Route 135 commenced operating on 24 May 2008 between Crossharbour and Old Street station. It was initially operated at a frequency of every 15 minutes off-peak and every 10 minutes during peak hours, with a maximum requirement of 13 double-deck buses.[1] The initial contract to operate the route was awarded to Arriva London's Barking garage.[2]
Upon being re-tendered, the route was awarded to Docklands Buses with the transfer occurring on 23 May 2015 and Alexander Dennis Enviro 400 bodied Volvo B5LHs introduced.[3][4]
On 17 September 2016, it was rerouted through the Isle of Dogs to partly replace route D3.[6]
The route is expected to transfer to Tower Transit in May 2022.[7]
Route description[]
The route links Crossharbour to Old Street, serving a number of intermediate points including Canary Wharf, Westferry, Limehouse, Aldgate and Hoxton. It is one of the two routes that provides the a direct bus link between Canary Wharf and the City of London, and serves a number of heavily cultural locations.[5] Parts of the route provide an alternative to the Docklands Light Railway.[1] The other route is the night route N550.
Current route[]
Route 135 operates via these primary locations:[8]
The route number 135 has previously been used twice; for a service between Forty Hill and Brimsdown, until September 1982, and from November 1987 for a service between Marble Arch and Archway via Camden Town. The second service was operated by Metroline after privatisation, and was withdrawn in December 2000, being replaced by extending route 88 to cover part of its route and increasing the frequency of route 134, which already ran over much of the 135 route.[9]
Media related to London Buses route 135 at Wikimedia Commons
