ULEZ Expansion 2023: Plans for more buses in outer London

It comes as plans for more services were moved closer as an advisor for Mayor Sadiq Khan said that more needed to be done to boost public transport in the Greater London region. 

Recently, Transport for London (TfL) opened consultations on widening routes in Barnet, Brent, Havering and Wandsworth in an attempt to "strengthen alternatives to private cars."

The discussion for more public transport came after TfL board member Dr Lynn Sloman shared that she thinks that the £150 million a year "healthy streets" campaign was focused too heavily on inner London. 

.@Mayoroflondon has announced an ambitious plan to improve the bus network and increase bus services by more than a million kilometres ahead of the expansion of the ULEZ London-wide in August.

— Mayor's Press Office (@LDN_pressoffice) March 6, 2023

Outer London could get more buses ahead of ULEZ expansion

The ULEZ expansion is expected to create £300m for TfL in its first year from the £12.50 daily charge.

However, many think that not enough is being offered to support and help Londoners willing to give up their cars. 

Dr Sloman said at TfL’s programmes and investment committee: "There is an issue of political realities catching up with us, and the importance of being able to show the ULEZ is part of a wider package, which is about improving the public transport and active travel offer in outer London.”

They added: "It’s not quite enough to say we will carry on doing what we have always done…. How do we show ourselves to be nimble to the fact that the politics are moving on?

"Are there any improvements we can bring up the priority list? What are the things we could be doing in outer London that we could deliver quite soon?"

Dr Sloman was not the only one who wanted to discuss public transport, as TfL commissioner Andy Lord said there was "a very live conversation" surrounding the topic.

Bus consultations are part of the “more than one million extra kilometres" bus journeys that were promised by Khan last year.

Across London, there are around 273m miles covered by buses with a current proposal to add an extra 400,000km, making it an increase of 0.01%.

The changes would include extending eight routes in Brent Cross and Cricklewood area, as well as extending routes, 79, 497, and 315. 

Discussing the plans, Mayor Khan said: "These exciting improvements will strengthen the alternatives to private car use, and make it much easier to get around key parts of outer London by public transport."

However, not everyone was in agreement with the plans, as City Hall Conservative transport spokesperson Nick Rogers said: "These proposals are paltry and show that Sadiq Khan is not serious about improving public transport in outer London."