Assembly calls for updated Bus Action Plan

The London Assembly has today called for the Mayor to set out an updated Bus Action Plan to help address issues with the capital’s bus services.

In a motion agreed today, the Assembly asked the Mayor to come up with a plan, before the next annual update on delivering the Mayor’s Transport Strategy in summer 2025, to address the improvements recommended in a recent London TravelWatch report on London’s buses.¹

Elly Baker AM, who proposed the motion, said:

“London's buses are the backbone of our city's public transport network—affordable, accessible, and vital for so many Londoners, particularly those who are younger or older, on lower incomes, disabled or of ethnic minority backgrounds.

“The findings of London TravelWatch’s report make it clear that we must prioritise improving bus services to reverse the decline in ridership and meet the ambitious targets of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy. Making bus travel faster will be key to achieving this.

“We call on Transport for London to act swiftly on these recommendations and ensure that buses remain a reliable and efficient option for all Londoners."

The full text of the motion is:

The Assembly notes that London TravelWatch’s report ‘The Next Stop: Making London’s Buses Better’ was published last month.

This report outlines findings on current bus services, passenger satisfaction rates and ways to make buses a more effective travel option to Londoners.

Buses are the most affordable, accessible and popular public transport option in London, accounting for 1.9bn journeys in 2023/24. One-third of Londoners are regular bus users. Passengers are more likely to be disabled, lower income, younger and ethnic minorities than users of types of transport.

However, bus ridership is still below pre-pandemic levels and lower still than the peak year of 2014/15.

Average bus speeds have declined in recent years. Reversing this is a priority of bus passengers across London.

Increasing bus ridership will be key to achieving the target in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy for 80% of all journeys in London to be made on foot, by bike or using public transport by 2041.

The Assembly would like to thank London TravelWatch and their Bus Alliance group for their tireless work championing London’s bus network.

The Assembly calls on Transport for London to address, through an updated Bus Action Plan, the areas for improvement outlined in the London TravelWatch report by a date no later than the next annual update on delivering the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, due in summer 2025.

The meeting can be viewed via webcast or YouTube. 

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