London Buses route 23

23
Overview
Operator	First Centrewest
Garage	Westbourne Park (X)
Vehicle	Dennis Trident 2 10.5m / Alexander ALX400 Alexander Dennis Enviro400 VDL DB300 10.4m / Wright Gemini 2
Peak vehicle requirement	31
Night-time	24-hour service
Route
Start	Liverpool Street
Via	Aldwych Oxford Circus Paddington Ladbroke Grove
End	Westbourne Park
Length	8 miles (13 km)
Service
Level	24-hour service
Frequency	About every 6 minutes
Journey time	46-95 minutes
Operates	24-hour service

London Buses route 23 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, United Kingdom. The service is currently contracted to First Centrewest.

Due to its 24-hour service and high frequency it is one of the busiest routes in London and is very popular with tourist route connecting famous sites such as St. Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Regent Street and Oxford Street as well as three mainline rail terminals.

History

The current route only dates back to 1992. The original route 23 was renumbered route 15 on 18 May 1985. The route has always been operated by Centrewest, initially a subsidiary of London Buses, which became part of First Group in 1997. It mainly used Routemasters including an open top one, along with MCW Metrobuses. In 2003, Dennis Trident 2 10.5m Alexander ALX400s were used to convert the 23 to low floor with the last Routemasters running on 14 November 2003. In May 2008, Alexander Dennis Enviro400s were introduced to the route and more recently Gemini 2 DL's were introduced in 2009.

In January 2009 Transport for London reduced the peak frequency of route 23 from twelve buses per hour to ten, as part of its implementation of the request from the Mayor of London to reduce the bus flow in Oxford Street by 10% in each of 2009 and 2010. The off-peak service already operated at this frequency.

On 5 January 2009 a bus operating route 23 crashed into a shop in Westbourne Grove after swerving to avoid a van, injuring ten people.

Later in 2009 Transport for London decided not to proceed with a possible change of the eastbound route in the Elgin Crescent area, following a consultation with residents and local interest groups. The proposal would have routed the eastbound 23 along Ladbroke Gardens instead of Elgin Crescent, while routes 52 and 452 would continue to run along Elgin Crescent in both directions. The most common benefit stated amongst supporters was fewer buses along the overcrowded Elgin Crescent; those opposing the change were concerned about safety at the junction of Ladbroke Grove and Ladbroke Gardens, and the suitability of Ladbroke Gardens to accommodate a bus service.

In March 2010 it was announced that the contract for route 23 had been retained by First Centrewest from 13 November with 31 existing double deckers.

New Volvo B9TL 10.4m / Wright Eclipse Gemini's are to temporarily be introduced on route 23 from January 2012.

New Alexander Dennis Enviro400H hybrid to be introduced on route 23 from April 2012.

In popular culture

Radio presenter Geoff Lloyd featured the route in the show Boring? The number 23 bus? Never! at the Boring Conference in December 2010.

Current route

• Liverpool Street Station Bus Station
• Bank Station
• Mansion House Station
• St Paul's Churchyard
• City Thameslink Station
• Aldwych
• Charing Cross Station
• Trafalgar Square
• Piccadilly Circus Station
• Oxford Circus Station
• Bond Street Station
• Marble Arch Station
• Paddington Station
• Ladbroke Grove Station
• Ladbroke Grove Sainsbury's
• Westbourne Park Station

Gallery

• 
  Plaxton President operation of route 23
• 
  Alexander ALX400 operation of route 23

See also

• List of bus routes in London
• First Centrewest

External links

• Transport for London
• London Bus Routes
• London Bus Routes Zenfolio
• Timetable (PDF)