Chinese takeaways: the new electric buses have been delivered to South Croydon Garage, for use across four routes: 60, 405, 412 and 466
Our transport correspondent, JEREMY CLACKSON, on TfL’s latest zero-carbon infrastructure improvements
A fleet of electric buses is ready to take to the streets of Croydon and beyond.
Major electrical infrastructure works at South Croydon Garage on Brighton Road are close to completion (though they have taken longer than had been hoped), and the bright red, made-in-China BYD double-deckers are parked up and ready to be brought into operation.
Operated by Arriva London South, the buses are expected to be used on routes 60 (Old Coulsdon-Purley-West Croydon-Streatham), 405 (Redhill-Coulsdon South-Purley-Croydon), 412 (Purley-Sanderstead-Croydon) and the 466 (Addington Village-Shirley-Croydon-Purley-Old Coulsdon-Caterham on the Hill)
Double-decker: Superloop route SL5 has been using the electric buses for around six months
Some of the new electric buses have been introduced gradually in the past week on the long 466 route from Addington Village to Caterham-on-the-Hill.
The BYD B11 double-deckers cost about £400,000 each, and are part of a deal with the Chinese manufacturers last year to supply 100 vehicles for London.
Designed specifically for use in the capital, the BD11 features a 532kWh battery, making it the largest electric commercial vehicle currently available in Britain. It is reckoned to have a range of 400 miles.
The buses can each accommodate up to 90 passengers.
It uses BYD’s Blade battery technology, which is reckoned to last for at least 12 years.
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“The buses can each accommodate up to 90 passengers.
It uses BYD’s Blade battery technology, which is reckoned to last for at least 12 years.”
Can they replace the battery after 12 years, and get another 12 years’ use out of them, or maybe more if the battery durability has improved by 2037 ?
By way of comparison, approx 2,800 Routemaster buses were built between 1954 and 1968 and nearly half of those are still in existence up to 70 years later !
The savings made on both cheaper fuel and cheaper maintenance easily fund a new battery after “at least” 12 years. Batteries these days typically degrade under 2% a year – making them still pretty good after 12 years.
And yes they can be replaced with probably solid state ones that are set to be available within just a few years time.
Up to the RM London buses were mainly made in house by AEC. There were a few Leylands but to same design, RTLs and RMLs. After serving many years in London they were sold on for service elsewhere.
Lots went to South Africa where they just added “East” in front of London Transport.
Today’s buses are rattly badly heated and badly ventilated junk heaps.
Hold tight indeed! Those buses jolt and move more erratically than other types of bus. So, hold on and, indeed, to avoid a nasty fall, rush to your seat before it pulls away from the stop.
Only if the driver is erratic. Lifting your foot off the accelerator applies gentle engine braking. But you are right these buses are able to accelerate faster – but only if you shove your foot on the accelerator!
Same as any electric vehicle. Very responsive.
The 412 making its way up Downs Court Road (from Purley towards Sanderstead) is an experience… I wonder if the electric ones will fare better?
Why buy Chinese government subsidised buses when there are home suppliers. Our industry boffins are investigating secret computer links to Beijing. Same in Oslo and elsewhere in Europe. This purchase is a big mistake
Glad to see you’re moving in the right direction Chris; keep going.
In September 2024, Caroline Russell of the Green Party asked the Mayor of London “what ethical and humans rights checks Transport for London (TfL) carried out with Go-Ahead Group during contract negotiations?”
The response was “Transport for London (TfL) has been assured by BYD, the manufacturer, that no unethical practices have taken place and would act immediately if provided with evidence to the contrary.”
British manufacturer Wrightbus, which nearly collapsed in 2019 (its owner spent £15m of company money on his own church) was rescued by JCB. They’re pushing hydrogen fuel-cells, but having woken up to the market for electric vehicles, are working on schemes to replace their diesel fleet with electric motors.
Who knows, we all might even grow to finally like that smelly white elephant, the Boris Bus, if it’s electrically-powered
These are awful for those with mobility problems, there are far too few seats on the lower deck and a majority of them require a step up to use. I was on one of the old and new busses over the weekend. I ended up counting the seats as I couldn’t believe what a backwards step they are. The old busses had 25 lower deck seats of which 10 were accessible, the new ones 20 lower deck seats of which only 6 are accessible. So the chances of someone who is unable to stand, unsteady on their feet or unable to climb being able to get the seat they need is now drastically reduced. Also the wheelchair area is huge with no at level seats near it, which means careers have to stand.
Why Chinese buses, the UK does have its own bus manufactures, why do we insist on cutting our own throats by buying Subsidised buses from China, will we never learn.
Perhaps it is now time to adopt a particular Chinese policy i.e. copy someone else’s design and build them ourselves? Perhaps the Mayor of London could be invited to explain why his Transport for London does not specify that London’s buses should be completely built in the UK and thus help the UK’s economy and working people?
There’s a simple reason, Dandy.
Forty years of Thatcherite government policies have killed off British manufacturing.
There is still at least one major bus manufacturer in the UK — Alexander Dennis.
That’s right, Dandy. They somehow survived the anti-industry, anti-public transport assaults of Thatcher and successive governments since.
And Alexander Dennis now work in partnership with the Chinese company, BYD, on design and delivery of buses in Britain. But they don’t have the battery technology that the Chinese use.
….. and Wrightbus in Northern Ireland – electric and hydrogen buses form part of their line-up.
I can just remember trolley buses. They had issues but one wonders if we have developed an inferior system?
Bring them back!
Why the thumbs down?