Transport for London (TfL) has awarded a £160 million contract over 10 years to INIT, a transport technology solutions company, for the replacement of the existing Automatic Vehicle Location system (iBus) used across the capital's bus network.

The current iBus system, operated by Trapeze, has been in service for 17 years, providing real-time journey information and enabling TfL to better manage the bus network.

The new generation iBus promises significant enhancements to both the on-board hardware and back-office services, say TfL.

Seb Dance, Deputy Mayor for Transport said: "Improving London's transport network and making public transport more attractive for Londoners is a core aim of the Mayor's and key to his commitment to have 80% of journeys made using public transport by 2040."

Under the deal, INIT will supply new service control tools for bus operators, integrating with existing systems for payments, performance management, and voice radio.

This integration aims to improve service reliability and the provision of information to customers.

A key benefit will be increased accuracy of real-time passenger updates, with disruption and diversion details to be displayed on bus stop boards, audio-visual announcements, and the TfL Go app.

Arrival time predictions, especially for early stops, will be refined using data from recent journeys to account for live traffic conditions.

Safety will also be boosted through hazard warnings for drivers approaching tight turns or narrow roads, bus operators will gain the ability to change iBus equipment themselves, reducing vehicle downtime.

Complementing the iBus upgrade, TfL has installed over 300 new Countdown displays across London this year, taking the total to nearly 3,000.

These initiatives form part of TfL's Bus Action Plan to attract more riders and achieve a net zero bus fleet by 2030, with over 1,300 zero-emission buses already operating and plans to convert the entire fleet, subject to government funding.

Jens Mullak, INIT Limited's Managing Director, said: "We are very proud to be selected by TfL as the supplier for the next generation of the iBus system.

“This confirms that our long-term technology strategy has been positively recognised. The new system will have a modular open technology platform that is scalable and accommodates TfL's future development ambitions.”