Arriva UK Bus has secured a new seven-year contract to operate the 102/N102 bus route in North London from 2026, retaining the service after a competitive tender process run by Transport for London.
Under the agreement, Arriva UK Bus will introduce 26 new battery-electric buses to replace the existing diesel fleet on the route. The vehicles will enter service once electrification works at the Palmers Green garage are completed, the company said.
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The 102/N102 route forms part of London’s outer orbital bus network and has been operated by Arriva for decades. The new contract, which begins in November 2026, extends Arriva’s presence on the route for a further seven years.
“Retaining Route 102/N102 is a fantastic result and underlines the confidence placed in our teams to deliver reliable, high-quality services for Londoners,” said Mark Griffin, area director at Arriva UK Bus London. He added that the route has been based at Palmers Green for nearly 80 years.
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The electrification of the 102/N102 service is part of Arriva’s broader investment programme in London. The company has committed around £730 million to transitioning its capital-wide bus operations to zero-emission vehicles. More than 290 battery-electric buses are already in service across London, including 140 introduced over the past year.
Arriva expects its electric bus fleet in London to exceed 500 vehicles by the end of 2026, supported by upgrades to depot infrastructure. Currently, seven of Arriva London’s 14 garages are equipped to operate zero-emission buses.
See also: Arriva Secures €1.6 Billion Contract to Expand Zero-Emission Bus Services in East Brabant
London’s bus network is a central pillar of the city’s transport decarbonisation strategy, with Transport for London increasingly requiring zero-emission vehicles in new operating contracts as part of its efforts to cut urban air pollution and carbon emissions.
