In message , Annabel Smyth
writes
I mourn the demise of the conductor - and that is one of the main
reasons for the demise of the Routemaster. Cost, I mean - cheaper to
pay one person than two.
Sadly yes. But I believe it's a false economy. Having extra people
on hand helps with all sorts of things, mot least security, limiting
damage and making people feel safer (and therefore happier to use public
transport).

Granted RMs are awkward for pushchairs,
I beg to differ. For *folded* pushchairs they're better than most
modern buses, thanks to the little "cubby hole" beneath the stairs.

and
impossible for wheelchair-users,
Indeed, I agree.

but those who have other forms of
disability used to be able to rely on a helping hand from the conductor,
who would get them on and see them safely seated before allowing the bus
to move off. Sigh....
*Exactly* the situation my mother is in. She seldom visits London but
it much happier with older buses as there are more grab-points than on
wheelchair accessible ones (inevitably, since the wheelchairs naturally
need circulating space).

I do agree, though, they are rather low in the ceiling (at 5'8", I have
to bend, on the upper deck!).
But only to and from your seat. Not the greatest hardship in the
world.

But no, not bendy buses - they make me
feel sick,
Good for crush capacity short rides but I'm glad to see from elsewhere
in this thread that I'm not alone in seeing them as being wasteful of
road space.

and there is no upper deck to go on where one can see where
one is going....
Which is, of course, the end of civilization as we know it! :-)

I'm still eager to find what the "tourist network" of RMs mentioned by
Ken Livingstone a long time ago will turn out to be.
--
Ian Jelf, MITG, Birmingham, UK
Registered "Blue Badge" Tourist Guide for
London & the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk