Some new bus shelter designs are being tested around London at the moment, and there’s also a small exhibition about the plans.

Superficially, the new bus shelters don’t look radically different, but TfL says the new design incorporates better seating, lighting, and, in places, CCTV for the police – and is also easier to install at bus stops.

However, as the exhibition explains, bus shelters are shared civic spaces and the “shop window” for bus services, so they shape people’s perceptions of using public transport. By improving these everyday spaces, TfL says it can strengthen confidence in the bus network.

Some of the changes are obvious, such as the improved lighting and better seating.

Others are almost invisible, such as the changed red roof material, which we’re told is retroreflective and better at reflecting vehicle lights. Candidly, other than looking a slightly deeper shade of red, it was hard to see the difference.

More interesting are the materials samples, so you can decide if you prefer a wooden seat or a metal one. The rectangular shapes in the seating, which I assumed were a strengthening texture, are apparently a bus moquette.

The larger text on the bus stop name is a welcome change. Unless there’s an overwhelming reason, I feel that text and icons should fill as much space as possible on a sign. The only functional reason for loads of empty space around the text is if the sign needs a large border to make it stand out against the urban landscape.

The bus shelters will be on trial for about a year, but the exhibition at the NLA London Centre is open until 30th June 2026.

It’s open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to 5pm (closing at 3pm on 23rd June) and is located next to the City of London Guildhall.

There’s also the large scale model of central London in the building, and it has mapped where the trial bus shelters can be found if you want to go bus shelter hunting.

Details here.