Ventilation on London Double Deckers

Okell

Can anybody tell me whether the current crop of TFL double-deckers are supposed to have working air-conditioning?

We always travel by DD when in London as it's the best way to see the city.  We spent a couple of hours on two bus journeys on Wednesday and it was absolutely sweltering.  I wouldn't be surprised if the temperature was in the high 30s to 40+.

The only ventilation was 4 (possibly 6) tiny little slide to open windows.  Of course if you sit at the front, where the best view is, there are no openable windows at all!

There were vents in the ceiling of the top deck that might have been for air-con, but if so it definitely wasn't working.

Are these electric (or hybrid) buses meant to have air-con or is the only ventilation option the wholly inadequate windows?

(Or isn't air-con sufficiently planet friendly to be allowed?)

TadleyBaggie

This is from 2022:

https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transparency/freedom-of-information/foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-1064-2223

Which indicates that no passenger areas of the current bus fleet has air conditioning, only the driver cab.

Emmia

Double decker bses don't have aircon in the passenger area... 

martindow

Some do have some sort of system of fans blowing in air through vents which can be helpful, but very few buses in the UK have aircon.  There really is an increasing need for it as even on cooler days, buses can get very hot in bright sunshine.

MSE_James

There are a few London buses with air-con, like the high specification electric buses on the 63 route

Grumpy_chap

Okell said:

The only ventilation was 4 (possibly 6) tiny little slide to open windows.  Of course if you sit at the front, where the best view is, there are no openable windows at all!

Are these electric (or hybrid) buses meant to have air-con or is the only ventilation option the wholly inadequate windows?

The DD's in operation near us, even the new electric / hybrid models still have the tiny slide / tilt windows.  Most I think have a tilt window.

DullGreyGuy

Okell said:

Can anybody tell me whether the current crop of TFL double-deckers are supposed to have working air-conditioning?

We always travel by DD when in London as it's the best way to see the city.  We spent a couple of hours on two bus journeys on Wednesday and it was absolutely sweltering.  I wouldn't be surprised if the temperature was in the high 30s to 40+.

The only ventilation was 4 (possibly 6) tiny little slide to open windows.  Of course if you sit at the front, where the best view is, there are no openable windows at all!

There were vents in the ceiling of the top deck that might have been for air-con, but if so it definitely wasn't working.

Are these electric (or hybrid) buses meant to have air-con or is the only ventilation option the wholly inadequate windows?

(Or isn't air-con sufficiently planet friendly to be allowed?)

There a lot of different buses in operation in London and most routes have more than one type as they dont replace/refit them all at once. 

Some buses do have "air cooling" but TFL differentiate it from air conditioning. The latest electric double deckers do have some air cooling on the upper deck but they now also have a massive section of glass roof which probably makes it a bit of swings and roundabouts on if the deck is hotter or cooler than the older models with a metal roof but more limited cooling. 

username

I'm definitely sure that the new electric buses do have air conditioning, but people keep leaving the windows open, thus defeating the point. I tested this one as I could feel some cold air coming out of one of the vents over my head and shutting a window or two around where I was sat helped it to do its job. Perhaps they need a don't open this window sticker on these new buses fitted with air conditioning - traditionally I don't think buses have been fitted with air conditioning which leads to people to open the window by reflex, without noticing the vents in the ceiling!