I remember when the bus system was being privatised and watching the transport minister on the news explaining that he'd been 'inspired' by watching multiple double-decker buses crossing in front of parliament - all with no passengers and his feeling that 'something must be done'.
Yet London got left alone while the rest of the country got the full 'freedom' of the private sector. It's a tad annoying ;-)
The thing that bemuses me about TfL is a similar public run arrangement was recently encouraged and proposed for another part of England. It was blocked at the last minute. London definitely gets special treatment, even when it goes against the narrative.
> Also for some reason TfL remains in public hands - maybe because it's too important for private sector to mess up?
The TfL ultimately has a lot of the same responsibilities as the DfT within Greater London; the actual operations of most TfL routes are contracted out.
Yet London got left alone while the rest of the country got the full 'freedom' of the private sector. It's a tad annoying ;-)