Mizter T wrote:
On Jul 12, 10:37 pm, "Chris Read" wrote:

"West Yorkshire Bus" wrote:
With Boris being pro-Routemasters, anti-Bendibuses, I'm surprised
there hasn't been any changes to the heritage Routemaster services in
London since they were introduced

That would involve an interest in the detail. He's not that interested
in the detail. He's not that interested in buses, actually - electric
cars and bikes, yes - buses and trains, no.

He's currently having KPMG draw up a bus review, which one suspects will
be aimed very much at cutting the annual subsidy and/or loosening the
grip TfL has on the private bus operators, neither of which are exactly
conducive to a reintroduction of widespread two crew operation.

I was in London recently and the services seemed popular and the very
sight of one on the road caused tens of tourists to get out their
cameras.
They are expensive to operate, and often very quiet during the winter
period. There is no longer a stock of Routemaster vehicles to expand the
service, even if that were desirable.

In fact, I'm quite surprised these services are still operating at all. If
drastic cuts become necessary at TfL, I would expect the 9H and 15H to be in
the firing line. They are 'nice to haves' which contribute little to the
real job of TfL - moving Londoners efficiently from A to B on a daily basis.

There is simply zero chance of them being cut though, at least now
whilst Boris is in office, given the political capital he has invested
in the whole Routemaster 'thing' - if he did, the furore would be
immense. I suppose that if and when the Borismaster (the Routemaster
inspired Boris Bus) ever appears, then they could be dropped - but the
Borismaster, *if* it ever sees the light of day, isn't going to be
that similar to the old Routemasters.


It won't even have an open back, as currently envisaged, more a door
that's left open during the day. This allows them to reduce the crewing
cost, and therefore suggests alarm bells at the differential in running
costs with OPO double deckers, let alone artics.

The 9H and 15H ought to be up for retender a few months before the end
of Boris's first and hopefully last term, with the contract running out
a few months later Be interesting to watch if the tender announcement
comes out on time.

My prediction has long been that London will have more artics than
Routemasters of any variety come May 2012.

Tom