London Banter - View Single Post

Johannes Patruus · September 18th 16, 03:31 PM posted to uk.transport.london

On 18/09/2016 15:16, wrote:
I had the distinct ... erm ... pleasure of riding on Roastmaster (a.k.a.
Borisbus) the other day.

I am neither a designer nor an automotive engineer, but I think that it is
safe to say that this is a poorly designed vehicle pretty much by
anybody's standards and that this is also what happens when you push
through a vanity project. Where was the oversight committee on this?

I was on one bus that had openable windows on its upper deck, though I
still felt extremely nauseous. I did this after the heatwave and I don't
easily get motion sickness, thus making me wonder if there are issues with
exhaust venting.

The seats were extremely narrow and uncomfortable; While it would probably
benefit me to lose a couple of kilos, as with many people, I am not
grossly overweight.

The promised A/C doesn't work, and fare evasion can be rife. Indeed, I
thought that one of the many reasons for being rid of Bendis was to combat
fare evasion.

I also understand that the cost of these busses came in well above what
something like a Volvo would cost.

IMHO, this has to be one of the worst passenger vehicles plying London's
roads these days, making the bendibus look good in comparison.

The design that they have now should have either gone through several
additional iterations, been a mock up as part of an exhibition called
"Transport of the Future" in some place like London's Design Museum or
simply remained a concept drawing as part of a design studio's PR action.

In any event, the fiasco that is the current Roastmaster has likely killed
off any prospect of getting a new Routemaster on London's road any time in
the foreseeable future.

Although I have been only a handful of times on a Borisbus, I too rate the
design of the passenger cabins as poor. On the lower deck, I dislike all
those backward-facing seats, and the upper deck I find claustrophobic
owing to the low roof. I have become accustomed to the much roomier and
bigger-windowed double-deckers used elsewhere, e.g., on route 263.

And yes, I agree, the seats are uncomfortable.

Patruus