Will Noble

TfL Is Launching An On-Demand Bus Service

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ViaVan and Go-Ahead have been chosen to operate the trial. Image: ViaVan

A guaranteed seat on the bus? Keep talking

TfL will trial an on-demand bus service, where passengers can book their seat using an app. It'll be rolled out for a whole year in Sutton — an area of London, which relies heavily on cars.

The proposed app will let passengers book seats on a 14-seat minibus that will stop at convenient locations, including areas not currently served by public transport. It'll run from 6.30am to 9.30pm, seven days a week. ViaVan and Go-Ahead have been chosen to operate the trial.

A guaranteed seat, free WiFi and USB charging points are three of the boons — none of which you get with your average London bus. There are echoes of Citymapper's night bus service, which we took a ride on, in 2017. (The service has since ceased.)

Michael Hurwitz, TfL’s Director of Innovation, said:

We are always looking at how we can harness the latest technological developments in transport to improve the service for our customers. This trial will help us to understand if a demand-responsive service will support the objectives of the Mayor's Transport Strategy in reducing car dependency and if it can be deployed to support the established bus network.

A public consultation period runs till 20 March, in which TfL will ascertain how best to implement the service.