Abellio puts fresh wheels on the road, starting two new bus contracts

October 16 2023

Abellio is celebrating the successful mobilisation of two new contracts for routes C3 and 404.  These are now operated on Transport for London's behalf by Abellio; the C3 also sees the further expansion of Abellio’s zero-emission EV fleet.

The C3 route will operate from Abellio’s Battersea depot and will run between Clapham Junction and the Earls Court Tesco. This route welcomes state-of-the-art new double-deck Wrightbus Electroliners.

The 404 route will operate using existing Abellio fleet ADL Enviro 200 single-deck buses  The route runs between Caterham and Coulsdon Town, and this outer London route will operate from Abellio’s Beddington depot.

Route C3 will benefit from the introduction of Abellio’s new EV buses, which are designed with customer comfort in mind and offer a high-spec interior full of innovative features. The buses have high back seats throughout, making longer journeys more comfortable. The seats feature USB chargers and mobile phone holders, allowing customers to stay connected while travelling.

Seating has been carefully designed to be comfortable and accessible, with priority seats highlighted and a large wheelchair and buggy area. Digital signage on board the buses shares a range of real-time information, including the time to the next stop, disruptions, space on the next bus, and service updates for Tube, Rail and Overground. There is dedicated signage for the wheelchair area, making it easier for customers in this space to access the information they need.

Abellio’s continued expansion of electric vehicles has been supported by an ongoing investment into charging infrastructure across their six London depots. Abellio is a leader in EV technology and is now on course to be the first London operator to energise all of their London depots later this year.

Jon Eardley, Managing Director of Abellio London, said:

‘We are delighted to mobilise these two new contracts on behalf of Transport for London bringing routes C3 and 404 into the Abellio family to allow us to serve customers on these vital routes in London. 

Our investment in infrastructure and fleet means we can bring the latest EV technology to the C3 route. As a business, we are proud to be at the forefront of providing cleaner and more comfortable transport for our customers.”