Mayor Pledges £20m to Boost Bus Travel Across the City

London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has committed £20 million to reverse a decline in bus passenger numbers, with Transport for London set to explore fare reductions at certain times of day and potentially offering free travel on newly launched services.
The investment, described as fares innovation funding, comes after bus passenger numbers fell for the first time since the pandemic last year, dropping from 1.869 billion journeys to 1.842 billion. Transport watchdog London TravelWatch attributed the decline largely to slowing bus speeds, which fell to an average of 9.17mph in 2024-25, down from 10.27mph four years earlier. The watchdog has estimated that every 10% reduction in speed results in a 6% fall in passenger demand.
Speaking to the London Assembly Budget and Performance Committee following approval of his annual budget on Thursday, Khan said TfL would be tasked with finding ways to encourage more Londoners back onto buses, with a particular focus on outer boroughs where services act as a lifeline for residents with no other transport options. He acknowledged that innovation costs money but said a renewed focus on ridership and revenues was essential.
Assembly Member Elly Baker, the Labour group’s transport spokesperson, welcomed the announcement, highlighting that buses serve some of London’s most vulnerable residents including older people, disabled people and those on low incomes, at a time when the cost of living crisis continues to squeeze household budgets.
Bus use in London has been on a long-term downward trajectory since a peak of 2.4 billion passenger journeys in 2014. London TravelWatch has calculated that achieving the mayor’s target of 80% of all trips in the capital being made by walking, cycling or public transport by 2041 would require bus journeys to increase by 40%, making the current decline a significant obstacle.
The £20 million bus fund forms part of an additional £142.6 million identified by City Hall officials between the draft and final budget stages, generated by an unexpected surge in business rates and council tax returns. The wider budget also sets aside a record £1.26 billion for policing, including a new crackdown on mobile phone theft, alongside £250 million boosts each for TfL and the London Fire Brigade.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​