Transport for London (TfL) has unveiled 'Buses for London', a new publicly owned bus company for the capital, and named route 6 as the first service it will run. Tom Harrison (Bus Ambassador) The company is due to launch in late 2027, with Park Royal Depot in west London as its first operational base. A further four routes will be announced over the coming year and are due to transfer from 2028. TfL says the company will let it test new approaches to reliability, safety, decarbonisation, customer experience and driver welfare. It also means any profits can be reinvested in the transport network. How London's Buses Work Today For readers outside the capital, London's bus system works differently from most of Britain. London was not part of bus deregulation in 1986. Instead, TfL plans the routes, sets fares and timetables, and pays private companies to run the buses. Operators bid for each route. Contracts generally run for seven years and pay the operator a set income ...
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Volvo Pushes Electric Coaches into the Long Haul League
Volvo Buses has unveiled a new electric coach chassis that promises to push zero tailpipe emission travel further than ever before. The Volvo BZR Electric for coach applications can carry up to 720 kWh of batteries and, on paper, deliver as much as 700 km of range under the industry’s SORT 3 test cycle. That kind of capacity puts long interregional trips within reach for operators who have until now found electric coaches constrained to short hops and depot shuttles.
Volvo Buses
The BZR Electric coach chassis is offered in two or three axle layouts with between four and eight modular battery packs. Operators can tailor the set up to favour either maximum range or lower weight for shorter journeys. Volvo says the high battery capacity brings improved efficiency, reduced travel times and fewer charging stops – all vital if electric coaches are to compete with diesel on longer routes.
Anna Westerberg, President at Volvo Buses, said:
"Our new electric chassis reaches for more than just extended operating range. It enables new routes and gives operators greater versatility.”
Designed for operators and passengers
The coach version builds on the global BZR Electric platform already used in city and intercity buses. It will accept bodies from different builders depending on market needs, opening the door for everything from scheduled interurban services to luxury tour and charter work. Like Volvo’s other electric products it is equipped with the company’s latest active safety systems to protect passengers and vulnerable road users.
Volvo Buses
Anna Westerberg, President at Volvo Buses, went on to say:
“We are proud to present a solution that makes sustainable travel accessible to more people on more routes. The Volvo BZR Electric coach chassis shows how electrification can go beyond reducing tailpipe emissions. With responsibly sourced materials and a product built to last, we minimise the life cycle footprint. And we do this while delivering comfort, efficiency and the highest safety standards for both everyday commuting and long distance journeys.”
Charging flexibility has also been built in. Operators can choose 250 kW CCS depot charging or 450 kW OppCharge opportunity charging, making it easier to integrate the BZR into existing duty cycles.
Dan Pettersson, Senior Vice President at Volvo Buses, said:
“Together with operators, we are making travel safer, more comfortable and sustainable than ever before.”
The first bodied BZR Electric coach has already been delivered by Finnish builder Carrus Delta for customers in the Nordic and Benelux markets.
How Volvo made it possible
Pulling off a 700 km electric coach is not simply a case of stuffing in more batteries. Volvo’s advantage lies in the wider Volvo Group, which provides access to proven heavy duty powertrain technology, large scale battery development and years of experience with high capacity charging. By adapting an existing global chassis platform, Volvo spreads development costs and ensures the new coach benefits from parts and service back up already familiar to operators. The result is a product that promises long range without sacrificing safety, comfort or the economics needed to make zero emission long distance travel a commercial reality.
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Transport for London (TfL) has unveiled 'Buses for London', a new publicly owned bus company for the capital, and named route 6 as the first service it will run. Tom Harrison (Bus Ambassador) The company is due to launch in late 2027, with Park Royal Depot in west London as its first operational base. A further four routes will be announced over the coming year and are due to transfer from 2028. TfL says the company will let it test new approaches to reliability, safety, decarbonisation, customer experience and driver welfare. It also means any profits can be reinvested in the transport network. How London's Buses Work Today For readers outside the capital, London's bus system works differently from most of Britain. London was not part of bus deregulation in 1986. Instead, TfL plans the routes, sets fares and timetables, and pays private companies to run the buses. Operators bid for each route. Contracts generally run for seven years and pay the operator a set income ...
Mobico Group has confirmed it has reached an agreement in principle to sell the net assets and operations of its West Midlands bus business, National Express West Midlands, to the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). The deal is expected to bring Mobico upfront residual proceeds of around £24 million, once deductions for transferred liabilities are accounted for.
Seven British-built Treka CitySprint minibuses are entering service in the Liverpool City Region, giving the new franchised Metro bus network a compact option for routes where larger buses are not suitable. The vehicles are built on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis, with bodywork by Treka Bus at its factory in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. They have been delivered to the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA). Three have gone to St Helens and four to Wirral. Treka Bus St Helens became the first part of the city region to bring its buses back under public control on 6th September. Wirral follows on 25th October 2026, and bus franchising will then be extended across the rest of the region throughout 2027.
really interesting lets hope this takes off for low cost coach route providers!
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