Abellio London Bus sets wheels in motion on 322 Clapham to Crystal Palace service

Fresh wheels started turning on a key Transport for London (TfL) bus route on Saturday (30 April).

Abellio London started operating the 322 (Clapham Common-Crystal Palace) from its Battersea depot, under a new TfL contract that will operate for 7 years.

The route start is the culmination of months of hard work and preparation from staff right across the company - and Abellio London has drawn upon its experience in mobilising new bus routes in the capital, to ensure all aspects are covered and the transition is a smooth one.

On route 322, a fleet of 11 Switch Mobility MetroCity single decker buses will enter service in the next few weeks. These will be the first Switch Mobility vehicles to enter service in London. The 8.7m-long single deckers are being brought in specifically to safely navigate the tight roads on the route.

Jon Eardley, Managing Director, Abellio London Bus, said: "The commencement of this route is an exciting moment for everyone at Abellio London, and reflects our ambition and growing reputation as an operator of choice. Once again we are showing our expertise in effective mobilisation of quality bus services, ensuring a smooth transition and a safe experience for customers.

"We've been steadily increasing the size of our zero-emission fleet, and the launch of further state-of-the-art electric buses on route 322 in the coming months will see us cement our reputation for operating one of the cleanest bus fleets in the country.

"We're committed to working long-term with innovative manufacturers and TfL to help realise the Mayor of London's ambition to have a zero-emissions bus system in the capital by 2030."

As part of its commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of its operations, five out of Abellio London's six depots will be upgraded to run zero-emissions buses by Autumn 2022. Continued investment in cutting-edge zero emissions vehicles manufactured by three suppliers in the UK (Switch Mobility, Wrightbus and ADL) is supporting innovation and jobs in green technology across the country.

By the end of 2022, Abellio London is set to run 125 electric vehicles, with 17% of the overall fleet being zero emission.