New bus shelter designs with improved safety and accessibility features are to be piloted at 27 different locations across the capital.

The Transport for London (TfL) year-long trial will see the introduction of components such as enhanced lighting and seating, improved priority spaces, new roof designs, more sustainable construction, strengthened anti-vandalism protections, and CCTV at 10 locations.

The move supports TfL’s Bus Action Plan and its goals of increasing bus use and accelerating London’s net zero progress.

Among the areas to benefit from the trial, which started at the end of January, are Barking & Dagenham, Bexley, Camden, Croydon, Hackney, Havering, Hillingdon, Kingston-upon-Thames, Lambeth, Southwark, Wandsworth and City of Westminster.

Locations were chosen on the grounds of the condition of current shelters, high crime rates, and the amount of customers using each stop.

The trial will involve the use of two different designs and four different arrangements of features at the sites, which will then be assessed based on a ‘broad range of criteria’.

According to TfL, multiple campaign groups and charities have been included in the development of the shelter designs to help boost safety and accessibility standards, with post-trial feedback to be used to inform future bus shelter projects.

Twenty new Landmark London shelters will also be rolled out at the highest demand stops on the network, serving areas that have formerly lacked shelters, while a further 11 refurbished shelters are being assigned to existing unsheltered stops.

Since TfL and the Metropolitan Police trialled the installation of CCTV at 20 London bus shelters in 2024, 80% of 1,000 women reported feeling safer, with 73% saying they would be more inclined to use the bus.

Michael Roberts, CEO of London TravelWatch, said: ‘Many people - particularly women and girls - can feel unsafe waiting at bus shelters after dark, so better lighting and CCTV will go a long way to help them feel more safe and secure’.

He added: ‘Our recent street space research also found that a third of Londoners wanted better places to sit and rest, so more comfortable bus shelters will no doubt be welcomed by many people, and particularly those with mobility issues’.

Carl Eddleston, TfL's Director of Streets and Network Operations, said: ‘This initiative reflects our commitment to creating a bus network that feels safer, more welcoming and easier to use. By modernising our infrastructure, we’re ensuring that Londoners benefit from spaces that truly support their daily journeys’.