers, has welcomed the proposal.
The union said public operation had the potential to improve accountability and working conditions while ensuring more of the money generated by the network was retained within public transport rather than flowing to private shareholders.
First step rather than wholesale change
The announcement follows a period in which City Hall and TfL have been examining how greater public ownership could be used across the transport system. Khan has also continued to intervene on affordability, including repeated freezes on bus and tram fares.
The scale and pace of any further transfer into public ownership will depend on TfL's assessment of performance, cost and the timetable of existing operating contracts.
For Khan, the political direction is clear: London will now have its own publicly owned bus operator, with Route 6 providing the first test of whether direct operation can deliver better value and service for passengers.
