The service, which will operate through the Silvertown Tunnel, will start on April 7 and will be free to use for at least one year.
The cycle shuttle service will carry a wide range of cycles and feature a unique silver and blue branding to distinguish the vehicles from the regular bus network.
The bus will offer a safe connection for cyclists through the tunnel between Silvertown and North Greenwich.
The zero-emission service will operate every 12 minutes from 6.30am to 9.30pm, seven days a week.
With less than a month to go until the Silvertown Tunnel opens on April 7, TfL has revealed the final details of the new cycle shuttle service, which will allow cyclists to take advantage of the new cross-river connection.
The Silvertown Tunnel cycle shuttle service, which has new and unique silver and blue branding, is designed to allow people with cycles to use the tunnel to safely cross the river between Silvertown and North Greenwich.
The service will carry a variety of standard and non-standard cycles and will have two stops, one on each side of the river, with the “north” stop located on Seagull Lane close to Royal Victoria DLR station, and the “south” stop located on Millennium Way near the junction with Old School Close.
Pedestrians travelling without a cycle will not be permitted to use the service but will benefit from other improved cross-river bus services launching with the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel, including the new SL4 Superloop route.
The service has been designed to carry a range of cycle designs, including pedal cycles, tricycles, folded cycles, adaptive cycles and cargo cycles.
In order to ensure safety and accessibility for all passengers, all cycles conveyed on the service should be no longer than 2.14 metres, no wider than 0.76m and no higher than 1.4m at the handlebar, and weigh less than 300kg including rider and any property carried by the cycle.
E-bikes, as well as Santander Cycles and third-party hire bikes or e-bikes, will also be allowed to use the service.
Inside, the shuttle bus will have two separate bays for cycle storage.
Each bay can hold up to four standard cycles, with one bay prioritised for non-standard cycles.
Folding cycles, luggage and equipment can also be stored in dedicated luggage racks.
The bus will lower itself towards the kerb at stops to assist customers with boarding and a ramp can also be deployed to ensure step-free boarding.
As with all TfL bus operations, drivers will not be able to provide physical assistance to passengers, including getting cycles off and on the service.
The layout of the bus has undergone testing to ensure that it not only allows the widest range of cycles to be able to use the service, but also complies with vehicle guidelines from the DVSA.
Now its innovative design has been approved, TfL will continue to seek customer feedback to ensure that the service operates efficiently for customers, consider what improvements are possible as the service develops, as well as share learnings with other transport bodies in case they wish to replicate its design to support cyclists in their cities and towns.
Lorna Murphy, director of buses at TfL, said: “We’re pleased to share the final details of our innovative cycle-shuttle service, which will provide important cross river connectivity for a range of cyclists through the Silvertown Tunnel.
“This free service will help people cycling in east London cross the river safely and encourage more active travel across the area.
“We have designed this service to support as many different cycle designs as possible within the physical space available, and we look forward to seeing Londoners using it once the Silvertown Tunnel opens on 7 April.”
