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London Buses route 521

{{Short description|Former London bus route}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2017}}

{{Infobox bus line

|number = 521

|logo =

|image = Go-Ahead London General SEe27 - LJ66 CGU.jpg

|image_width = 300

|caption = Go-Ahead London Alexander Dennis Enviro200EV on London Bridge

|bgcolor = red

|titlecolor = white

|operator = Go-Ahead London

|garage = Waterloo

|vehicle = Alexander Dennis Enviro200EV

|pvr = 15

|status = Defunct

|open = {{Start date|1992|07|18|df=y}}

|close = {{End date|2023|04|29|df=y}}

|predecessors = Route 501
Route 513

|night = No night service

|start = Waterloo station

|via = Holborn
St Paul's station
Cannon Street

|end = London Bridge bus station

|length = {{convert|3|mi}}

|level = Monday to Friday

|frequency = About every 2-12 minutes

|day = 06:29 until 00:33

|time = 21-34 minutes

|map =

}}

London Buses route 521 was a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. It ran between Waterloo station and London Bridge bus station, and was operated by Go-Ahead London.

It was also one of two Red Arrow branded services. In 2016, routes 507 and 521 became the first battery electric bus routes in Central London, and the second operated by Transport for London, after route 312.{{cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2016/september/mayor-unveils-first-fully-electric-bus-routes-for-central-lond|title=Mayor unveils first fully electric bus routes for central London|work=Transport for London|access-date=18 February 2025}}

History

{{See also|Red Arrow (London Buses)}}

File:Go Ahead route 521.jpg Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaro on Waterloo Bridge in 2013]]

Route 521 commenced operating on 18 July 1992 as part of the Red Arrow network of bus routes aimed at commuters in Central London linking some of the capital's main railway termini.{{cite book|last=Dryhurst|first=Michael|title=London's Red Arrow Buses|date=2016|publisher=Bowden Publishing|location=Newcastle|page=10}}

On 2 June 2002, along with route 507, the route was the first bus route in London to be converted to articulated bus with Mercedes-Benz O530G Citaros.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/2027316.stm London transport - with a twist] BBC News 5 June 2002

During late 2003, early 2004, a series of onboard fires on Mercedes-Benz O530Gs led to withdrawal of the entire fleet, while Mercedes-Benz made some modifications. During this period limited services operated using a variety of different buses on route 521.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3563279.stm|title=Bendy-buses withdrawn after fires|publisher=BBC News|date=2004-03-24|access-date=2009-09-05}}

In September 2009, as part of the move to replace London's articulated buses, the O530Gs were replaced by Mercedes-Benz O530 Citaros.{{cite web|url=http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=20037 |title=The beginning of the end for the bendy bus |publisher=Greater London Authority press release |date=2008-12-05 |access-date=2009-09-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207032631/http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=20037 |archive-date=7 December 2008 }}

Another criticism of articulated buses was the low number of seats, with only 49 per vehicle. A standard rigid Citaro has 44 seats, however the new ones for route 521 have just 21, with room supposedly for up to 76 standers, leading to criticism the new buses were "cattle trucks" and even more crowded than the buses they replaced.{{cite web|url=http://www.thelondonpaper.com/thelondonpaper/news/london/passengers-call-for-the-return-of-the-bendy-bus|title=Passengers call for the return of the bendy bus|publisher=The London Paper|date=2009-07-31|access-date=2009-09-05|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090903122159/http://www.thelondonpaper.com/thelondonpaper/news/london/passengers-call-for-the-return-of-the-bendy-bus|archive-date=3 September 2009|df=dmy-all}}

In December 2013, two trial BYD electric buses were introduced.[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/dec/19/electric-buses-hit-london-roads-routes Electric buses hit London roads] The Guardian 19 December 2013 In September 2016, Alexander Dennis Enviro200EV bodied BYD electric buses began to operate the route, making it and route 507 the first battery electric bus routes in London.{{Cite web|last=Gillett|first=Francesca|date=2016-09-12|title=First electric buses in central London 'by end of year' as two routes announced|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/transport/first-electric-buses-in-central-london-by-end-of-year-as-two-routes-announced-a3341251.html|access-date=2021-08-13|website=Evening Standard|language=en}}[https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2016/september/mayor-unveils-first-fully-electric-bus-routes-for-central-lond Mayor unveils first fully electric bus routes for central London] Transport for London 9 September 2016"Debut for electrics and StreetDecks" Buses issue 739 October 2016 page 22 In September 2016, the buses on this route and on the 507 have received new digital route displays.{{cite news | url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-buses-introduce-new-tube-mapstyle-digital-route-displays-a3342966.html | title=London buses introduce new 'Tube map-style' digital route displays | work=Evening Standard | date=12 September 2016 | access-date=13 September 2016 | author=Powell, Tom}}

On 28 August 2021, the PVR was cut to 15 vehicles rather than 32.{{Cite web|last=Mortimer|first=Josiah|date=2021-12-21|title=The 41 London bus routes that have quietly been cut in 2021|url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/41-london-bus-routes-quietly-22524597|access-date=2022-01-27|website=MyLondon|language=en}}

=Route withdrawal=

On 23 November 2022, it was announced that route 521 would be withdrawn following a consultation, with routes 59 and 133 being rerouted to replace it either side of St Paul's. These changes were implemented on 29 April 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://ehq-production-europe.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/6d06c2e4078dd9f773d953da7d536fd1dc91a2a3/original/1669194388/1d3e2bafe8ff45f098ca19d41c3031ad_central-london-bus-review-2022-decision-summary-and-next-steps.pdf|title=Central London Bus Review 2022: Decision summary and next steps|website=TfL Have Your Say|date=2022-11-23|access-date=2022-11-23}}{{Cite web |last=Marius |first=Callum |date=2022-12-23 |title=From most frequent route to cancellation, the downfall of the 521 bus |url=https://www.mylondon.news/news/zone-1-news/london-buses-citys-once-most-25825141 |access-date=2022-12-23 |website=MyLondon |language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/central-london-bus-changes|title=Central London bus changes|website=TfL|access-date=2023-04-03}}

Former route

File:Bendy Bus Aug04.jpg Mercedes-Benz O530G Citaro in August 2004]]

Route 521 operated via these primary locations:[https://web.archive.org/web/20211103020122/https://tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/521/ Route 521 Map] Transport for London

References

{{Reflist|2}}

External links

  • {{commons category-inline}}
  • [http://www.tfl.gov.uk/bus/route/521 Timetable]

{{Articulated buses in London|state=collapsed}}

{{London Bus Routes}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:521, London Buses Route}}

Category:Former bus routes in London

Category:Transport in the London Borough of Camden

Category:Transport in the London Borough of Southwark

Category:Transport in the City of London

Category:Transport in the City of Westminster