Buses in London in the context of "History of public transport authorities in London"

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⭐ Core Definition: Buses in London

Buses have been used as a mode of public transport in London since 1829, when George Shillibeer started operating a horse-drawn omnibus service from Paddington to the City of London. In the decades since their introduction, the red London bus has become a symbol of the city. In 2019, buses accounted for 11 percent of trips taken in the city.

As of 2025, London has 675 bus routes served by over 8,700 buses, almost all of which are operated by private companies under contract to (and regulated by) London Buses, part of the publicly owned Transport for London. Over 2,000 buses in the fleet are battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell buses, the second largest zero emission bus fleet in Europe (behind Moscow). In 2006, London became one of the first major cities in the world to have an accessible, low floor bus fleet.

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👉 Buses in London in the context of History of public transport authorities in London

The history of public transport authorities in London details the various organisations that have been responsible for the public transport network in and around London, England - including buses, coaches, trams, trolleybuses, Docklands Light Railway, and the London Underground.

From 1933 until 2000, these bodies used the London Transport brand. The period began with the creation of the London Passenger Transport Board, which covered the County of London and adjacent counties within a 30-mile (48-km) radius. This area later came under the control of the London Transport Executive and then the London Transport Board. The area of responsibility was reduced to that of the Greater London administrative area in 1970 when the Greater London Council, and then London Regional Transport took over responsibility.

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Buses in London in the context of Double-decker bus

A double-decker bus is a bus that has two storeys or decks. Double-deckers are used primarily for commuter transport, but open-top models are used as sightseeing buses for tourists, and there are coach variants for long-distance travel. They appear in many places around the world, but are presently most commonly used as mass transport in cities of Britain as well as in Ireland, China, Hong Kong, Berlin and Singapore.

The earliest double-decker horse-drawn omnibus appeared in Paris in 1853 and were motorised in the 1900s. Double-decker buses were popularised in Great Britain at the start of the 20th century, with the best-known example being the red London bus, namely the AEC Routemaster. Double-deckers in urban transport were also in common use in other places, such as major cities of India, but were mostly phased out by the end of the 20th century. However, they remain common in Britain as well as Ireland and Hong Kong, while in Singapore and Dhaka they have been introduced and greatly expanded in the aftermath of British colonial rule.

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LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← Double-decker bus ← History of public transport authorities in London
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
AEC Regent III → Charing Cross Road → Public transport → London → George Shillibeer → Paddington → City of London → London Buses → Transport for London → Battery electric bus → Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle → Electric buses in Moscow → Accessibility of transport in London →