Documentary hops on London buses

BBC Two is to air a six part series filmed over twelve months on London’s buses.

London’s population has grown by a million in the last 10 years. The city’s roads are full up. But eight out of ten Londoners’ journeys are by still by road. So 25,000 Transport for London workers now face a daily battle to keep the capital moving.

Every morning 8,500 buses carry six million passengers – double what the Tube carries. Six thousand traffic lights control them – and us. Two thousand dedicated police keep the roads clear by racing to incidents large and small. And it’s all overseen by the biggest traffic control centre in the world, which, unbeknownst to most of us, orchestrates our journeys every day.

Filmed over a year, these hour long episodes, from the makers of The Tube this is the story of the individuals who keep the system working – from nightbus drivers to road-menders to the controllers running it all. But it’s also the story of our capital now, as the city expands faster than ever.

The Route Masters: Keeping London Moving will air on BBC Two.