Ford has applied to run six commuter bus routes in London, as the car-making giant steps up plans to enter the capital’s transport market.

The US carmaker’s on-demand “Chariot” service, which allows commuters to book places on 15-seater shuttle buses via a smartphone app, has submitted plans to Transport for London (TfL).

Chariot currently operates in four US cities but plans to launch the service in London in the coming weeks, as revealed by The Sunday Telegraph earlier this month.

The six proposed routes, detailed in TfL consultations, are between 2.4 and 5.6 miles long. They carry names such as “Battersea Bullet” and “Riverside Racer” and cover pockets of south and west London that are perceived as underserved by public transport.

They would pick passengers up mainly at existing bus stops, and run up to every 10 minutes on weekdays. But unlike existing bus routes, they would be flexible, able to take alternative paths in busy times.