London's Bus Rapid Transit project has grown from its original budget to roughly $454 million, including a reported $174 million cost overrun largely attributed to inflation. Timelines have slipped too — the East London Link now targets mid-2027 for service, and the Wellington Gateway south leg has moved to a 2028 opening. On top of that, reporting confirms these new BRT lines are set to launch without all-door boarding — considered an essential feature of real bus rapid transit systems elsewhere.
My Plan · Where I Stand
$454 Million and Still Not "Rapid"
At $454 million, the question is simple: will riders actually get faster, more reliable service?
The answer
Here’s the issue. Here’s my answer. Here’s what I’d do.
A cost increase by itself does not prove mismanagement. But after years of construction and hundreds of millions of dollars, residents deserve a straight answer: what will make this service meaningfully faster and more reliable than the bus service it replaces?
I’d ask why all-door boarding is not included at launch, what it would cost to add and when the remaining phases will actually be finished. Transit gets the same test as everything else: show the cost, the date and the result.
Your say
Do you agree, partly agree, or disagree?
Check the work
Check the sources and status
Where to go next.
BISSON13 · Ward 13
If this is the kind of work you want to see at City Hall, here is how to help.