London Buses route RV1

London Buses route RV1 is a Transport for London (TfL) contracted bus route in London, England. Prior to its launch, the service was promoted as Riverside Bus, and was intended to open up the south bank of riverside London, connecting visitor attractions such as the Tower of London, the Tate Modern, the South Bank arts complex, the London Eye and Covent Garden.

The service was jointly promoted by TfL and the South Bank Employers' Group, and is contracted to First Capital. The buses serving it are route branded with Riverside logos, and the route number reflects this branding.

History
The route was inaugurated on April 27, 2002 and proved popular with both tourists and commuters, as it is the only route to serve many roads between Waterloo and London Bridge.

It was one of the first routes in London to be off-ticketing only. This meant quicker boarding and journey times, and during the first few months most buses ran early to the timetable.

The route is operated by diesel fuelled rigid (i.e. not articulated) Mercedes-Benz Citaros. Between September 2004 and January 2007, three trial fuel cell powered Citaros (more information) were used on this route to compare their efficiency with their diesel equivalents. The fuel cell buses only operated in the mornings and early afternoon due to a lack of fuel capacity.

In November 2010 it was announced that the route will again be operated with hydrogen-powered vehicles. One new bus came into service in December 2010, and seven more will be in service by the end of 2011.

Current route

 * Covent Garden Catherine Street
 * Aldwych
 * Waterloo Station
 * London Bridge Sation
 * Tower Gateway Station