Boris Johnson: has pledged to bring back the Routemaster

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I worked for A.E.C the builder of London's Routemaster designed by Colin Curtis we need him now but sadly he has passed on. I also worked at
Chiswick Works the London transport repair shop were the Routemaster was repaired after every 100,000 miles stripped down to every nut and bolt rebuilt and then returned to service. Sadly now no more with offices built upon the whole site called Chiswick Park. They call this progress by reading these letters ( I dont think so ), and YES it was a great bus but previous governments had little foresight and the policy of buying new was a big mistake.

- John Worth, northampton

I completely agree with Boris,the Routemasters were great and could have lasted for many more years,let's build a modern equivalent of them and get some pride back into London Transport.

- Andy Powell, Crawley England

YES! YES! YES! Get rid of those frightful "bendy" buses - the Routemaster was always a delight to travel on when I made the occasional trip to see friends and family, and whoever thought it a good idea to rid London of these design icons needs to be padlocked in a straight-jacket with the key thrown away.

Honestly, I know it sounds nostalgic, but how much more of our history, identity and heritage is going to disappear thanks to the wishy-washy cloth-eared muppets we have running - sorry, RUINING this once great country of ours.

Good on you, Boris. You get my vote on this (and I don't even live in London!)

- Adam Simmons, Lincs.

i think boris johnson should bring back the routemaster bus back to the streets of london as they are an iconic land mark and are very much loved by all bring back our buses .

- Douglas Rodway, edmonton

I agree, I was a conductor on the route 22 and 14 out of Putney garage and I think it was a bad idea to scrap one of London's pride and joys.

- Darren Angus, london

I think the return of Routemasters is a mixed blessing,they were never designed to run for the length of time they did.
They were popular but with new rulings it became hard to fit them in because we almost stick to the letter when a new bit of legislation comes in,maybe we should just use that rare commodity called "COMMON SENSE".

Maybe some one could find the blueprints and adapt the existing ones so they can have low level suspension and a buggy area!
I think that originality has almost dried up these days!
I think there is no way a modern vehicle could emulate a Routemaster. Routemasters were well designed and rugged,the ones of today are almost hollow and devoid of atmosphere.
They are also one man operated.
A 2 man bus in London works well,one to drive the other to keep the public safe and catch fare dodgers!

We have to get it right as we hold the Olympics in 2012 and the world will be watching,lets get Richard Branson to design the bus,he knows a thing or two.
I just wonder what the Political Correct/Corrupt brigade would want us to have at The Olympics! Would it be the white flag of surrender or something equally useless like an ashtray for a motorbike!
Maybe we just need to give Boris our Blessing and let him do the job he was elected to do!

- Mark Marten, Reading,Berkshire

Today we have the first signs that Boris's platform for appointment, the abolishment of the bendy bus, is to take an astonishing four years to realization. Who else is dismayed and disappointed that he was hired on the platform, a basis that that was a priority, above all else in the capital. This can only mean four or possibly five additional years of chronic misery and delay as a result of Mr Livingstone's ineptitude. All credence in Boris, which was already teetering after the Peking Olympic ghastliness, has now inevitably tottered amongst a heap of many unresolved promises at an unprecedentedly early stage of his leadership. How sad is this for us all, and how duped do we feel?

David Fielding
London E1

- David Fielding, London

I will never understand what was wrong with the old routemaster, it has been in service for almost 54 years and still very healthy, so why it has been removed, it's not that danger, or less comfortable it is the bus that we loved and I wish Boris will bring it back again to bring the smile back on Londoners faces, it better than the bendy buses any way.
hop to see more routemasters at least in oxford street and Marble Arch , hig street kenisngton as it's attractions areas.
John

- John Girgis, London

I think Boris Johnson is just trying to impress old people (maybe because they make up most of the voters), He stops drinking on the tube and then wants to bring back routemasters and badly tackles a German in a "promotional" football match (remember the war) what on earth is next?
Free paper doilies handed out at every train station?

- Jimmy Shin, London U.K

Strongly agreed with back to Routemaster. Routemaster can be upgraded at Red London Bus has almost fabulous city of the world.

All access is disability symbol and family friendly welcome at more and more routemasters has produced by Capoco Technology specialist provider as well.

Boris has won election for mayor of London will be scrap Congestion Charge and back to more transport with fully uniformed staff and policing monitor detectors. Ken has tiredous business to less criminal city has been unable to assisting how to the solution.

We need to using a new and heritage Routemaster for any business and pleasure travels. We love it.

- Poafhpocdi, Ealing, London

By all means let’s see if the Routemaster can be redesigned like the tram has been re-invented at Croydon, Nottingham Manchester and Sheffield.

London once also operated trolleybuses until 1962. The last trolleybuses ran in Great Britain in March 1972 at Bradford. Six months later they realised the mistake in getting rid of this quiet and pollution free form of public transport. Perhaps London now realises their mistake in getting rid of the Routemaster. Plans to reintroduce the trolleybus never seem to get much further than some marvellous graphics on many UK trolleybus websites of what the new London trolleybuses could look like. Could the silent and very efficient trolleybus make a return to London in the shape of a new Routemaster.

I can hear people say we do not want the rattling old trolleybuses that ran in London until 1962 with masses of overhead wires. Take a visit to Rome; a brand new trolleybus system has been introduced very successfully, so successfully plans are in hand to convert further motorbus routes to trolleybus operation. As for the overhead wires these are absent in the historical part of the centre of Rome, here the vehicles operate using batteries. Perhaps Boris would like to have a visit to Rome, or if he could stretch his holiday money visit New Zealand to see latest trolleybuses being delivered to Wellington.

Let’s see the Routemaster back in London, but better still a more efficient and pollution free version that uses electricity too.

- R N Ashton, Doncaster

I would like to say thank you Boris for getting rid of these new bendy buses in London. There are a death trap although these may tailgate some traffic in the area of London. I really liked the routemaster bus since I was a kid and I'm looking forward to your plans of these friendly versions of the routemaster in the near future
Thank you

- Nicholas Mitchell, Leeds England

Please keep bendy buses. Their introduction has given the antisocial brigade nowhere to go (think upstairs at the back on the double deckers if you like dope smoking or can take a load of abuse) and has made bus travel feel far safer for us all.

- Andrew, Enfield

I don't even live in London but I'd love to see Routemasters back. There are so many things that have disappeared up and down the country that made us what we are. Southport is currently loosing its cast iron lampposts and Victorian tiles from the pavements. Bland aluminium lamps are going up everywhere and white concrete slabs and tarmac are now on pavements.
And as things change the town loses a little bit more of its soul. If those buses come back it might start a sea change of thought across the country, instead of us all wondering whether we should copy the congestion charge!

- Mike S, Southport Lancashire

If Boris Johnson is elected and if he brings back the Routemaster, I'd be one of the first people to thank him with a letter. I'm French and I was really disappointed about the routemaster's withdrawal. I came to London last year and I found a completely different atmosphere without the routemasters on the streets. The other double deckers and bendy buses have nothing to do with London even if they're red... If the Routemaster comes back, I'd prefer the original one and not the new range which design was proposed last December (awful front and looking like a toy!). About the disabled and elderly people (who are not that numerous), why not alternate Routemasters with fitted buses on each route : 1 out of 2 or 1 out of 3 to please everyone...
One more thing, Mr Johnson: Please think about amending the smoking ban. This law is killing pubs and clubs in London and in the whole country! A better solution can be found : every pub or club owner should decide whether smokers are allowed or not by putting a visible sign at the establishment entrance!
Good luck Mr Johnson.

- A.K., Paris, France

About time this county got its heritage back! I love like many the old routemasters buses. I hope the adapted ones Boris has in mind is not to different from the old ones!

Routemasters buses represent an era where things had character and lasted because of the quality of build.

Boris seems to be in touch with real people and what they want!
Not like red ken who is stubbon, and self centered and a lying trickster
who employ's crooks,and then places the racist card to defend him.
if lee jasper is innocent why bottle out by resigning just before the hearing! (thats why he should become a MP,as his conduct matches the requirements to be one!)

on your bus Ken!!

- Mike, Enfield

the Routemaster was a symbol of this country. Yes, they weren't very wheelchair and push-chair friendly BUT they could have hydraulics installed that could be operated by the conductor and also have fold out ramps fitted. Livingstone is a disgrace and he should be ashamed!!

- Nathan M, Peterborough

Routemasters were and could still be part of London street life. Foreigners simply cannot grasp why these matchless vehicles were so suddenly culled in favour of modern hermetically-sealed alternatives. At least some Routemaster routes in central London should have survived. As for disabled access, these routes would of course have needed some low-floor wheelchair/buggy-friendly vehicles to operate in tandem with the Routemasters. Easily arranged
hopefully, should Boris win, some meaningful Routemaster presence on the capital's streets will result. This to tide us over until the new eco-friendly variety becomes a reality.

- Simon Heron, Benenden, Kent

All this hoo-ha about a bus. As usual, every other country in Europe can use bendy buses without a problem but not the UK. Pathetic. Why do minor issues create such havoc in the UK? I just don't get it.
If that's Boris's contribution to the state of London we're well and truly stuffed. Better the devil you know..come on Ken! At least I know he's trying.

- Adrian Kane, Putney

If bendy buses go, I will lose my free trip from Euston station to Angel - I will be gutted!

- Grant, watford

When Livingstone took routemaster he took a part of London as well, bring it back Livingstone.

- Paul, London

The Evening Standard is unaware of the number of accidents attributable to the routemaster bus. I was seriously hurt when the bus moved off whilst I was boarding when it was stationary (the conductor rang the bell when he was the other end of the bus).

- Georgette Behar, London NW1

The "Routemaster" did exactly what it said on the tin. Bring it back Boris you get my vote.

- Joe Graber, London, England

Bendy buses are 18m long and totally unsuitable for London. One of them takes up a full bus-stop space! Praed St, Edgware Rd, Oxford and Regent Streets are constantly gridlocked. Passengers are trapped within them, unable to escape, because of the ridiculous ruling which prevents drivers opening doors between stops. Bring back the Routemaster and not only will we hop on and off and travel around more quickly, conductors will guarantee increased safety from the yobs and more money from fares. At the moment bendy buses are free! What other business operates like that? Any candidate restoring the Routemaster has my vote and that of my family (another 5).

- Diana, Paddington, London

This one policy would ensure Boris gets both mine and my partners vote!

- Dara, London

Bendy buses are also no good for pedestrians: as I walk around the city, they routinely block pedestrian crossings or box junctions as if the driver has no real concept of how long the bus is!

I am fed up of having to walk around a bendy bus which is parked smack bang across the middle of a zebra crossing with the driver appearing not to notice there are people trying to cross the road!

Sadly although I think this is a good idea of Boris's, nothing would ever persuade me to vote for a Tory mayor, but still, I'm glad someone is making a stand against the bendy bus!

- Alison, London

Bring back conductors, not just Routemasters! I would happily pay a bit more tax for them - not kidding. The millions that must have been lost due to fare evasion would have certainly paid for a few conductors.

The bendy buses work well in cities such as L.A. where there are mostly straight roads with the width to cope, but I am amazed at the lack of foresight with the decision to introduce them here.

- David, Muswell Hill

The only thing good about them is the length! You can quickly get on the back if running for the bus, but the agony of time delay waiting for it to cruise to my desination is too much.

- Jade, London

Don't only bring back the RM, bring back the RT and the Trolleybus.

- Jon, Edgware Middx

Boris for Mayor!

- Carman Jones, Hampstead

Boris has got my vote just for this idea alone! The Routemaster buses were iconic and practical and should simply have been replaced with a modern version rather than spending millions on those ghastly road-eating bendy buses. How many times are you on any bus, stuck in traffic and yet the doors won't open until you reach a bus stop twenty feet away? With the old Routemaster you could hop on and off when you like, there's a conductor ensuring most people pay (unlike the bendy buses), they're well ventilated and they actually hold more people than the newer buses.

- Jon, West Hampstead

I've never seen a ticket inspector on a bendy bus (route 38 and route 29 ). Bendy buses are usually seen sprawled across box-junctions, blocking traffic. They're not even cooled properly in the summer. Bring back a tried and tested design that was iconic and much loved!

- Neil, London

The decision to replace Routemaster buses made no sense at all. The bendy buses are dangerous and take up more space thus increasing congestion. The buses leave passengers trapped onboard between stops which is ridiculous when traffic is stationary. I hope Boris is elected as he talks so much sense. Bring back routmasters!

- Clare, London

Being a friend of someone who was knocked down by a bendy bus and nearly died (not that the driver noticed he drove on he had no idea because of the length of the thing) and having 20 minutes a day added to my journey since they swopped my routemaster to one of those bendies, having missed many buses because one or two of them are at a stop and no other bus can see you trying to flag it down, having been sat at lights endlessly because they can't cross the junctions (no room for them), it strikes me that you'd have difficulty getting planning permission for a bunglow in London why in Heaven's name did they buy buses that take up twice the room of a double decker be it routemaster or normal double decker?

- Sharon, Hackney

Wonder if people will people actually have to pay to ride on new routemasters, (unlike the bendy buses where most people seem to fare evade), or will they just hop on and off without paying?

- Mm, Hackney

Read the article again people. Boris wants a MODERN replacement for the routemaster not the original. Maybe we could get BMW to do for the routemaster what it did for the Mini.

- Marc, Harrow, UK

Personally I'm fine with the bendies. Their capacity is much greater and they are so much easier to jump on and off. Routemasters are old, noisy and slow. Londoners irrational attachment to the geriatric Routemaster is a symptom of the ridiculous belief that people have these days that old and traditional is always better. Also as a cyclist I find them no better or worse than any other buses. In general buses are not usually a problem to me as a cyclist, I feel far more danger from black cabs which frequently do what they like when they like without warning, as well as motorcyclists and moped riders. Buses are generally way too slow to cause any problems.

Boris is blatantly jumping on the bandwagon to get elected through pointless and populist policies which do no one any good. Has he actually thought how we're going to bring all the old Routemasters out of retirement and repair them/bring them properly back into active service at minimum cost? These vehicles are akin to vintage cars and must be very expensive to keep on the roads.

- Headhunter, London

As a cyclist I find bendy buses to be particularly dangerous, even the very experienced highly skilled professional drivers on these buses have a near impossible task to avoid having accidents.

I really don't understand how such a death trap ever came to be given a road-worthiness certificate in the first place.

- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark

Blunkett and the EU will never let us have the Routemaster back. The bendy buses have come to symbolise all that is wrong with the great New Labour swindle.

- Dave, Wookey Hole, Somerset

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