Features

What do you think of the winning designs? Do you want the Routemaster back? Let us know your thoughts below.

John
The Routemaster's compact footprint gave high carrying capacity, manoueverability and speed which has never been bettered in London's tight and busy streets. Its return would be a giant step forward.

SL
I always loved the routemaster was what I grew up in. But its time has passed. This project is a waste of time and money. I travel daily for about 3 hours on the bus and todays buses are coping better than ever. This bus is going to cause H&S problems with school kids falling off, free rider problems, traffic problem. Thanks for pouring our money down the drain.

Jennifer Tripp Black
Fantastic! I can't wait to see the new buses in action and I can't wait to see the back of the Bendybuses on which I have been robbed twice. Cattle trucks and fare evaders and two descriptions which come to mind. Londoners and tourists alike will love them! Well done Boris!

Thomas Twidale
This is a great initiative and stunning designs. Three Cheers for Boris and his new Routemaster. Shawcross' churlish remarks just demonstrate how out of touch she is with the feelign of the vast majority of Londoners.

Bart O'Brien
"Aston Martin Routemaster" would you Adam 'n' Eve it?

john
could be better but otherwise alright

Ian Parsons
The main problem with post-Routemaster buses is their ungainly width. They lack manoeuvrability and this reduces journey speeds to a crawl. This is nowhere more manifest than in Oxford Street (mistakenly reduced to the width of a country lane). Routemasters had more chance of nipping in and out of stops and overtaking because they were narrower. If the new design Routemaster is as wide as the current buses, it will not stand a chance. Their only advantage will be the option to get off and do what? WALK.. which is usually quicker anyway.

paul turpeinen
love the new design, and hopefully the new routemaster wont be beset with the ills of the current street monstrosities, such as over use of cheap plastic everywhere that rattles and shakes endlessly, driver's indicators that can heard bleeping all over the bus. lets get back to basics and keep the new routemaster clutter free, simple and human. how i miss those original routemasters and their great engine note that was a favourite for blind people, words cant express what a loss to our streets they were, but I look forward to the new generation, 3 years cant come quick enough

Lorraine Marshall
I can't wait to see the reintroduction of Routemasters; I can't stand the bendy buses. What was Ken thinking of allowing them, they're reminiscent of 3rd-world countries not a world-class city! To Mary - since 2nd January, your over-60s Freedom Pass is now valid on buses at any time so you no longer have to pay to travel before 9am; have a look at www.tfl.gov.uk/tickets for full details. Can you do us a favour and make those kids more polite when you travel with them please!

Peter Smith
I really look forward to having a hop on/off bus back on the roads. Let's hope it's polite -- in other words let you read, doze or carry on a conversation. Most new buses don't let you do any of these by telling you where you are and where you're going every few seconds. It would be wonderful to have buses that don't insult the intelligence. Drivers have to put up with this abomination all the time. How on earth do bus companies manage to keep them?

Daniele
Ciao from Italy! I love your buses!!! :)

Simon Timney
The Routemaster was more reliable than the of to bring them back

BRIAN
I AN LOOKING FORWARD TO SEE THE NEWMASTERS IN, DO YOU THINK THAT WE WILL SEE SOME OF THE OLD ONES FIRST.

Gerald Kominatos
I think that it would be an excellent idea to build a modernised version of the Routemaster Bus, that would be environmentally friendly,as Hop on Hop Off Buses to remind locals and foreigners alike of the Iconic Heritage related to the vehicle, and the 2012 London Olympic Games would be an excellent occassion for its Re Introduction

john pendle
It will be better i grew up with routemaster coming from salisbury on days out it will be a pleasure riding on them

colin hewett
I think red is a good colour

sue watmore
we need a new routemaster for easy on and off its a people bus i have loved them for more than 40 years

Scott ex no 14/22
Not a bad design but it has already been done with the low floor Bristol and AEC Renown double deckers. A rear platform door would be sensible.

SG
The new bus must not be a badly vibrating rear engined plastic box

Magnar Gressløs
Please bring the Routemaster back in the street. We love them. Routemaster is London!!!!!

Gerald Dove
I disagree with Val Shawcross. As a lifelong Londoner, I strongly feel we need buses that are suited to the size of London roads, not the oversized monstrosities that we have at present, providing cattle truck conditions. Bring back the crew of two, It is unfair to expect one person to have responsibility for so many travellers. The free ride articulated buses are a farce and a joke. Well done Boris and thank you.

BARRY JARVIS
THINK THE DESIGN WAS GREAT FOR 50S/60S THERE ARE STILL SOME IN LONDON SREVICE WHICH IS GOOD, BUT AS A NEW ONE NO: COSTS: H & S ISSUES: LEAVE BENDY BUSES ON AS TO REPLACE THESE MEAN EVEN MORE BUSES ON OVER CROWDED ROADS.

trevor leigh
great design but of course they could have refurbished with low pollution engines the original routemasters . These things are better than bendy busses however

Jacob
When the routemaster first came out, it was suitable for purpose. Sad as it maybe, the way society has gone in terms of violence, means it is no longer a viable option to have a conductor. I believe that the days of the conductor have long gone. The way forward is to have cash less buses with an increased regime of inspection.

Ian
Bendy is hideous, blocks traffic and, at least round here, is known as 'the free bus' as no-one pays; who is there to check that a card has been swiped? Two man buses were so much quicker; they were never cold and had a degree of flexibility. Modern version to be warmly welcomed.

Tony Glazier
The whole concept of the original Routemaster was a quick and highly efficient bus doing 13 mpg with rapid on-off loadingThe current double deckers only do 4.5 mpg and take far longer at stops! They are also very expensive to maintain and break down frequently.

A.W.HAYWOOD
I LIKE IT

ian tagg
we have friends in america. when you ask them what the think of when you think of london they always say the "london bus with no doors at the back." we need the routemaster back as it an icon in london.

Phil
It is good to bring back the Routemaster buses. The designs just look like modern 21st Century (which looks ugly). They should look more older. No point of building new Routemaster buses if you already have others. Just get the old Routemasters running again and scrape the inconvenient useless bendy buses. It is just increasing London's traffic. Pull up your socks and start cracking with putting the Routemasters back in operation.

DF
When I worked on London Transport Engineering the Routemaster weighed under 8 Tons carried 72 passengers and averaged 8 MPG. I notice that the current Double Deckers weigh around 12 Tons and average around 5 MPG. I feel that Val Shawcross is missing the point. When London designed it's own vehicle it was far mor efficient than the ones running around today, in terms of fuel used.

AJ Rowland-Stuart
Strange but true, Richard Boreham, I did and so did many others. IF you want to improve London traffic, put conductors back on all the buses. Lets have none of this ridiculous whining for the good old days blah blah blah. Get a grip for goodness sake.

John Croydon
I do hope that winning design above does not make it to the road. You need to retain more of the old style historical squared style of the old bus. You need to make it a little longer than the old to obtain maximum collection.You need a front entrance AND a rear entrance for a faster on off operation. You need cash and pre paid tickets and the oyster card to get on. You need to swip them or pay to get on. You need to swipe to get off. You need a second person (conductor) to assist passengers and to allow them off the bus with the frequent opening and closing of these doors, this only happens after a cutomer has swiped (indicated their desire to leave) their ticket, and it is safe to do so.You need to protect the public and ensure safty from ever the growing disrespect that many seem to display now. You need fixed and hidden cameras connected to a wifi stytem so remote recording takes place at all times. You need internal information that displays the next stop AND the time of all the bus stops / destinations along the route, and this is in real updated time.You can have the same wifi system to change interanl bus adverts.You need piped Radio 2(or soothing music adverts) that decreases in volume when stop announcements are made, and only after the bus has moved off will the music return.You got all that then... lol

Martin Smith
Love it. Every capital needs something iconic, to make it stand out from the crowd. London has done its best to lose as many of its icons over the last few years. The cost in terms of a loss of identity can never be truly calculated, but I'm fairly certain it will be in excess of the few million these would cost to put in place. Bring back a few icons for the 21st century - its a great start!

Fahad
Can't you think about the problems of open back such as HEALTH & SAFETY and FREEZING COLD in winter. These will be more expensive as well. Please don’t play with taxpayer’s money with a backward uncomfortable risky technology to the progressive new world. Try to utilize the tax payer’s money in a effective safer modern way.

Oliver Brown
There was nothing wrong with the old Routematers, why not build new one's on the original design, if it aint broke dont fix it!

PAUL HOOTON
BORIS JOHNSON IS AN IDOIT.

Alan
yes! it is part of english heritage and the friendly face of london and easy to use.money was spent to renew the black cabs so lets get on with bringing back the well loved routemaster.

Michael Price
Since coming to office the mayor has been making cost savings yet he wants to spend more money developing a brand new bus than it would cost to replace with a conventional double-decker and who is going to buy the bus is it the bus operators or are Transport for London going to buy them and lease them to the operators.

BRIAN
I AN LOOKING FORWORD TO SEE THE NEW ROUTEMSTERS BUS WHEN THEY COME INTO SERVICE WHICH GARAGE WILL HAVE ITS FIRST SET OF NEW ROUTEMASTERSM

Reinhard from Austria
OF COURSE some kind of Routemasters should be back!! The new mayor is to be congratulated on reinstalling this so much missed London icon.

ernest a gildersleve
NOT REALLY. TOO DANGEROUS.ONE REASON THEY WERE ABANDONED.

Billy Birkett
Just bring back the normal Routemaster Buses. But There will be more people waiting at the bus stop as the Routemaster cant hold as much as the Bendey. Bendey Will Be Back

Mr.L.W.Wiles.
Yes but can we have the original design with back & front disabled entrance RMF airport RM front entry & back with hydrogen fuel.

Bec Matia
its good to have routemaster back

John Wilson
To be honest, this just seems to be a political move by the current Mayor of London to fulfill his promises which were made with no understanding of what a routemaster actually was. In essence, apart from modern technology, this is no further on than the original of 195

Derek Potter, London
If the Health and Safety authorities do have a pop at this travesty they'll be quite right to do so. On two occasions I had the bad luck to see people being dragged along behind (and, in one case, actually underneath) the boarding platform of Routemasters. I can assure you that after a hundred yards down Kings Road a body does not look too pleasant!!

Michael Leslie Day
I don't find either of the 2 winning designs appealing, But surley the bus should not be judged only on its outside appearance.

nicholas paul cirri
London is not the same without the Routemaster.

david ewing
the Routemaaster is a vehicle of its time. it should never be brought back in any shape or form.the modern DD is a gould vehicle and works.

andrew o`brien
great to see Boris keeping to mayor electoral man date with hope this new routemater bus with disable access running back on the bayswater road.well done BorisAston Martin Routemaster design will be agreat hit.

John peterson
Who cares about health and safety, nobody does! The Aston Martin/Foster Design is by far the strongest design when it comes to creating an icon. The design is extremely clever. The glass roof will make people feel good as bringing light into an enclosed space is always great. I say keep the engine from the Capoco and use the Aston body, Anyone who thinks this is a bad design is a boring Toad...

Phil Sutters
The open platform is an accident waiting to happen - I have several on the old RMs. The advantage of the bendies is the massive accessibility for those with disabilities & limited mobility, buggies and shopping trollies. These users now expect that ease of access. Their main flaw is poor revenue enforcement. Is Boris going to expect conductors to work in the open bus areas? The revenue protection staff work in 3s & 4s now.

Brian
I don't live in London and I think Londoners should be free squander millions of pounds of your money on this crazy scheme if you want to. But on what planet are these good designs? Monstrously, outrageously ugly and outdated both of them.

david cox
.dont design a new one bring back the old ones, refurbished, much cheaper. the best and most effecient buses i ever drove for london transport.have a go at driving one boris they are great

John Meyer
Yes of course we should have the RM back- everyone in the world knows a black cab, big ben and the RM as being part of the fabric of London- if they were buildings , they would have been listed. PLEASE-let's have them made in the UK using British parts and British labour---perhaps we could wangle it to use the old AEC logo somehow--or am I just a dreamer?

John Meyer
Yes of course we should have the RM back- everyone in the world knows a black cab, big ben and the RM as being part of the fabric of London- if they were buildings , they would have been listed. PLEASE-let's have them made in the UK using British parts and British labour---perhaps we could wangle it to use the old AEC logo somehow--or am I just a dreamer?

Miles B
I like the new designs a lot and think it is an inspired idea. But I think the front of the buses in both are strange and I agree with other comments they look like they are from a childs TV program. Routemasters are (or were) a defining feature of the london landscape, just as important as any landmark that has been protected and preserved. Val Shawcross should be silent unless he has a good reason why a new double decker is not a good idea.

Mary Wash
I'm so pleased that the Routemaster will be back. Get rid of the bendy bus, as I'm fed up of all the people getting away with not paying. Also the kids free travel should be stopped, the old people can not get a but until 9 o'clock & have to pay £2 if they need to get to the hospital before 9.

Stewart
Londoners have long campaigned for the retention of the "hop-on hop-off" platform of the original routemaster. The Labour transport spokeswoman shows how out-of-touch she is to the wishes of Londoners.

Michael Bennett
Well done Borise - waste more of our money, after announcing last week the replacement of bendy buses on a number of routes with conventional smaller buses with a massive increase in vehicle requirement, increase in cost and increase in vehicle emissions.

Elena
I cant wait to see the route master back, and waive goodbye to the bendy busses.Good choice on the route master winner!

stephen anderson
can someone please tell me how these are wheelchair accessible? in terms of getting on and off? i'm sure it is, just want to know how.Fantastic drawings, and Boris has pulled it out of the hat once again.

Ian McNally
I have been driving buses for over 15 years. I started driving Routemasters in the days of London Transport. A route Master is an International Ikon, it needs no translation it reconignised around the world as a LONDON BUS. So bring back the pride in our heritage and I welcome the new design Routemaster.

ED Berman
Either of the designs would be a wonderful addition to the fleet. The Capoco might be better in terms of retro-Heritage. Inter-Action which did the Fun Art Bus (FAB) based on the Routemaster in the 1970shopes to use the new Routemaster in a radical new FAB as part of the cultural Olympics 2012 if the Committee gives this project their approval.I can send you an edited copy of the book by return lemail of the project published in 1973by Eyre Methuen (now out of print)if you are interested in more details

Andrew Thomson
The Aston Martin design looks like the much-loved Routemaster and the glass roof with solar energy generating capability is cutting-erdge technology.

Jessica from Croydon
I think the idea of this new bus is very unnecessary and a waste of money because the buses we have now do meet the services the disabled need as well.As a student in college I find it very annoying queing up for a bus and then not getting on it because it's too packed this being because my college does not have a bus. I think the mayor should provide more college and school buses and this would reduce the pressure on transport drivers.Thank You

Simon Baker
This sort of thing is over the top nostalgia, i was never a fan of the original and i will avoid going on one at all costs, this a waste of public money which could be better spent on improving the tube!

Mark Ebsworth
I love the new designs but think that we should be spending this money on re-introducing trams to the capital.

Joel Cairo
Hurray! I love the new designs for the routemaster. I'm sure there must be a simple solution for the problem of wheelchair users getting on. Like a separate folding ramp the conductor could use. I used to use one for my ancient german shepherd that could no longer get into my van. The presence of a conductor should keep anti-social behaviour on the bus down too. I just hope the new bus won't be as wide as the ones we have now as overtaking them when they are at bus stops is more often than not impossible and creates jams. The bendy bus is a terrible idea. Twice as much road space for what amounts to the same amount of passengers and dangerous for other road users. A ridiculous invention for the streets of London. Bring on the new Routemaster. It's a London icon as much as black cabs, red post boxes and red telephone boxes. These things are some of what tourists come here for & London relies heavily on tourism.

Pandora Harrison
Well done! A return to the days when Londoners were not only responsible for their own safety through sensible behaviour, we were world leaders in style. Bravo BoJo!

Dave Exford
love the look, and the idea of bringing it back. Like the retro look, fits in well with the traditional feel of London, but now cleaner and more efficient. Great glass ceilings and wodden floors.

Luciano
It a very interesting to see the new london Buses for future. Let change happens...

rm
we had the routemaster buses in perth scotland for abt 10yrs i thought they were great buses then. they should not have left london in the first place without a proper replacement new routemaster bus.

Luciano
It a very interesting to see the new london Buses for future. Let change happens...

R Gordon
How's about spending the extra 50k these busses cost on conductors? That really would be going back to "the good old days".

Tony Flecchia
I doubt the proposed routemaster will ever appear. The open rear platform access has disappeared in most places around the world for health and safety reasons and it will never achieve type approval, being too dangerous. Since in all other respects it's just another wheelchair access bus of which we have a number already, there's no point as it will not be a routemaster.

Penny Ward
Far from being poor a poor performing vehicle, the old Routemaster has consistently out performed just about any double decker bus that followed after it. Boarding times were no slower, although it's true there is a lower capacity. Whilst the bendy buses have a large capacity, they are a night mare for other road users - including pedestrians - and do not cope well with streets that simply aren't designed for them. Whether a new Routemaster is the answer, I don't know, but one thing is for sure... we'll never have a bus that suits everyone.

john powell
the rt bus was by far the best bus ever for ldn should be back in service and london transport the only operator

Michael Salkeld
I think a cross between the two designs would be good, bringing back a bus that is unique to London is good for British Design , manufacturing , and London’s Identity, and will be good for the opening ceremony of the London Olympics.

Kerry-Anne
Bring it back! I loved the routemaster buses so much so I used one for my wedding to transport our guests who loved being on the bus! I think the convincing argument Val Shawcross is looking for is the fact Boris promised this when he ran for mayor and Londoner elected him!

John Wells
As a former London Bus driver it is so nice to see that the basic design of the new London Route master was so sympathetically done to the point where you still can get on and off from an open platform at the rear. The very reason the European manderins under health and safety banned the old buses. Well done Boris, you missed the point yet again.

Youcef Bey-Zekkoub
As a wheelchair user, I think it's great to have an accessible route-master however if the top decker is accessible.

Frank, London
As with the development of the iconic Black Taxi Cab, the new routemaster needs to have the closest semblance to the original, the front of the Foster/AstonMartin design is ugly and looks like a child's toy - A sort of Thomas Tank engine. Like the new Mini the Capoco design is better in design, in terms of Heritage, just like the new mini and the Black Taxi Cab. The Foster/AstonMartin brand name may influence due to issues of vanity,(trendy brank loyalty does not = good) adding the Glass ceiling to the Capoco design would be best. Acutually the one with the best heritage design is the one done by UK Design Ltd. The Foster/AstonMartin design is like the newly designed VW Bettle, nice idea, but it failed.Now if the bus has doors near the front and at the back, how will people board? When a routemaster stops at a bus stop, that has a shelter, the front entrance doors would be blocked by the shelter. Some bus stops are very close together and assume the bus only has one dedicated entrance.What effect with the design have on the payout of bus stops...

RICHARD BOREHAM
Can't believe there's objection from certain political parties against a new routemaster.It's NOT just another bus..it's retaining an iconic London landmark albeit by a new design but we all know who is to blame for that..Health and BLOODY safety. Strange but true..I never had an accident as a kid on any routemaster.

Paul Mew
The routemaster was sucessful because of its detailed design elements such as opening windows, friendly lighting not too bright, pesence of conductors to add a feeling of security and community (people talked). A new design would need to include these elements albeit with a more modern twist maybe. The safety aspect of a routemaster's open deck is a red herring. It's important to be able to get off and on when you like as the bus crawls and stops in traffic. We don't stop people walking across the road as they wish (Ken High Street) so why not. Let's see some more detail and design ethos rather than just a picture.

Michael Salkeld
I think a cross between the two designs would be good, bringing back a bus that is unique to London is good for British Design , manufacturing , and London’s Identity, and will be good for the opening ceremony of the London Olympics.

Grow Up London
I cannot believe that so many are in favour of this ridiculous plan. Apart from the health & safety issues of hop-on/off, both designs look like some childish pastiche more suitable for Noddyland than a world leading city. The money should be ploughed into green technology to made London greener and quieter, rather than this infantile, romantic nonsense that's leading us to a cultural stagnation.

Andy S
The winning design is better than i thought it would be. But i would have prefered it to have a flat front, like the original ones.What i would like even more, is to have the old ones back :Dbut that will never happen.

Simon Long
London without a routemaster is like a pie without the mash!

Howard Latham
Travelling at the back of an over crowded Bungee Bus is very unpleasant. Routemasters are the way forward. The open platform means you can get off and walk in the unlikely event of non moving traffic in London. And now that Boris has cancelled our South London Tram Route as well as the East Dulwich Tube this is the only possible improvement South London can look forward to.

Sacha
What a load of old sentimental old rubbish to keep the outer London car driving boroughs happy.The Routemaster was a poor performing dangerous muesum piece. Well done people who live on the outskirts, who will never use them for getting them back, while real Londoners suffer with slower boarding times, less capacity, and high costs of operations

Pablo Lopez Ponce from Argentina
Yes I want back the Routemaster,it's a great icon from London,people around the world says...red double deckers...It's London !!!Don't loose this great and beautiful bus.

Peta Lunberg
Having once seen someone being dragged along the road after having tried to hop on to an old Routemaster in Lewisham, I can understand the health and safety concerns. Being able to hop on and off between stops seems tempting - but maybe that's the problem!

Russell Ashley-Smith
No - we can't have the Routemaster back if a requirement is an open rear platform. And I suspect it is the ability to jump on and off at will which many advocates really hanker after. The concerns should be (a) quicker loading and unloading, (b) better regulation of buses to avoid bunching and gaps, (c) improved traffic regulation to give buses priority at junctions, (d)quicker help on the rare occasions when there is trouble.

Gillian Anderson
YES...Every possible reason, hop on, one entrance/exit, Clippies (conductors) and a voice sayinf..MOVE ON DOWN PLEASE. I have always lived on a routemaster route. the wonderful 88 then became 94 and I'm sure easily adaptable to fit all the needs x

Gordeen Toby
Like a lot of people I was very sorry to see the Routemasters taken out of service, but what's done is done - it's time to move on. What I'm more concerned about is passenger safety. I would say that the interior of the old buses was a lot better than most of the new ones. Is passenger safety not taken into account when commissioning new buses? The rear seats on a lot of the new buses mean that some passengers are in danger of being thrown the length of the bus if there's an accident. Others have seats which are much higher than the one in front, again meaning that either passengers a and/or their property would be flung forward in the event of accident.

Matt Goodman
Buses and trains are integrated on the Continent but we're arguing about the stupid shape of a bus. The whole problem is that we British only ever think small and a few years ahead. Until the roads and junctions are widened, which will take 40-50 years of wise planing we will always be faced with tinkering at the edges. We see but we do not perceive. We've cameras everywhere but don't seem to be able to plan to avoid bottle necks. Put the rates up on properties that are in the way -they'll become vacant eventually and demolish.In the interim London actually has plenty of roads: there needs to be a network of bus only roads, car only roads and pushbike only roads. We get this stodge we're in now because we're just too afraid to plan a bigger working 21st Century system. What we have now is the worst of all solutions and daily proven not to work.(and don't mention the utility companies always diging up the street. When, eventually, it's re-tarmac'd again they dig it up again! Then it's the paving slabs, then it's the street lights... Everywhere seems to be a permanent building site -and the wider Olympics building work hasn't started -can't wait for 2013 !)

Nigel Powton
We have several Routemasters in our fleet and even 50 years on with modern "clean" engines they are entirely fit for purpose. A joy to drive and a joy to behold. To return them to London is to return them home and I certainly condone that!

David H
Were it not for (yet again) the EU we would not be here having this debate as they were the ones who made Ken get rid of them. Besides being lighter and better on fuel than the newer ones, they were more comfortable and looked like vehicles and not tin boxes. Please bring back something that looks traditional again.

Mrs Grimmler
I loved the Routemaster bus as it was red, which excited me and my mother no end as it approached. The conductors would always say, "'ello, darling" and that's a factual.

Roger Black
I remember the Routemaster -freezing cold in winter, even with heaters on! However, the whole point here is the Conductor - this is the best idea for increased security; however, drivers are caged in - who would want to be a conductor facing a bunch of ignorant and drunk people on a bus?

w.b
do you think that mayor johnson wiil go ahead with his plan for new RM to replace the bendy buses???

Arnold Levin
I appreciate the iconic nature of the Routemaster. I think that a small stock of old Routemasters should be mainatained and run as are the no 9 buses, as symbolic exemplars of the past. If sufficient old Routemasters can be kept there should be adequate spares for many years to run a small fleet of thirsty or so buses, rather more perhaps than are now in service, onm=n severakl routes, but they should be merely a part of the bus stock on a route so that access for disabled etc is easy. Bringing back conductor-staffed buses en masse would be both expensive and wasteful. Smilarly, the design of a new bus costing 25% more than off the shelf examples is also quite unnecessary. The so- called 'bendy' bus is excellent in negotiating difficult traffic flows, used throughout Europe, comfortable and efficient. Perhsps a stricter regime of inspectors should be used to ensure that passengers pay their fares by validating their cards as they enter. If a number of inspectors were placed on a route for say a couple of days so that a large number of journeys were checked and then another route 'blitzed' without warning, the public would be encouraged to pay or use the card correctly.

Arthur Everall
Routemaster's were 64 or 72 seaters. They were only allowed to carry 5 standing and those were inside on the lower deck and not on the platform.

Ronon
Surely any new Bus must have both seat back tv and a snack machine on board? Never mind about all this other nonsense.The disabled should be made more welcome, not less. Its could be powered by pedals and gearing for people to work off their weight. Ban Cars in Central london would also help with speed.

Edna Farrow
As an 84 year old I do not want double deckers back because if the downstairs seats are full it would be impossible for me and other disabled pensioners to go upstairs so I say lets have single deckers if you must have a change from the bendy buses.

David, London
Yes bring back our true London Heritage, I beleive that a route master was designed in the 60's which had front loading and still retained the rear platform. this was not used for some reason or another, and now is the time to look again at it's concept and maybe modification for a modern London.

Zachary Narvaez
A fake back entry and have modern doors at them front so there will be no need for a conductor, this also means easy disbled access, and a way of informing passengers which stop is next!

Mala
I personally cannot see why the Routemaster was replaced by bendy buses in the first place. The problems with bendy buses are that they take up too much space on the road, you can easily ride on them without paying and when out on the road near them either as a cyclist or pedestrian, you cannot predict its movement and the driver cannot see you so you are highly likely to be hit by them.

Adel K.
Yes! Bring'em back! London lost its soul the day when the Routemaster was withdrawn... An updated Routemaster (not too far from the original design, though!)would be a real revival for London and will be a huge surprise for 2012 games visitors!!! A french London lover...

Ellie
The routemaster will be welcomed back by most but for me a conductor will be the greatest advantage. Many times I have seen bullying on the bus and rude passengers but the drivers are helpless. Even if you speak to the driver they just pretend not to hear you. Also they are often unclear on how complicated fares work and offer no suggestions on the best way to pay.

Derek Risebrow
Being locked in a modern bus is not at all funny when:-1) You are dying to go to the toilet2) It is quicker to walkWhen the bus is in an idiotic traffic jam and you have no hope of the often surly driver letting you off. But cycling is much more dangerous even though it is quicker. Miss the lovely accents "Taa thenk -u " 'old tite" and "anymorefare-a pleese"And you know that after struggling down the stairs, you have a half a chance of getting off before the driver shuts you in and accelerates rapidly, causing you to fall backwards on the badly designed stairs.

The Noble Tommy
Lets all get behind Boris cause he talks a load of sense. The Routemaste is an icon of London. It should never have been done away with and all those whom oppose borises plans for the new routemaste are simply Europhiles, whose only concern is to pollute our grand engllish heritage with Euorpeanism. God Bless You Boris and Keep up your good works.

John The Pom
Privatisation of the london buses has caused a major problem that can never be readressed unbtill it is all brought back and unified under the one system.

Douglas Spencer
Yes, I would love to see the Smashing Routemaster back in smashing to make London a more attractive transit centre, that's what we are remembered best for!

Andy Dyer
Bring back an updated Routemaster! I'd hop on a bus many more times if they were still this accessible.There are many benefits - conductors make us all feel safer on and off the bus - and it's a job many incapacipated could do. Hence, costing us very little to employ.

Gloria May
In practice, drivers open doors whenever passengers ask them - not very different from the Routemaster except that the Conductor used to stop passengers jumping out at dangerous places. Bus drivers are under too much pressure and a two-person bus makes everything work more quickly and smoothly. Bus drivers shouldn't have to have long conversations with tourists.

jacko
the whole point of the routemasters open backend was so that you could jump on or off them, pretty much anywhere... after all its harder to get hit by a moving bus if it is going away from you.... but a dman sight easier to fall infront of the traffic moving behind, although with the current speed of traffic in london the chances are you'll be able to get up, dust yourself off and get back on the bus before its moved more than 2 feet.. i would say you stand more chance getting hurt by falling into a hole in the road...If, as is suggested health and safety concerns prevent the new bus having that feature, then there is no point bringing them back, if you do then it simply another double decker bus... with a door at the back not the front - which will probably negatively impact revenues...

Gordon Mackley
The feature that is not mentioned is that to be genuinely environmentally friendly, to avoid high oil costs and to not produce any noxious fumes on street (there is NO safe level of exposure to diesel exhaust fumes) the new vehilce should be electric or in old parlance, a trolleybus, the type of vehicle that the originall Routemaster was (misguidedly) designed to replace. It would be an interesting (though I suspect never likely to be instigated) exercise to calculate how many people suffered serious illness and/or premature death by the replacement of London's electric trams and trolleybuses by noxious fume producing diesel vehicles.

Andrew Lewis
The old Routemaster had windows right at the front on the top deck. Essential for a through-flow of air. Ordinary buses too hot in summer. Openable windows at front essential.

Chris
[1] Any new design should be a foot or so NARROWER than the present generation of buses, which are frequently unable to take full advantage of Bus Lanes because they don't fit. No room for the obese passenger? Either leave them behind and let them walk off their excess weight, or charge them for two seats! [2] Don't compromise on the design in order to accommodate disabled passengers. Let buses cater for the able-bodied majority and provide wheelchair users with taxi rides at bus fare prices. (Oops! Did I say something politically incorrect?)

Tomoko
I left London fot Tokyo just one year ago, and what I wanted to do during my stay in London was actually to take Routemaster any time,which I believe was a symbol of London. Its style is quite cool and I feel some nostalgy every time when I see Routemaster. Hopefully Routemaster will be brought back soon, and I would like to see Routemaster running through the center of London again.

ERIC ADDY
It would be marvellous to have a Routemaster styled 'bus back on London's Roads. Obviously modifications would have to be made in order to cater for the disabled. They should have the ability to have a low-floor facility even with an open platform, that is if an open platform is allowed under Health and safety directives. It must be "green" and have the option for dual power or similar.

Davey
The trouble with public transport is hooligans. For instance when I was a first former I was pushed off the platform of a Routemaster type bus whilst it was doing 20-30mph. (The bigger boys thought it was "cool" to bully "fags") Fortunately by curling up like a hedgehog then standing up and running very fast after two spins I managed to avoid injury but the metal button on the top of my school cap was squashed. A big problem with city busses is the lack of luggage space for suitcases etc. This used to cause hassle with conductors when my parents took me on holiday in the 1950s. On one bus the lack of a net or safety chain on the luggage bay allowed one of our cases to fly off into the street when the bus turned a corner. So glad to have a car.

Nigel Gray
I loved the old Routemasters but you have to get real. They would never be allowed on Health & Safety grounds in today's climate. Also the Routemasters were not particularly user friendly for elderly people and definately not for disabled people. In my view Boris just used this un-achievable promise as a vote winner and probably never uses the buses as Mayor Ken did.

Geoff Wardle
As much as I love Routemasters, the downfall of the London bus was not getting rid of the Routemasters, it was disbanding London Transport in the first place. When London Transport was an integrated transportation system with its own centralized design, engineering and maintenance facilities, all London's buses were purpose built for their demanding environment. It was always London Transport's opinion that regular, off-the-shelf buses were not up to the rigorous demands of London. The success of the Routemaster was not in its layout, which was no different from any other British double decker of the day, it was in its unique method of lightweight construction combined with the ability to be systematically stripped down every few years at the Aldenham works for thorough overhaul. This is why they lasted 50 years when other city's buses only survived 20 years. The fact that London Transport also had the foresight to employ a professional industrial designer to join their engineering team also led to a bus that had a satisfying appearance due to careful attention to detail. So in order to bring back an appropriate, advanced bus specific to London's needs, the first step is for Mr. Johnson to set up a competition to design the business model that would allow London to have both private enterprise paying for the operation of its buses along with a centralized design, engineering and maintenance enterprise that would set standards of design and operation that were significantly higher than London has now.

George M
I would love to see a modern Routemaster and the end of the idiotic bendy buses for practical reasons as much as anything else.As a disabled person and wheelchair user can I just say that the reason I don't use the present buses (and I suspect I am not alone in this) is because all too often I can't. The designated space is frequently occupied by children's buggies and perhaps drivers find it easier to leave the ramp unextended and deny me access, rather than face the wrath of a mother who has to give up "her" space. A properly trained conductor in control of the ramp would be more likely to ensure we wheelchair users are as able to use regular buses as other people.

Dave Harries
Anyone who thinks that getting rid of the bendybuses from London's roads will be easy is having a laugh. The three operators that have them (First, East London and Arriva) have a total of nearly 300 between them.Also it seems foolish to me that anyone can think that replacing a bus capable of carrying 130 people with a bus that will carry 90 - at the most.

Julian Martin
If health and safety is one of the reasons behind the argument against re introducing an open platform bus, why havent ALL tube ststions got screens to stand behind until the train stops as on the Jubilee line Extension to Stratford? It is high time we moved away from this sueing for compensation lark and got back to a proper bit of personal responsibility for ones own actions however small.. if you happen to fall off the back of a bus or in front of a tube train then surely that is no one elses fault except your own!! You accept the risk by getting on the bus in the first place as far as I'm concerned.Bring the RM back.. sooner rather than later and get shot of the dreadful bendy bus now!

christopher david gray
I think that they should have AC when we get hot summers and security doors i have seen so many passingers sustaine indueis

Shimo
It is a good idea to bring back the Routemaster from the point of foreigner as it usd to be a symbol of London

James
Yes, bring them back. They are perfectly safe if people take responsibility for their own actions. If you fall off it’s your own stupid fault. What are you twats rattling on about. We are British we don’t want bending buses. Take responsibility for your own life and stop winging.

Mike Waller
This whole idea is MAD. London has so many horrendous problems already that need our attention, why use valable effort on this worthless project?

laura rockman
dear boris i would loveto see bicycle rackson the front of busesi saw them in canada itis a very good idaer aswell for dissable passangersand mothers with childrenand ticket colleters keep up the good work miss laura rockman

Perry
Even when Routemasters were coming onstream in a big way 50 years ago they were already outdated, with the age of the Atlantean and the Fleetline about to dawn. Today a revived Rouemast would be expensive and anachronistic, and there are far more worthwhile things TfL could be spending their money on. Nostalgists who want to ride on one can do it on the two Heritage routes. Fascinating that these buses are rarely over half-ful even during the peak tourist season.They were never very comfortable, especially for tall people as the seat pitch was too narrow. The stairs were very dangerous, and there were plenty of instances where people fell, and tumbled off the platform. An open platform always was a menace but in today's traffic would be a death trap. As for bendys, the routes need to be more carefull selected, and boarding should only be at the front, as in most other cities where they do not have a problem with fare evasion. Bringing back Routemasters would be like restoring slamdoor trains on the railways. All right, some idiot is going to say, ooh! there's an idea.

Glenn
Towing the top deck behind you gives access to both decks for everyone not just those fit enough to climb stairs

Emma
Yes it will give the public its favoirite and tradition bus back,Routemaster.

hannah
Buses should definitely have an overhead gun/knife detector when boarding the bus, with immediate call out to the nearest police station.

r simmons
It would be good to have a new routeamaster bus that is wheelchair accesible, that way everyone wins. However with the existing iconic machines that we have, why cant they simply be introuduced over some more routes, i mean why not buy some more back and put them onto say the 11, 19, 24 and extend the current ones like the 15 to aldgate and oxford circus and the 9 to kensington, i think Ken Livingstone paid the price for getting rid of them when he did, he was elected out by the people of London

sam baker
To David Hastings, commenting below, on how having a conductor on board will be an extra burden on the taxpayer.. I'm astonished! How short sighted can one be? Think of all the vandalism, fare-dodging and intimidation these horrible yobs cause on the buses because there's no-one there to take care of things .. think about the whole picture not just the details! It's a false economy! Bring back the conductor! Good on Boris, he has the guts to talk for the sensible majority and does not pander to the lowest common denominator like Ken; he will forever be remembered as the one who got right of the RM.. shame on him.

George
No they should not come back the ending of the Routemasters (RM) were unavoidable. If Boris studied the routemaster history he may noticed that London Buses or London Transport (LT) back then and even Transport for London (TfL) were suppost to kill off the routemasters all along even as far back in the 1970's with the buses called the Daimler Fleetlines with their Automatic Fares Collection (AFC) due to high cost of conductors, but since these fleetlines and AFCs had so many technical difficulties and london transport were strap down in cash they were lucky enough to buy back most of the RMs which were retired which grant them a unexpected 50 years service and rather than concentrating on replacing the RMs LT were eventually concentrating on replacing the daimler fleetlines with the Leyland Titan(s) and MCW Metrobus(es) and various motor buses which took years. But in the 1980's there were plenty of Routemaster scraped back then more than the TfL era in 2005, remember when Route 28 with RM were replaced by mini-buses nicknamed the "bread vans" in 1980's? But luckly 600 RMs survived.The "hatred" process on the bendy buses and normal double decks isn't different to what the routemasters went through, the routemasters were slagged off for replacing another icon called the Trollybuses in the 1960's, the RMs were again slagged off for replacing another icon called the Regent Type or RTs which is similar bus to the routemaster. Even if Boris somehow successfully bring back the RM how long will the new RM will service london, personally I can't see the new RM lasting 50 years let alone 20 years not in this competitive privatised network were bus operators with the routes with contracts whilst under tender have to bid a better price for TfL to keep the route or gain new routes from other operators and even replace existing low-floor buses even if they are just five-years old.

michael
I love routmasters!

Titot Prayoga
Routmasters epitomizes london. I remember images of a young lad seeing Trafalgar Square full of these things! Actually, lets go ONE better, let's make an awesome retro Harry Potter Style triple decker routemaster to help with our capacity issues!

duncan carter
Bendy buses are great! with 3 double doors, loading and unloading of passengers is 3 times as fast as with 1 door...more time spent moving and less time at bus stops.

Alastair Bayliss
Yes, well it's all very easy going "yay hop on hop off! I want them back", but who here wants to pick up the bill when someone who has an accident sues? Or who wants a costly fight in court about accessability rights? The bus isn't the argument, the argument is about health and safety, accessablility and ultimately the rights of the individual verses the benefits to all. Lobby your MP about that if you want change. The smart money is on the new bus looking a bit more bubbly, two closing doors and two decks. What a waste of time.

Melinda
Yes bring them back. They were great fun - and as a tourist drawcard - definitely!!

Brian Hemuss
Yes ,Yes, Yes, Boris go for it. It makes sense. In terms of tourism and prestige --London is, The Tower of London , Buck House , Parliament and, and the bloody Route, Route, Route, master please honor your election pledge and bring them back You would be loved for ever morepeace be with youKen is dead, long live BORIS

David Perkins
I'm 59, but as a child we learnt how to hold on to the back of routmasters and the art jumping off while moving. But I noticed it was always non-locals like tourists from the 70's who had no idea how to negotiate these buses, involved in accidents. Also weak conductors didn't enforce the rules of no standing on the plateform. So it's back to the 'nanny' state, which is a shame because boarding and alighting were very fast by the one door. Return? Well ask a conductor.

Robert Rowland
Yes it would be good to have them back. Bendy buses have their good points but London's roads are not wide enough for them to be operated in complete safety. They are also a wide open invitation for fare evasion especially as far as short journeys are concerned. Any replacement along the lines Boris is proposing would be good as long as it is fully accessible for the disabled / pushchairs / prams etc and is environmentally friendly.

Roy Waite
I would love to see routemasters back on the streets of london again

Steph Bolton
Bendy Buses are great for american style roads or any roads in a grid format, Long & straight with sweaping wide turns. In Central London even with less congestion they are pure and utter madness! - the equivilant of a Lorry and trailer trundling round the city!! A modern eco-design route master(With access for all)has got to be the right solution for central londons Diverse Streets and traffic flows. I believe a new Routmasters styling should pay hommage to its past as one of london's tourist icons. A competition?? come on Boris enough of the Ken self promotion style PR opportunities!! not sure the delays of a competition is what this city needs or will welcome, if capoco have the right soultion, sell it to your city and do a deal Boris! Stop the Bendy death traps quick and send them to be used where road conditions are more suitable - perhaps on the longer straighter routes in the suburb areas!?

S3Baines
yes save my money

Adrian
Get rid of the nonsense bendy buses! They are great for rebuilt cities that were bombed out during WW2 - but they are idiotic on London roads! The drivers haven't got a clue how to drive them and regularly obstruct road junctions. Other road users would get tickets for that, so why don't bus drivers??

christine klaassen
I agree wiht Mr Christie, they create a hazard for other road users, because of people jumping on and off between stops.

Tracy Hunt
When wheelchair accessible busses were introduced, it opened up a whole new world for me. I have now been using busses for a couple of years now. As a wheelchair user, I have travelled to places I never thought possible before. If Boris brings back Routemasters with no wheelchair access, I'll hang him from Nelson's Column, lol.

David Christie
No way should they come back. They were a death trap. Too many people just fell off the back of them.

Anon
At last I found the sensible reply from David Hastings. I would like to add that when I travel on the 87 bus to get to near Tate Gallery for 0900 the bus is seriously delayed at the stop as I and occasionally one other person try to push our way off as healthy looking 30-somethings are crowded on the lower deck, apparently unable to climb to the upper deck where there are plenty of seats. I thought this was one of the main points of the bendy bus - no need to negotiate stairs, which can be dangerous of course on a moving vehicle. I am nearly 60 and travel on the upper deck. I think the same crowding causes delays at previous stops, too because the bus spends ages at the stops, presumably because the 50-somethings are fighting past the youngsters.Have people never travelled on the bus in other countries? Bendies seem to be the norm, plus hefty fines if found without a ticket.

vicki from london
yes, bring back the routemasters, whether disabled access or not - the only people who abuse that are pushchair users (why can't they collapse them???). we need a bus with conductors to put a bit of order to todays yobbos.

Robert
They should bring them back.Well why not? Run them on BIO-Diesel.That'll cut the exhaust emission.And any improvements for disabled access etc can be implamented.Saves wasting money on a brand new design.Spend it on improving the older version's to meet modern day uses

Paul E
Yes, we DO need a "Routemaster".It needs to have: Conductor for ticket issuing / checking and security, either an open platform or doors that passengers can open whenever stationary - I have been imprisoned for ages 10 yards short of a bus stop and missed a long-distance train, aborting a whole day's work. Clean fuel, but not biofuel.Disabled Access is a difficult question. Few wheelchair users use buses - apart from those specific School Buses run especially for their benefit - which is the sensible way to handle that need. All too often "Political Correctness" results in scrapping a project as too expensive, so that the 99.9% of the public cannot benefit from it. Come on Boris, we've voted you in, now get on with the job!

John from Canada
They can do whatever they think is best. Just maintain the old Routemaster for the tourists and those of us to watch and ride from time to time. The bus we grew up with.

simon clements
as an old driver of the routemaster route 9 and 94 it would be a dream to see them on the road again and once again drive themfantastic idea

Roger from London
Whatever it is, let it have a conductor - one of the joys of the RM is that it doesn't hold up traffic while everyone shows a ticket to the driver. Even the multiple-access bendy buses (which cause extra congestion because they're just too big for London's roads, something Ken didn't care about) can't beat simply taking the fares once the bus is moving again.

Valerie Arends from London
Bring back the open back routemaster. I have never in all my life witnessed anyone getting hurt from one. As children we always ran and jumped on. No problem!Prams should not be allowed on central London busses unless they fold up. I have had a freedom pass for 5 years and live in London and have never seen a wheelchair on any bus.

rene mcintosh
yea I say bring the RM back. Quite frankly i dont care longs as its accesible to everyone, has AC and efficient heating during the winter. YES and the conductor has to be able to speak proper english. I also believe that at some point all london transport should be hybrid vehicules including taxis.

kevin williams
nothing wrong with the old one ,just put new greener engines in them

Anthony hopkins
I think that the return of the routemaster will be a good thing for the capitol and a conductor standing on the back would ensure people didnt fall off im sure

Lee Carr
We absolutely SHOULD have the RM back and WITHOUT closed doors. Given the congestion on London's roads, the RM is ideally suited to hop-on, hop-off (as is the Oyster card) as necessary - what's the point sitting in a jam for 15 minutes when it would be quicker to walk sometimes?Pardon my language, but stuff the health-and-safety issues. The bulk of the users in London would be commuting adults and are perfectly happy to take responsibility for themselves NOT 'falling out of' a bus. How many people fell out in the 60 years of RT and RM design? I suppose drunk people might, but they equally might walk in front of a bus or a tube - you can't use them as a standard by which to design the infrastructure.Fear of compensation culture is crippling us - better to bring back personal responsibility. Disabled access - well of course it's right and proper to consider this, but the millions spent on bendy-buses off the back of this idea always seemed a little out of proportion with the total number of disabled passengers I've seen on London buses in that time (total - precisely NONE). Great to include the feature, but please don't use the point as an argument against Routemaster. A far greater priority would be addressing the fact that virtually no tube stations in central London have stair-free access.The other big plus of the RM is of course the conductor. (a) the driver is left free to concentrate, uninterrupted, on driving safely (b)conductor = increased security/safety (c) conductor eliminates fare-dodging - I doubt that more than 60% of bus travellers in Central London are paying at present - queing is a thing of the past and the hoardes jump into the middle doors. The increased revenue will probably go a long way to paying the salaries of the clippies (d) conductor could be a great PR /tourism asset - provided we can be circumspect and insist that they can understand and speak English, regardless of origin, and are chosen for people skills and an interest in the job. They would be a source of 'free' information about the sights of London, Tfl information about routes etc,directions - they could make a visitor to the capital (or a resident!) feel WELCOME. This is frankly NOT the current experience! If there is a petition to sign or a vote to cast, count me in - bring the RM back in without delay !!!!!

francesca valdonio
Yes please! When I ws travelling with my children I had to wait at the stops until a Routemaster arrived, because they only wanted to ride in "the old buses". They just need a better acces dor disabled people, that's all!!

Mike Waller
Surely we are losing sight of the wood from the trees? We need an efficient modern bus that is economical, eco- friendly and comfortable. Routmaster or not is irrelevent.

Nigel Kenny
Loved them and hated falling of twice when at school jumping on to a moving bus. Still easiest flexibility if not safest. Best option bring back teh tram!

Anon
Fare-evasion on the bendy-buses is the biggest problem as around £50 million is lost in revenue every year and Londoners are forced to pay for this.Since we have private transport firms like Arriva, East London, First Group, Go-Ahead etc, running our buses, they should start bringing in either conductors or revenue protection officers as they would tackle this problem. They already appoint the drivers so they should do the same for conductors or revenue protection officers.And since alcohol is banned on not just the Tube but the buses as well, we'll need quite a force to enforce the ban.Get in touch with reality, the reality is that public transport has become so busy that even the buses are over-crowded! No matter what the displays say, how will it be possible not to stand on the open-platform when it would be the only space left especially during rush-hour times, which is when they get over-crowded?Let's look at it this way, the buses (low-floor, double-decker and bendy-buses) are over-crowded, but do you fall out of them? NO because they have no open-rear platforms, making sure you're safe!The new Routemasters (if they do come in) are over-crowded but would you fall out of them? YES because of the open-rear platform, meaning that they would be unsafe to board especially during rush-hour times!I have no objections in bringing back the Routemasters because I love them and they are an icon. The questions remain, will they come or not? How much would they cost? We'll have to wait and see.

Linda Kemp
There was only ever one routemaster on our roads nothing will replace it,in its hayday when l was a child we loved them and the RTs lovely.let them rest in history now.Build a bus similar to it but with added saftey and security and disabled friendly.

aaron rose
id love to see the routemaster back on the road thay were the best bus and the new one will be just as nice but can u still keep the old ones still running on the number 9 and 15 please

meeta
Bendy buses are a good idea as a driver can keep an eye on every passengers. i think every bus she have a conductor who can also control the teenageers being nasty and misbehaving instead of having a police on a bus.in this who ever misbehaves should not be allowed to use free transport i mean teenagers.

Bernhard
I despair when people mention Routemasters and Health and Safety. Whatever happened to common sense (remember that?) and the understanding that you do not stand on the platform when the bus is moving? The old buses even had warnings about it. Sadly our litigatious society now dictates that common sense is no longer a benchmark for safety and we need somebody else to tell us all what is safe or not. Bring back the Routemaster, it was a great asset to London. If we are not totally convinced, introduce a couple on specific routes and see how they get on.

Nick Jenkins
This idea was purely an election con based on nothing more than Andrew Gilligan's bigotry and ani Ken propaganda. Don't forget the double decker is the real London icon, not the Routemaster which is positively dangerous, and as for conductors that would just be wasteful job creation. I'm not necessarily convinced by the bendy bus but let's just get a double decker which is environmentally friendly and accessible. I'm sure Capoco could just come up with their design without opening the back.

Diana Kane
Get rid of the ghastly bendybus which if far too long, too open to abuse of non payment and are too hot and crowded. Bring back a safer and disabled-friendly version of the Routemaster and reintroduce the Conductor - a 'must' for the safety and benefit of passengers. Good for Boris to be thinking of reintroducing them.

Ray Michaels
Would be great to have them on the road again, though safety features are important as well. Saw an older Lady fall off one of the old ones at Marble Arch one time, this mustn't be possible with the new ones.

David Hastings
The day RM's come back will be a sad day for London's safety. As a kid I would jump on and off the back like everybody else but now having worked within the insurance world covering London buses I hace seen the numbers of claims and fatalities from people jumping on and off RM's and then blaming the bus crew for their own stupidity. Bringing them back is another example of the buffoonery from our new Mayor. Has he considered the cost? A Bendy carries about 3 times as many people as an RM with only member of staff - the driver on board. RM's, by definition, carry 2 members of staff. Is he really suggesting a 6 fold increase in staff numbers to carry the same number of passengers? Who is going to pay for that - London's council tax payers? Bendy drivers carry no cash, conductors do. Is he also going to pay for security staff to guard the conductors? The first conductor to get mugged should take their claim directly to this stupid mayor under health and safety legislation, alot of which was passed by tory governments!

Simon
Yes yes yes I do want them back and appreciate that they need to be updated but the most criminal offence is that Ken was ever allowed to get rid of them all so quickley in the first place!!!!!

tony lindsay
Yes, bring them back and keep London moving, especially at peak times and during school runs when current buses are dangerously congested and not disabled friendly anyway.

Theron Helton
Routemaster Conductors were a Godsend to us in 2001 for Information and also gave us a feeling of Security when we visited London and the UK. Routemasters are Very Iconic and a True Symbol of Individuality for London Town. Please bring them back. Other cities would do well to implement them also from a Practicality standpoint.

Mark Fawcett
My nostalgic side says yes to bring back the route master. But thinking about ever changing health and safety legislation, a bus with an opening to a road nowadays seems impossible to allow.Bendy buses have been used for many years by other public transport service providers all over the world, operating in smaller streets than London’s and probably without the objections and problems that they have faced in the capital. I do strongly feel that this is mainly all about people’s dislike of change. A lot can be said regarding the pros and cons of both vehicles, but at the end of the day I do feel that the bendy bus shall come out on top. Or maybe even a double decker bendy bus.

Mark
It would be impossible to design and introduce a new routemaster as it will never meet the iconic status that the old ones had.

Elaine Barnett
I think tht an up to date route master would be a very good idea

Ben Cooper
I commute daily on a bendy bus (no. 73) and can report that the experience is utterly horrible: they are too hot, poorly ventilated, noisy (why do we need to be reminded by a recorded voice every 30s that it is a number 73 bus?), and invariably you are forced to stand. I also believe that people behave far more antisocially on the bendies than they did on the routemaster (playing music out loud, eating kebabs, feet on seats, not giving up seats for others, shouting down phones). Perhaps this is because of the lack of conductor, and perhaps because when people feel they are being treated inhumanly they start to behave inhumanly. Perhaps it just feels worse because everyone is packed so much tighter. Worst of all, when stuck in a traffic jam on a bendy you are sealed in the squalor, while on a routemaster you could have jumped off and walked. Commuting on the routemaster was a pleasure. Especially in summer when you could open the windows on the top deck and get a fresh breeze on your face (windows on the bendies seem designed to prevent refreshing breezes). Conductors not only collected fares but also maintained order, imparted tourist information, and sometimes sang or played the harmonica. Forget the health and safety fascists, replacing the bendy with a new low-emission wheelchair friendly routemaster would be the single thing that would most improve the quality of London life.

Mr Naishad Teli from Bristol
I think these bendy buses take up lots of room in the streets of London particularly when they swing when turning corners. I find them dangerous when driving behind them things. I get worried incase they hit my car when the swing around corners. There also other cities outside London which has them buses. When it comes to phasing them out I would not agree to bringing back routemaster buses I think they are things of the pass. It's better to have new style double deckers like wright bodied volvo double decker buses or alexander dennis ones. Even conductors can be employed on them new buses on busy central london routes. Although I am an occasional visitor to London when visiting friends and relatives. When I come in to Central London I use Tubes and Buses and I keep well away from these rubbish routemaster buses. Bendy buses are better than routemasters but as mentioned keep on going for the double deckers which I mentioned ealier on when phasing out these bendy buses.

Matthew Edwards
The Routemaster was as much of an icon of London as Tower Bridge, The Beef Eaters and Nelson's Column! It is a shame that these work-horses have been withdrawn from regular service. Its another example of "Euro - sterilization": where everything must be uniformed accross Europe. I like the idea of re-introducing a new bus that is iconic and unique to London. Boris gets my thumbs up for this one.

John
Is there no better way of spending tax payers cash that replacing perfectly good buses with something dangerous and antiquated?

ALVIN AARON
YES BRING BACK A LONDON ICON.

Fahad
In this modern world everything is going safer, faster, reliable and cost effective. I think the modern bendy and double decker buses meets all the criteria. Bringing back the Routemasters will cost the TAX payers a lot of money and it would not be safer and faster (boarding/un-boarding) as modern buses. Comparatively it will need more Routemasters to cover up existing passenger pressure. And it will have bad impact for environment with traffic congestion. We can introduce more ticket inspectors on bendy buses to prevent ticket fraud. Please leave the MAD IDEA of bringing back the unsafe, non-environment friendly technology in modern world. We can keep some Routemasters in some particular tourist routes, but not all routes used for day to day commuting.

Arnaud Cottier
As a daily bus commuter I don't really see a point in bringing back the routemaster. will not be safer and quicker. Mr Johnson is just having a moment of nostalgy and this will not make the journeys quicker or more efficient. Another hundreds of buses would be preferable not to have to wait for 20min to 1/2 hour every morning to hop on a bus because the routes are too crowded! A serious thinker needs to bring the correct ideas for this messy town!

Anon, City of London
Even though I love the Routemaster buses, the reality is that public transport has become so busy especially during rush-hour times and we need buses that are accessible, safe and with more space for more capacity. The Routemasters will not have that. Ken was right to remove them because they were inaccessible and unsafe and it's true that we needed buses which EVERYONE could use.Many of our buses are over-crowded but at least you don't fall out of them. The Routemasters have an open-rear platform meaning that if they do get over-crowded, you could fall off them.Also, Boris should have thought before pledging the Routemasters because there was no design, blueprint, cost details etc. What a joke!

ben
bring them back, london is a unique city and has unique transport requirments. The bendy busses are ridiculous and no-one pays to use them.

Martin Lee
I think Routemasters were fine in the 50's & 60's but there is no place for them now. How about Berlin Doubledeckers with centre exit from lower deck and rear exit from upper deck. The attraction of RM's was the conductor and open doorway to jump off at lights. Highly dangerous!!

S Scott
Borris is mad if he thinks he can use the routemaster again to take over the bendy bus. The bendy buses liked or lothed they carry 140 passengers each some routes operating a bus every 3 minutes during the peak hours. With a standard routemaster could only carry 60-70 passengers and a new styled double deck carrying 80 passengers this will mean needing at least one and a half routemaster to replace each bendy bus. Does he not realise we will be over run with buses and making these services even more unreliable by the frequency he will be asking the operators to run them at. Whilst I do love the routemaster it had its place and I am sorry to see it gone but the time for them has gone with number of passnegers each vehicle expects to carry these buses will be uneconomical with conductors and dangerous with open platforms. Borris please stop the madness and talk to people in the industry with sense.

Richard Todd
I would dearly love to see the infamous Routemaster back in London. There's no bus since that has that truly London feel to it since they were phased out. The bendy buses just take up twice as much space and are character-less, what was Ken thinking? However I really can't see any new design topping the classic Routemaster, it's a shame the old stock can't be overhauled and re-used.

Matthew
Regardless of the pros and cons this is clearly just the type of thing a candidate would say to get votes in London. The fact that Johnson was caught out on the costing merely proves that no real planning has gone into this. Stand by for a fake feasability study stating that it's impractical followed by the entire phony project being quietly buried.

fiona oommen
the route master were vital to keep people moving around london. To be able to hop off and on took the tired ness of travelling around as you could just with a travel card taek a bus any bus to take you further down the street they provided a moving pavement shelter from the the weather just good fun with a friendly conductor who you could ask for information should you need - you cant talk to a driver Bring back the routemaster and bring back the heart to london

Edmund Michael Waller
I did not vote for Boris because of his policy to bring back this obsolete bus, which would be hugely expensive and there are other more urgent needs for our money( hospitals etc) which would go without.

Neil
The routemaster with its open back, allowed fast loading and unloading of he bus. Thus it spent less time stood still at the bus stop blocking traffic.Health and Safety? PAH! Maybe if we had more routemasters we would remove more idiots from the gene pool, survival of the fittest!

Steve Dunmore, Nanning. China.
I grew up with the Routemasterthere is a story in AmeriKa , that one day about 5 years ago a stupid American fell off the rear platform ,and sued the bus company and the city of london for his/her injuries, plus related psychiatric trauma due to the fall.Livingstone then reacted by pulling the entire fleet, thus pandering to the american psyche that is:" If I fall I can sue someone, and make lots of bucks!"I lived in the States for 30 years, I know what these people are thinking.Is that why the buses were removed?The Routemaster is a part of london , It's demise was one huge mistake.

Elaine Barnett
It was a big mistake getting rid of them.An up to date route master will be brilliant

Jonathan Parkin
YES! Bring back the routemaster and all things unique to London and England! It was a crime that it went in the first place. It has to have the open back...people are quite capable of making their own decisions about whether or not its safe to board and/0r alight. Surely that's why there is a conductor...no? They are there to ensure safety. If the routemaster doesn't go ahead because of ridiculous health and safety regs then its a prime example of how just stupidly obsessive the modern world had become.

Joe Mac
As an ex London Transport conductor and driver I had the experience of working on a Routemaster with rear doors in the early '90s on routes 11 & 22 from Victoria Garage.

Amy
YES! London is not London without the Routemaster. The open back is part of the charm - health and safety has gone too far. And buses just aren't as safe without conductors, so I'm very happy to hear that they'll be back also. Go Boris, I hope he manages to bring the real London back.

Dave Moore
I'd love to see routemaster back on London's streets. They were specifically designed for this 50 years ago and the design is still much better than any recent attempts. Health & Safety? Perhaps the sign saying passengers must not travel on the platform needs to be made bigger. The Health & Safety Executive need to be told that if people do something stupid, after being told it's dangerous, then they can't complain if they get hurt. London buses, especially in the centre need conductors. Drivers alone cannot control a full double-decker. This might have a cost implication, but offset that with extra revenue by ensuring passengers actually pay for their journey. Route seventy-free wasn't called that without good reason.ps. Why is the spell checker on this site using American English?

Richard Wilson
I travel most days on a Bendy Bus and prefer them. You do not get thrown around as the ride is smoother. Also with no upper deck there is a sense of being near the driver and more secure. I do however object to the fare dodgers so why can we not keep them and put a conductor on them and get the best of both worlds. To be h onest unless Boris get a second term I cannot see repalcement being an option

B. Wilkins
Granted this project my be more costly than buying vehicles "of the peg" but vehicles such as the bendy bus bought in this way are not specifically designed for London. London is unlike any other city in the world and it deserves a transport system taylored to meet its unique needs. The bendy busses were bought off the peg and turned out to be a dangerous liability so why shouldn't London have a new Routmaster.

Colin Wells
If a new Routemaster has no open back, then there would be no point. That would be my main criterion, hop on, hop off. Sod health and safety.

Charlie
Bringing back routemasters is madness from a madman. With legislation getting more stringent every day I can not see a manufacturer wanting to be held accountable for injuries sustained by falling from a moving bus. Designers, manufacturers and operators have to identify any and all conceivable risks. I ask this question – What is the easiest way to stop people falling from a moving vehicle? My answer would be to install a movable barrier at the point which access is given to passengers. Normally these movable barriers are called doors.I can wait for this election aftermath to die down. Boris is like a dog on heat. His hunger for headlines is insatiable but this appeal to nostalgic commuters of yesterday is doomed!!

ruggero brunello
keep the original routemaster!!let England be England!!we want British, not blitish..lovely England

carol brown
bring back the Routemaster then perhaps I will leave my car behind. The Capoco seems to tick all the boxes.

Emmanuel Ben-Edigbe
Why do everything has to meet modern time, Just bring back the old routemaster; the key question is do anyone actually fell out of them?Well Done Boris Johnson and everyone that voted.

Andrew
The tragedy is that Bojo probably still doesn't realize that because of Health and Safety and Disability Discrimination legislation the Routemaster design is obsolete. Also the artist's impression in your article looks frighteningly long. Anyone who has seen stretch limo's getting stuck on the corner of Tottenham Court Rd and Oxford Street will understand why longer buses need to be articulated.

F. MacHarry
Impractical, expensive, yesterdays dream wagon; that sums up Rout Masters and Bendies. Bring on the Titan.Route Masters were practical and cheap, when London was not the most congested city in Europe.Bendies were an Englishman's dream (Red Ken?) of how main land Europe travels (ain't been there lately - obviously).Bring on the Titan with 'No Oyster No Entry' doors.

Patrick Horan
No, a ridcoulous idea,the Routemaster is synhomous to disabled people not being able to travel and being a prisoner in their own home

Jeff Bronstein
A new Routemaster - fantastic idea. It would be worth a trip to London all the way from Australia just to ride on them. Go Boris!

Volodymyr (Uzhhorod)
A very good idea!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ian F
Let's be clear about what was pledged. Boris did NOT just promise a competition -he promised to create a new bus and get it on the streets. Some quotes from his manifesto:"...supporting different forms of transport like river services, andrenewing traditional forms by commissioning a 21st century Routemaster with conductors""I want to introduce a 21st century Routemaster that will once again give London an iconic bus that Londoners can be proud of ... I will renew it for the next generation""I want to see the next generation Routemaster, with conductors, running on the streets of London by the end of my first term as Mayor""We aim to have new Routemasters, with Conductors, running in London by the endof our first term"There is nothing conditional about those statements - he has pledged to do it. Let's see...

trevor leigh
yes would be thrilled to have routemasters back, prefereably with lots of retro detail like the long flex for going ding ding , the grooved wooden floor and windows that wind down. These things are massive tourist attractions. we need that foreign exchange!

r s
I think that Ken Livingstone made a disastourous decision in removing the routemasters from London Whilst I understand that people with disabilities should be able to use public transport, there were enough services offering wheelchair accesibilty for them to make their journeys. This was a factor that cost Livingstone his position, I hope they return.

Geoff Viner
Yes we need the Routemaster. It was designed for London conditions. Falling off platforms - how many over the 50 plus years the RM was on London roads was there a report of someone falling off? Get real on this - bring back well trained conductors and design a new Routemaster bus for London. If there was a fear that people may fall off - why is there two routes in London that still use the old Routemaster. I was brought up with them - ideal for London.

Nigel
Yes!

Jono
There was a Routemaster bus called an RMA/RMF which had doors at the front and stairs at the front used as I understand it at airports and in the Midlands. I think that they should make a new version of this bus with low floor etc. as opposed to the one that was open at the back.

C L Phillips
They are a much better idea than the bendy buses - at least they don't stop on all pedestrian crossings due to their length and also tend not to cut corners off pavements due to miscalculation by the driver! If there is a modern equivalent with disabled access then the routemaster should make a comeback - it's easy to avoid being sued for accidents by warning passengers that they stand at the open back of the bus at their own risk - it just needs a bit of common sense!

keith roberts
excellent idea , get rid of those stupid bendy things , i wonder how much ken got paid to accept those things on our congested roads , well done Boris , and baning drinking on public transport , brilliant idea too , and in answer to bob crow , the football scum are not welcome on OUR PUBLIC transport system ..its there for normal people not drunken scum

Chris Leadbeater
London Buses built a Volvo bus in the 1980s as a possible replacement. It had a front and rear door and two staircases.They could not get permission to run the bus in service with the rear doors open.

John Myerson
Cannot see the sense in an open back bus. Conductors would be good though.

Amelie
I loved the old routemaster it was perfect for the summer and the dash for the door often proved comical entertainment. It has a certain nostalgic effect however reintroducing the routemaster, even if it new and improved would be a waste of tax payers money. I think the solution would be introducing permanent conductors on the bendy buses to stop problems such as fare evading and anti-social behavoir.

Andrew Kellett
What makes a bus a Routmaster for Boris ?Clearly he isn't going to buy up the original ones and reintroduce them (good!). We talk about doors and low floors so apart from a conductor, not part of the bus snyway, what else will separate a 'new Routemaster' from any other double decker.For what reason precisely are we to replace the 'hated' bendibuses anyway? Sentiment I suspect is top of the list.

jimeve1943
only as a tourist attraction in central London for the places of interest,the public today are so insurance claims minded(THANKYOU AMERICA)it would be transport suicide for the bus companies,and curtains in the long term for Boris Johnson.

Richard Fullerton
The Routemaster bus had two unique features which are not found on any modern bus in public service today - an open rear platform and a conductor. Any successor bus which does have both these features cannot be described as a "new Routemaster". I loved the Routemaster too, but times have changed. We are now obsessed with health and safety and the compensation culture. It will be absolutely impossible to obtain approval for a new bus with an open platform, and therefore it will not be a Routemaster. What will the role of the conductor be? Currently, in central London, all bus tickets must be bought in advance, and the vast majority use Oyster because it costs 90p instead of £2 for a cash fare. So the "conductor" will be a ticket inspector/security guard/information source. Why is a new design of bus necessary? If conductors are a good idea, why not put them on existing buses?It is claimed there is large amount of fare evasion on bendy buses. Will conductors save more than they cost?There was an experiment with conductors on Route 55 a few years ago - but the idea was dropped? Why? Too expensive, or no faster journey time because people still expect to show their ticket to the driver. "Bring back the Routemaster" has a nostalgic ring to it, but is it a practical idea?

Ed Marks
It would be great to see a traditional London bus on the streets, but development & staff costs would be huge. And how much would the bendy buses fetch, second-hand?

ramim
ok,the Routemaster were nice but we need to move on and keep the bendybuses!!

Richard Smith
The routemaster was a pleasure to travel on.The atmosphere was completly different from the new double deckers & bendys - where you feel trapped and less secure than with a conductor - who were usually friendly and pleasent. I catch the remaining no 9 when poss just for the experience. Bring it back!

Jason Beverley
Boris is absolutely right to bring back the routemaster the bendy buses are loathsome they may work well in other foriegn capitals with wide streets etc but not in London they are a nightmare to pass.the routemaster was dearly loved -if they were run on route interspersed with modern double deckers so that everyone has access to transport on all routes then everyone disabled or otherwise is happy and i personally will help Boris torch the bendy buses when can i start! go boris go the routemaster it will never die!

mary wash
I really hope the bendy bus goes as I walk with a stick & no one will get out of your way or give you a seat. The Routemaster was a much better bus & people had to pay their fare. It is so annoying to see people get away with not paying. Also make the kids pay again. An old person's bus pass does not start until 9 am & if they have an appointment at the hospital before this time it cost them £2 which we could do a lot with. Give us back decent buses PLEASE. Thank you.