New London Routemaster Buses Delayed

It’s been revealed that the new Routemater has been delayed. The new buses were due to go into service on February 20 of this year, which of course was Monday. Now, however, the buses are due to be launched next week on February 27. Transport for London (TfL) says that the buses weren’t ready yet due to more tests. However, while the new-look Routemaster hits the road, the other seven prototypes of the bus won’t begin operating until later.  They will all be rolled out from the production line by summer, with five due to be out by May.

The first of the new buses is due to operate on route 38 between Victoria station and Hackney. Right now the bus is being tested on the route for emissions, braking, steering, alarm systems, lights and seat fixtures – which is required by the Department for Transport (DfT).

TfL operations director for London Buses Mike Weston says that the first new London bus is due to enter full passenger service next week. The Routemaster is taking part in final road tests right now, and these will be done throughout this week. They originally hoped the first bus would begin serving passengers during this time, but that has been slightly delayed due to the certification process needed for new vehicles taking longer than predicted.

A spokeswoman for TfL added that they are working hard to finalise the preparations that will ensure the rest of the buses are ready as soon as they can be. Transport Minister Peter Hendy says that only being a week late is pretty good after three-and-a-half years. It took 12 years for the original bus to move from conception to service.

London Assembly Lib-Dem group and transport committee leader Caroline Pidgeon slammed the recent delay, claiming it exposes the record that Mayor Boris Johnson holds for bus services. He promised to provide a new London bus during his four-year term, but his record has been increasing bus fares 50% and allowing more crowding on buses.

The old Routemasters, which had open platforms, were axed in 2005 – a move that was protested by passengers. However, there are still a few of the buses used on tourist routes. The new models have also garnered criticism with claims they could become “freebie” buses due to fare dodging being as big of a problem as it was on the bendy buses that are being replaced – a move that is believed to save £7 million in fare evasion. Fare dodging would be easily successful due to the new buses’ three doors. It will also be easier to board the buses without paying the driver, as the conductor won’t collect fares, validate Oyster cards or check passes. Conductors will be present on the buses for a majority of the day – about 14 hours.

Meanwhile, this isn’t the first hitch that the Routemasters have hit. One of the buses ended up stranded on the M1 after running out of fuel on a ride to Millbrook Proving Ground. The buses are made to drive in city traffic, not on motorways. After the bus was refuelled, it continued its journey.