Smarter data, better buses

Collaboration with CitySwift has been a win for passengers, operators and Transport for London

 
London’s buses carry around 1.8 billion passenger journeys each year

London’s bus network is one of the largest and most mature in the world, with nearly 9,000 vehicles operating across over 600 routes. These buses collectively carry around 1.8 billion passenger journeys each year, forming a vital part of the capital’s transport ecosystem. Managed through a franchised model, these services are delivered by seven operators under the oversight of Transport for London (TfL).

As urban mobility evolves and the need to improve public transport increases, TfL continues to innovate in its approach to network planning and performance. At the heart of this transformation is a renewed focus on data-led decision making, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), dynamic analytics, and close collaboration between TfL, London’s operators, and partners like CitySwift.

Complex network, complex needs

With increasing demands on urban transport, shifting travel patterns and evolving passenger expectations, the demands placed on London’s bus services are more complex than ever. The challenge is not only to maintain the performance of this vast network, but to improve it – delivering faster, more reliable, and more efficient journeys for Londoners.

This is not just a win for TfL – it’s a win across the board

Reactive approaches to performance management and financial resource efficiency by TfL and operators are no longer fit for purpose. TfL’s forward-thinking strategy embraces dynamic, AI-enhanced tools that can respond to on-the-road conditions, guide smarter resource allocation, and help operators understand and adapt to network needs faster.

Supporting TfL’s Bus Action Plan

To support the delivery of TfL’s Bus Action Plan, CitySwift is providing its performance optimisation platform to the authority and every operator within London’s franchised bus network. Already implemented in major UK cities such as Manchester, Reading, and Birmingham, CitySwift integrates a wide range of operational data, using these insights to generate service recommendations and performance simulations. These outputs improve service reliability and efficiency at every stage of the route lifecycle: from planning, to tendering, to in-life management.

CitySwift will enable TfL to work collaboratively with London’s operators by setting clear specification standards, simulating performance outcomes, and modelling resource and cost requirements. In time the platform will allow for smarter evaluation by selecting optimal quality schedules during the tendering process. Additionally, CitySwift helps optimise in-life operations by tracking reliability, simulating disruption scenarios, and identifying opportunities to add or adjust resources effectively.
This holistic approach ensures that every route is designed and managed with the best available data – supporting shared visibility, faster decision-making, and improved collaboration across the network.

A win across the network

The benefits of this approach are already becoming clear. By applying CitySwift’s dynamic recommendations and simulations, TfL and operators are identifying new ways to improve journey times, reduce excess waiting time (EWT), and elevate the overall experience for passengers. This is not just a win for TfL – it’s a win across the board.

For passengers, it means more reliable services, improved punctuality, and more consistent journey times. For operators, it enables better use of resources, clearer performance targets, and greater confidence
in route design and delivery. For TfL, it provides a stronger ability to steer and support a high-performing, integrated public transport system.

Preparing for the future

As the London bus network continues to evolve, CitySwift’s role will grow alongside it – particularly in the context of more dynamic scheduling and seasonal changes.

CitySwift supports the development of high-performing networks that can adapt quickly to operational realities and seasonal demand shifts. It enables more efficient networks by ensuring the right buses are deployed in the right places at the right times, making optimal use of available fleet and driver resources. Additionally, it fosters more collaborative networks by strengthening cooperation between TfL and operators to improve key performance metrics such as Excess Waiting Time (EWT) and Bus Customer Journey Time.

This approach doesn’t just help London. It offers a blueprint for other cities around the world

This approach doesn’t just help London. It offers a blueprint for other cities around the world, where large-scale franchised networks are also grappling with the challenge of becoming more reliable, efficient, and customer-focused in the face of limited resources and rising expectations.

A shared vision at UITP Summit

The collaboration between CitySwift and Transport for London is part of a broader movement in public transport towards smarter, more agile service planning, management and delivery. At the UITP Summit 2025, this work will be showcased as part of a dedicated session in a track on Smarter Network Planning: Leveraging Data and AI for Public Transport Optimisation.

Presented by Philip Gerhardt FCILT, head of bus performance at TfL, and Alan Farrelly, CitySwift’s CCO and co-founder, the session will explore how TfL’s use of performance optimisation and AI tools is delivering tangible benefits across London’s bus system.

 
CATCH THE PRESENTATION: Catch the UITP Summit presentation featuring Transport for London and CitySwift in the ‘Smarter Network Planning’ track at Expo Session B, Hall A4 (Ground Floor) on Tuesday June 17 at 4pm. Meet CitySwift’s team and see the platform in action in Hall A2 at Booth #332 throughout the summit.