Sadiq Khan Launches Publicly Owned Buses for London

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced the creation of Buses for London, a publicly owned bus company that will operate an initial fleet of 100 zero-emission buses. This initiative marks the first significant return to public ownership for London's bus services since the mid-1990s. The first service, Route 6 between Willesden and Victoria Station, is scheduled to launch in late 2027, with four additional routes to be announced within the next year for 2028 operation.

Developed in collaboration with the Unite union, the company will operate from a new depot in the Old Oak regeneration area. Transport for London (TfL) intends to use the public model to gain greater control over reliability, safety, and driver welfare, while reinvesting profits directly back into the transport network.

Reactions to the move are divided. The Unite union welcomed the decision as a way to improve worker conditions, while Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden criticized the plan as being driven by ideology. Additionally, the Confederation of Passenger Transport argued that a public operator would not solve congestion issues and could discourage private investment in the network.