page_title: London Buses route 149
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: London Buses route 149 / History
caption_attribution_description: LJ10 CVM at Shoreditch on route #149 to Snells Park (Edmonton) on 16th October 2010. I believe this was the first day of double-decker operation; previously the route had been operated by "bendy buses".
context_page_description: London Buses route 149 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Edmonton Green and London Bridge, it is operated by Arriva London.
context_section_description: Route 149 was introduced in 1961 to replace trolleybus route 649 between Waltham Cross and Liverpool Street station. In 1968 it was extended on weekdays to Victoria with some peak hour journeys extended from Waltham Cross to Flamstead End via Cheshunt. In 1970 the route was withdrawn north of Ponders End and in 1971 back to Edmonton, although a few peak hour journeys continued to serve Ponders End. Seven years later route 149 was re-extended to Ponders End at all times.
  In 1985, it was withdrawn between Waterloo and Victoria, and further cut back to Liverpool Street in 1991 apart from a few early weekday journeys to Mansion House station. In the same year it was extended back to Waterloo during weekday peak hours. In 1998 the route was extended south from Liverpool St station to  London Bridge station. The service was converted to an articulated bus operation in 2004 with a fleet of Mercedes-Benz O530G and withdrawn north of Edmonton, with new route 349 taking over.
  In 2005, route 149 was subject to intensive bus priority measures along the length of its route. A year later the route was used to test the iBus recorded announcements system to aid visually impaired passengers.
  Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TL double deck buses were introduced on 16 October 2010 as part of the Mayor of London's policy to withdraw articulated buses from London. The route was transferred to Tottenham garage and the peak vehicle requirement was increased to 36.
  Arriva London has successfully retained route 149 with new contracts starting on 16 October 2010 and 17 October 2015.
  New Routemasters were introduced on 17 October 2015. The rear platform remains closed at all times except for when the bus is at bus stops.
  It is London's fourth busiest bus route as of 2015/16, having carried 14.1 million passengers.
caption: Arriva London Wright Gemini 2 bodied VDL DB300 in Shoreditch in 2010
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