On 12 Sep 2005 11:46:43 -0700, "
wrote:

Don't get me wrong - I would LOVE there to be a successful Routemaster
route or routes running for many years to come but, I firmly believe,
this is a Mickey Mouse proposal by Mickey Mouse people and will likely
last 1 or 2 years at the most.

I share some of your cynicism about this venture. However too many
people are watching the initiative for it to be ditched too quickly.

There will be poor maintenance and cannibalisation (hardly a portent of
a long-term future in any event!). The buses will become shabbier and
shabbier, the service even less reliable - if one of the buses doesn't
run (due to staff failure, for example), there will be a half-hour
headway. Not the sort of time tourists will be willing to spend
standing at a bus stop on the off-chance that another Routemaster may
eventually appear. All of this will add to the arguments for its
abolition.

Given that First and Stagecoach have the contracts for the routes and
they both did probably the best job of keeping their Routemasters
pristine (remember route 7 and route 8 vehicles?) then I think they will
be very well maintained and presented. I also imagine that they will be
able to pick and choose the best conductors from those who have been
sacked from the other routes. If they have been unable to get
replacement jobs then I can see they would be quite keen on working on
these services. Being able to hand pick the best recruits should mean a
good level of customer service. It's not an ideal situation but I think
we should see what happens in reality.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!