London Buses route 281
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| 281 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Operator | London United (First Bus London) |
| Garage | Fulwell |
| Vehicle | BYD Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV Volvo B5LH Wright Gemini 3 |
| Peak vehicle requirement | Day: 19 Night: 4[1] |
| Began service | 9 May 1962 |
| Predecessors | Trolleybus Route 601 |
| Night-time | 24-hour service |
| Route | |
| Start | Hounslow bus station |
| Via | Whitton Twickenham Teddington Kingston Surbiton |
| End | Tolworth station |
| Length | 11 miles (18 km) |
| Service | |
| Level | 24-hour service |
| Frequency | About every 8 minutes |
| Journey time | 45-81 minutes |
| Operates | 24-hour service |
London Buses route 281 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Hounslow bus station and Tolworth station, it is operated by First Bus London subsidiary London United.
_1998_Volvo_Olympian_Alexander_RH-Type,_Hounslow,_route_281,_September_1998.jpg)
Route 281 was introduced between Twickenham and Tolworth on 9 May 1962 to replace trolleybus route 601, operating from Fulwell garage.[2][3][4] On 15 August 1981 it was converted from AEC Routemaster to MCW Metrobus operation.
In 2000, the route was identified as one of the most popular in London, with approximately 5.5 million passengers using the service that year.[5]
On 3 June 2006, route 281 became the 100th night bus service in London, when a 24-hour service introduced.[6] It replaced a portion of route N22, which was shortened to end at Fulwell.[7]
Since the privatisation of London bus services, it has always been operated by London United out of Fulwell garage.[8][9][10]
On 28 February 2025, the route passed from London United to First Bus London following the acquisition of RATP Dev Transit London by FirstGroup.[11]
Current route
Route 281 operates via these main locations:[12]
