Transport UK London Bus operates aid service to Ukraine
On 25 July, a Transport UK London Bus departed from the Ukrainian embassy in London alongside over 50 vehicles supporting four charities to take aid to Ukraine.
Transport UK London Bus has donated a vehicle that will make the four-day drive from central London to the city of Kharkiv. The bus will carry much-needed humanitarian aid including food, clothing, stretchers and medical supplies for the people living in Kharkiv; it will then operate within Ukraine to provide desperately needed transportation.
The convoy consists of primarily of vehicles donated through the capital’s ULEZ scrappage scheme alongside vehicles donated by businesses and individuals. The ULEZ donation scheme is a partnership between the British-Ukrainian Aid charity and TfL.
The Ukrainian ambassador, Valerii Zaluzhnyi and the undisputed heavyweight world boxing champion Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk saw the vehicles off from the Ukrainian embassy in London.
A team from Transport UK London Bus has volunteered to deliver the bus safely to the Ukraine border. The team includes Piotr Slawomir Maslag, Ian Sutton, and Ukrainian national Serhiy. TUKLB Managing Director Jon Eardley and Commercial Director Alastair Willis will meet the team en route to see the bus to the border.
Serhiy, originally from Ukraine, has driven buses in the capital for Transport UK London Bus for 13 years, whilst Piotr, originally from Poland, has served TUK LBs customers for 8 years. The whole TUK team will be thinking of them on their long journey across Europe.
The bus making this epic journey is an Alexander Dennis Enviro 200 single-deck bus. It started operating in 2009 on routes in the Croydon area. It was withdrawn from service in June 2024 and will be handed over to the Peaceful Heaven of Kharkiv following a journey through France, Germany and Poland.
With this donation, Transport UK London Bus is supporting a group of charities dedicated to providing support within and to Ukraine.
The Peaceful Heaven of Kharkiv will be the new bus owner. It is a Ukrainian-based charity that provides humanitarian aid, food, clothing, and evacuation from hot spots in and around the city of Kharkiv.
British-Ukrainian Aid partners with TfL to deliver ULEZ scrappage scheme vehicles, BUAid supplies humanitarian and medical aid supporting the victims of war who have been wounded, stranded or displaced.
The Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership (SHAP)
SHAP is an NGO whose many volunteers work tirelessly to support Ukraine. SHAP has sent a dozen vehicles, including buses, vans, and pickups, to Ukraine and delivered over 2,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid.
V-Aid is a unique charity leveraging the skills of veterans and professionals to deliver rapid, efficient food aid in the wake of global disasters, ensuring help arrives when it's needed most.
Serhiy and Piotr, Transport UK London Bus Drivers, said:
“We volunteered as we felt it was important to support the people of Ukraine. We’re honoured to be supporting these charities and excited about delivering a London city bus all the way to the Ukrainian border.”
Jon Eardley, Managing Director of Transport UK London Bus, said:
"Transport UK London Bus is delighted to support the Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership (SHAP), V-Aid and the BUAid to form part of this vital convoy delivering aid to the Ukrainian charity - Peaceful Heaven of Kharkiv with the donation of one of our iconic red London buses.
We’re incredibly proud of our volunteer team for delivering this vital humanitarian aid to those who genuinely need it. Our bus has served millions of customers in London and will now help Ukrainian people in the city of Kharkiv."
Alan Pilbeam, Chief Commercial Officer of Transport UK, commented:
“Through our partnership with the Peaceful Heaven of Kharkiv, Transport UK is proud to connect communities in Ukraine and provide much-needed humanitarian assistance.
“The dedication of the TUK London Bus drivers who have volunteered to transport the vehicles and aid to Ukraine is outstanding. Their commitment to serving communities in London is always impressive, but this goes above and beyond. Transport UK operates some of the most highly rated train and bus services in the UK and this mission is further proof of the team’s excellence.”
Mike Bowden, Chair and founder of SHAP, said:
Since Transport UK London Bus first promised the donation of an iconic red London bus, their company wide commitment and enthusiasm to make this project a great success has been beyond impressive.
Our laser focus is to maximise the number of vehicles for humanitarian use in Ukraine.
We appeal to local councils and city authorities ,health authorities, police and fire authorities, businesses, haulage and bus companies and of course private individuals to think about donating vehicles to Ukraine when they are upgrading their fleets or simply changing the family car .
Whether evacuating the injured, the elderly or children or delivering food or medical aid each vehicle will make a real difference to the lives of ordinary Ukrainians and save lives.”
Tony Strutt, Founder of V-Aid, said:
“We want everyone who is considering getting rid of their old vehicle or using the ULEZ scrappage scheme to be aware of the option of giving their vehicle to Ukraine. Providing your vehicle to the much-needed Ukrainian cause not only helps us deliver medical and food aid but also provides essential transportation for those in need. We hope that all future scrappage schemes in the UK and across Europe will consider including a Ukrainian option because these vehicles—whether a car, van, pickup, or lorry - truly save lives.”
I am privileged to have been involved with the project since the beginning and to be involved in taking this bus and other vehicles to their final destination in the east of Ukraine. Having first hand knowledge of where this is going and what it is to be used for, I would personally like to thank Transport UK for this donation and to all the other individuals and groups who have donated so much time money and aid to help Ukraine, they are the unsung heroes.”
Nadiia Pylypchuk, Trustee of British- Ukrainian Aid said:
“The situation in Ukraine is desperate due to continuous and relentless attacks from Russia, whose army is constantly bombarding the country as we speak—destroying power infrastructure, hospitals, schools, residential houses, and other civilian facilities.
We are grateful to Transport UK for responding to our appeal for more vehicles and donating one of their buses to the cause.
Every vehicle donated contributes directly to saving lives and supporting the resilience of the Ukrainian people.”
Serhii Chubukov, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Peaceful Heaven of Kharkiv said:
“Our city is enduring unimaginable hardships due to the ongoing bombardment, which is devastating in so many ways. Since the invasion, the support from the UK has been overwhelming. Every vehicle we receive, whether a bus, ambulance, or car, will provide critical help and support to the innocent victims”