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Mayor unveils winning designs for Routemaster
Pippa Crerar and Katharine Barney24.12.08
LONDON'S new Routemaster came a step closer today as Boris Johnson unveiled the winning designs for the next generation of the bus.
A streamlined space-capsule bus, designed by car-maker Aston Martin and architect Lord Foster, and a Fiftiesstyle vehicle by bus designer Capoco shared the top prize.
They will each be awarded £25,000 although it was unclear whether their designs would have more than a glancing influence on the bus that ends up on London's streets.
Mr Johnson will set out the next steps in delivering his new bus during an awards ceremony in central London.
"When I launched the competition, I asked for stylish and imaginative designs which would resonate with Londoners," he said.
"We have had a phenomenal response, with ideas submitted from around the globe, and we now have, in our joint winners, two stunning designs that allow us to go forward and produce a truly iconic bus fit for 21st century London.
"I know that, like me, Londoners will be waiting eagerly to see how these ideas evolve into the final design that will appear on our roads."
The winning designs will be passed on to bus manufacturers to develop into a final design. Transport for London expects to award a contract to build the first new bus for London towards the end of next year, with the first of the vehicles on the streets by 2011.
The Mayor initially said the new Routemasters would cost £8 million to run with conductors but was later forced to admit the figure would be nearer £100 million.
Routemasters were phased out by former Mayor Ken Livingstone amid concerns about accessibility as well as safety questions over the "hop-on, hop-off" platforms.
Mr Johnson made bringing in a new generation of the popular bus a key pledge of his election campaign.
The winning design had to include an open platform to let passengers board and alight "quickly and easily", show "good use of interior space" and "accessibility", as well as including green technology and having a conductor.
The judges particularly liked the rounded rear of the Foster/Aston Martin bus, designed by Todd Hutton, and its nod to the heritage of the original Routemaster by including wooden floors.
More modern aspects included solar panels built into the glass roof -although there have been concerns this could steam up in winter and make the bus top-heavy.
The Capoco submission was praised for its technical excellence, in particular its light-weight structure and hybrid propulsion.
It also had a separate door for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The bus would seat 66 passengers with room for 14 standing, compared with 72 seats and five standing on the old Routemaster.
More than 700 entries were received for the competition.
The judges were the Mayor, his transport adviser Kulveer Ranger, Transport Commissioner Peter Hendy, TfL's head of surface transport David Brown, Clare Kavanagh and Mike Weston from London Buses and bus expert David Quainton.
Reader views (81)
I have always like the double-decker buses since i was a kid because you can sit upstairs on them and enjoy the view. They are much better than those all-squashed up single-deckers
- David Victor Adams, West Midlands
So how WIDE are the new buses going to be?
London seems to be currently the European city with the narrowest streets and the widest buses. Often two of the current double-deckers can't pass each other, they're each nearly half a foot wider than the old Routemasters.
In many places there just isn't a foot width to spare.
So never mind the look of the things, how wide are they?
- Terry, london, uk
Why do we need to spend money on a new routemaster when the old design served London well for 50 years? There are still hundreds around, with new engines they are cleaner than the bendybuses and could go on for years. Nevermind designing a new bus at new cost, simply bring back the old routemasters into service for a fraction of the cost.
- Nj, london
The Routemaster was a good bus for its day when compared to its predecessor but time has moved on. It was not wide enough or high enough, they were damned cold in the winter and climbing or descending the stairs on anything but a smooth, straight road (a pretty rare thing in London!) was at best difficult and at worse dangerous. Lets have a good bus and if it has a family reemblance to the Routemaster then so much the better.
- Miles Whitey, Southend on Sea, England
Quite frankly, the original design of the Routemasters cannot be bettered. The problem is, they would need to be adapted to take disabled people. Apart from that bring back the original design. One other thing. Peter 'Bendy' Hendy is modifying the destination blinds to give only the main destination. On any new Routemaster we should revert to a separate box to give th suburbs through which the bus passes as well as the main destination. This is a great help to our foreign visitors who do not know the geography of London. Yes, bring back the OLD Routemaster with modifications for disabled people.
The new designs are incredibly ugly.
- Ernie Whittaker, London
I was under the impression that this was a competition for THE design for a new Routemaster. Now it appears there are two "winners" - but it's "unclear whether their designs would have more than a glancing influence on the bus that ends up on London's streets".
So when IS something going to be decided? (At this rate a 2011 roll-out looks unlikely!) ...And exactly what was the £50,000 prize money for?
BTW, I LOVE the open rear platforms.
- Croyboy, Croydon
Presumably Fraser of Telfird Park by "large framed" you mean "fat"!!! I have just visited London and I can't believe how grossly overweight the population has become since my departure; perhaps it would do the average Londoner good to be reminded that the next packet of crisps should be balanced with a jog around the park!
The design of the bus looks good to me and hopefully will become as iconic as the original. Thank you Boris; at last London has a mayor who cares about the city that he presides over as opposed to the last woolly minded incumbent. It is always a joy to return to London and be reminded that it is the most amazing city in Europe and needs to be treated as such.
- Casper Slides, France at the moment
Good on yer Boris, show those Labour Lemmings at least you mean what you say. Roll out the route masters.
- Ebin Donk, yo1
These look fantastic. Public transport is part of our culture. All the boring people above should go back to their cars and let us have some decent public transport. The new buses are not nearly as good, or as functional, as the older ones. This is the big step in the right direction.
- James, Twickenham
I have supported this campaign from the start. Its a great idea, and the news buses look fantastic, a modern day version of the popular british icon, the routemaster!
The Aston Martin designed bus is stunning, the curved rear and glass roof are spot on for London, and will bring about a new modern era in London transport.
- Ryan, Leeds
I hope the money to pay for it comes out of the congestion charge, £200k per unit thats a lot of cash for a bus?.
I work for a bus and coach builders and we do build now buses for London and counties with disabled access for half the price and have lean burn engines fitted as standard.
"Routemaster" was an "ICON" but this design looks like something from "DISNEY" and looks silly.
- John.L., Scarborough N.Yks U.K.
I do sincerely hope that the design of these new buses make allowances for people of modern day sizes i.e for both those who are either large framed and/or tall.
Additionally, as ALL the officials now spout on about trying to get people out of their cars and using public transport, I hope that allowances have also be made for people carrying shopping and/or large packages.
After all, if buses are overcrowded (due primarily to the lack of them) then why would anyone large framed, tall, with shopping and/or with large packages want to use public transport?
- Fraser, Telford Park
Absolute lunacy, this project is an utter waste of money and based on nostalgia, not on common sense.
- Blunder, London
Will London get it's own unique bus...like the yellow cabs of New York...it should be a instant iconic image.
Unlike the New York cabs it should, apart from a few local exceptions be standardised...comfortable(an here comes the crunch)air-conditioned, clean both inside and outwardly, long-lasting, pleasant an simple to drive. The people who do the fancy designs are (most probably) not bus users or ever driven a bus in a major world city. We need to get our act together here...ask the mums with prams, the blind and lesser abled people, the school children, the drivers, the wide scope of people whom use and care for buses in London what they want and to be frank deserve. The Routemaster was London's unique bus...now we need a "i-phone" 21st Century inspired update. A London bus designed by Londoner's, for Londoner's...
- Ed, London
well done Boris, you are a breath of fresh air
- Eve, london
"How unlike dear old Ken who ratted on his promises and left us with the cyclist killing fireball bendy bus"
A cyclist has never been killed by a Bendy bus, and an early design fault that caused the fires has been resolved.
- Prj45, London
Waste of money. Re invention of the wheel. After many months and £50,000 it is unclear whether the designs will have more than a glancing influence on the final design. Money well spent Boris. There is nothing wrong with modern double deckers, London is a city not a theme park.
- Rich, London
the saddest thing london ever did was voting k livingstone out a man of vision within the next 10 years london would have been the envy of the world
- C May, bromley
As London has one of the world's most prolific public transport systems maybe an improvement to the routemasters may be to abolish the congestion charge altogether and ban all forms of private transport within Greater London except goods vehicles. Then make all public transport travel free and only charge a fare for taxi rides.
- Len, Perth, Australia
The Aston one is excellent, the other looks like something from British Leyland, yuk. Who cares about the cost, these things will become an icon that defines London and the UK for decades. If they blow the transport budget, take some cash from marketing. Well done Boris, you chaotic chancer.
- Andy, Redhill
It's wonderful and could be built at the Browns Lane Coventry works the home of Jaguar. It would be sensible to put money into this.
- Steve.W, B'ham UK
For my view on the new route master i want to say it very ugly and i don't know what Boris Johnson is thinking.
He should put Bendy buses on longer routes as bath and Manchester never had that problem.
i agree what Tom in london said.
- Andy, London
Boris please get rid of those crime friendly bendy buses, the 29 bus that goes from Trafalgar square to Wood Green is a nightmare.
The designs are quite cool but can we have a hot drink and bagel or croissant when we touch in (our oystercard).
And can we have more space for pushchairs, wheelchairs and more seats at the front of the bus for mothers and the elderly.
That's my wish list posted.
- Hiedi, London
We now know that route 38 which used 50 RM's which were replaced by 47 Artics (with much greater capacity) will now become 72 Twin-Deck buses! The even dafter decision on Red Arrow routes means twice as many buses at 12 metre rigid length. Last time these were used they often got stuck going around corners! Side Streets at Victoria beware!
So from next May the thousands of commuters from the tory shires will be left stranded. No wonder GB is smiling!! Boris will win him the election.
As for Routemasters I remember when these dirty Diesel buses which often belched black smoke replaced the silent, clean and fast trolley-buses which London once had.
Its Q1 Trolley-buses updated that London needs together with modern battery power to prevent overhead wires in sensitive locations.
As for conductors as Del Boy would say "we dont pay cash any more" well apart from middle-class fools who then moan about £2 cash fare for each journey!
The "Boris Peter" competition gave away over £80k in prizes I wonder how many Roadside Ticket Machines this could have bought?
The fact is how will these buses work with nearly 100% of passengers having already paid and more importent how many PAYG will not pay because the Conductor did not have time to process their tiket?
- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex
How much are these White Elephants going to cost? I doubt we'll ever actually see them - the insurance costs alone for an open backed bus will cripple TFL. Remember, first person to injure themselves will probably sue for millions thanks to our compensation culture and they'll probably win.
- K Williams, London
Hmmm. I wonder if they'll put windows you can open on top at the front? No ventilation in the summer is NO joke! The designers completely forgot about that with the present bus series.
- Michael Spencer, Toronto, Ontario
The new Routemasters don't really need conductors - people can pay by Oyster like on the Bendies. Instead we can have someone offering coffee & croissants on the morning journeys and martinis on the way home in the evening.
- Sebastian Havelock, london, Uk
I think it would be rather nice in the future if people say "i'm going to catch a Boris". He will deserve to be remembered fondly.
- William, London
I wonder what the bus operators think after all they are the ones who will have to cascade these vehicles. Considerable expence will be involved to make them suitable for non-London use.
- Knightrider, Alton, Hants
If we can't have the original ones back, this is the next best thing. Well done Boris! Shame on all the NuLab trolls for posting against the fact that he's stuck by a manifesto commitment. How unlike dear old Ken who ratted on his promises and left us with the cyclist killing fireball bendy bus. Sooner they're ditched the better
- Max, london
Wonderful! No more being gridlocked through three and four light changes on Oxford Street with intended destination only yards away! Well done Boris - a politician who has kept a promise.
- Diana, Paddington, London, UK
RG,I'm a cyclist I'm not arrogant.Sure it's not you?
- Martin, London
I'll bet you there is less room for wheelchair users in this bus compared with the lovely banana bus, which has a big enough space for a wheelchair-using or scooter-using passenger to do a three point turn.
.
may be by year 2011 my legs will grow back and I can stand like the rest of them.
- Rebecca, sw1
I get the bus to and from work every day. We used to have routemasters on my route, by the time they reached my stop they were chock full, so I used to stand watching three or four go by before I could get on. Then came the bendy busses - almost double the capacity, weeklchair and buggy friendly, quick to get on because no ticket inspection. Bliss! My journey to work became comfortable. Now the clock is being turned back due to a) Boris's ego about winning an argument, damn what is actually better for Londoners and
b) sentimentality from those who don't commute by bus, who like a Victorian picture postcode view of London, Sod those who actually travel on them.
so my 2009 commute will be worse than it has been for some years; thanks.
- Susan, london
Good. It is going to take time but we have to repair the mistakes from Ken and his bendy bus.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
I don't know, people moaned about losing the iconic Routemaster after Ken decided they were probably too 'British' and so Boris is trying to fulfil his election manifesto by bringing a modern version back, and still people are moaning! Submit your idea of what it should look like if you're not happy!
- Sweatsocks, Beckenham
Agree with Sanjay: it's hideous.
- David C, London
Moan,moan,moan whinging Londoners again!Try catching ANY bus in the country let alone a high tech bus.Get in the real world and be grateful.
- Mick, london
Great, can't wait for them to be introduced. In the 50s the first four original routemaster buses were prototpes where all the bugs were ironed out, they looked different from the original design. Lets hope they do the same and then we will get a bus for London.
- Paul B, London
In response to RG - "the error of my ways"?!! When I am quite legally and carefully filtering through stationary traffic before suddenly being knocked off my bike by some idiot jumping off the back of a Routemaster without looking?
- Mcw, London
Is there a first class section?
- Arthur Pantry, London
Wonderful design and great to see the open platform again. Great news for claustrophobes!
- James, London, UK
looks amazing, but how can Johnson justify scrapping the cross-river tram, the tramlink extension, the thames gateway bridge and the ell phase 2, all of which would benefit London to a far greater extent and are desperately needed. London has busses and while there not perfect there are plenty more important things to spend money on than this ego trip, its a populist stunt, and an expensive one at that!
- Sean Kirwin, London
Robrty: "@Tom, stick on Labour@home with your gripes."
I have no connection with the Labour Party and am not from Labour@home. No idea why you think otherwise. I do, however, know something about engineering and transport economics, and know that as a result of this daft idea my bus fares are going to rocket, despite none of the routes I regularly use benefiting from this dubious scheme nor the idiotic bendy replacement policy which actually increases the risk to cyclists by Boris's own figures.
I think I might drive a bit more. It's what Boris seems to want, I think.
- Tom, London, UK
Brilliant design, might need some tweaks for practicality but will be a unique icon.
- Ade, london
Why bother opening it up to the public when established companies get the prizes !
No huge shock there now was there. They had best be careful they don't design another costly lemon !!!
- Slade Wallis, colchester, GB
What about those of us who don't want to go to Battersea Bridge though?
- Martin H Watson, Teddington
in response to MCW, London's comments: you are obviously too arrogant - as are all cyclists in london - to realise it 'takes 2 to tango' perhaps if the arrogant cyclist had more respect for the rules of the road and other cars and didnt - i quote 'hurl' - through red lights, things might be a lot better. this bus can only be an improvement on what currently is (that being - abysmal). your comments only go to prove and strengthen the point that the cyclist is the one who need to learn the error of their ways.
- Rg, london
Yes to well designed double deckers, no to open back buses and conductors. Oyster cards have shown how fast loads of people can get onto buses (and pay) & we don't need the extra cost of conductors, just spend it on air conditioning & comfy seats (like the Hong Kong double deck buses). If we add add decent movings maps to the buses, everyone knows will know where they are.
- David Williams, London
Cor blimey Blakey... what a hideous piece of turd...
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK
The competition is a total scam - let's see how close the new Routemaster actually resembles any of these designs - if it appears at all that is.
- Alan, Golders Green, London
This is transport apartheid. Healthy young people on top. Elderly, disabled, parents with pushchairs, people with shopping and people with luggage squashed and able to use only 1/2 of the bus. Is this progress?
- Didi, London, UK
Given the current cash crisis, would it not be more appropriate to re-engineer the old Routemasters, rather than just cutting them up?
There are railway locomotives in daily use on our railways that are over 50 years old, yet have been re-engineered to meet modern standard of safety and efficiency; it is one of the ever diminishing list of things that we are still good at.
- Keith Lonsdale, Doncaster
There is nothing wrong with 'bendy buses' just the people who put them on inappropriate routes (narrow roads, tight junctions, etc.). Try a few months on crutches and you will mark them way above double-deckers. This is a pointless waste of money which would be better invested on other transport projects!
- Michael, London
Is this not just a bit ridiculous in the current economic crisis. Shouldn't all non essential expenditure be put on hold until things pick up - instead of whacking the tax paper with another scheme which could frankly wait! There are far more important things to spend this money on!
- Kathy, London
Hopefully the new bus design will be on London's roads for a few decades - so the investment in getting the design right will pay off. It's also something that is used by Londoners every day, so why shouldn't we put the effort in to make it comfortable and enjoyable to ride?
- Lee Washington, London
Err - Labour party guys out there, this is Boris fulfilling a manifesto commitment - more than can be said for your pathetic excuse for a party. As for wheelbase and turning circle, ity'll take a good deal less than the awful bendy buses that are so lethal to cyclists and which Ken brought in.
- James, London
Oh, what a surprise! Sir Norman? No! Who would have thought so..?
- Jaden, London
Excellent! Great design and the conductor element is absolutely essential. The bus is the core of public transport and the reintroduction of the routemaster will make journeys a far more tolerable experience and therefore ensuring much greater use being the whole point. Well done Mr. Johnson. Yes it's expensive, what isn't? If, however, the bus could be sold to other cities in the country there must be economies of scale one might imagine.
- Chris Naylor-Smith, Brighton United Kingdom
The curved signs for the route number and destination board are stupid.From the pavement, you will only see part of the sign without stepping into the road - or reading it as the bus pulls away while you were trying to get the full information
Obviously designed by someone who has never used a bus.
- Howard, Herts UK
Looks awesome! Can't wait to see these on the streets of London. Don't forget, people, you can only be a populist mayor if you are popular!
Hands up if you will mess the bendy buses? *hands pointing down!!!!*
- St, London
Looks lovely. The front looks like the latest Rolls Royce. Seriously love the design.
- Toni, Barnet
Whatever design is presented, it will not please everyone!
Bearing in mind all the "Elf'n Safety" Regs; it will be a chimera, it can look no other way, so, bearing that in mind, it could look a damn sight worse than it does!
GERONIMO
- Geronimo, LONDON MIDDLESEX
Love it - plenty of glass to etch, nice long panels to grafitti.
Not the prettiest from the front though
- Hoodie, London
Mark Lee - I presume you work for Val Shawcross. If the design is good enough, others will use it too.
- Joss, London
I hope that, unlike the current Routemasters, they have decent sized seats and legroom and, more importantly, are Air-Con climate controlled.
- Ross, London, UK
Ugly, expensive, impractical nonsense..
- Ade, London
Has anyone bothered to run the design features past a bus driver? No, thought not. Mirrors? Wheelbase? Turning lock? Vision? Nah, not important.
- Jw, Watford, Herts. UK.
What is wrong with building the original AEC Routemasters? They were designed by bus people and built so that repairs were quick and off the road times were kept to a minimum.
Come on Boris, you know it makes sense.
- Anil Chatterjee, Manchester
This should have been an opportunity to design a bus that has a real relevance to everyday lives. Instead we are presented with a luxury over-sized Mini, that will not serve the needs of users any better than before. Boris's Competition has a total disregard for a real design solution
that will be equally suited to Oxford Street and Lewisham.
Pope Wainwright are one of a small handful of entries that challenged this lazy excuse for design.
- Style Over Substance Please, London Bus User
Cool. Why couldn't Ken get these in the first place.
- Sarath Palety, Aylesbury, UK
The german design one is awful, and the 50's one looks very old in it's seating arrangement - I'm sure there are better ways to seat people and be more comfortable for those of us that aren't shortarses.
I'd like to see more of the aston design ... Really like the back, and from the one picture looks like the interior lighting will be nicer than the very oppressive lighting that you get in the lethal, crime-ridden bendies
- Norm, London
It looks very nice but nightmare of nightmares, we see a return of the "open back". As a cyclist I was soooo glad to see the back of these, people tend to hurl themselves off Routmaster buses at random points without even so much as a glance for moving mopeds/motorcyclists/cyclists filtering through traffic.
I have smacked into people leaping off Routemasters several times. The design is dangerous in modern London traffic.
A complete waste of millions spent in design and in scrapping bendies which have only been in service for a few years.
- Mcw, London
Why bother collecting fares? I've yet to see anyone be turfed off of a bus for having no credit on their Oyster and then after much pocket searching no cash either.
- Bob, Cheam
@Tom, stick on Labour@home with your gripes.
Buses look good and since it was one of his more prominent election promises I'm happy to see them appear on our streets soon.
- Robrty, London
A helter skelter slide down, on the outside, should have been included in the design.
- Dhanraj, Basildon Essex
Love it, looks better than the monstrosity that pretends to be the USS Enterprise in ST XI
- Gordon, UK
The front looks ugly and needs a bit of redesigning.
Nah...It dosn't do anything for me.
- Mark H, London England
Where is the platform for Leona Lewis and Jimmy Page to boogie on?
- Bloke, London
...but how much will it cost? The current buses in London use standard designs that are used across the UK and in other cities around the world (albeit with some modifications such as the middle door). Buses are bought from different suppliers, resulting in a competitive tender.
If we have a bus uniquely designed for London, it will be more expensive as you won't achieve the same manufacturing economies of scale - furthermore, I presume only one company will be manufacturing these, enabling them to charge higher prices for the vehicles and spare parts.
Add this to the extra £100 million per year for conductors - this is going to be a phenomenal expense.
The buses do look good, but when really important infrastructure projects, such as the Cross River Tram, DLR Dagenham Dock Extension, East London Line Phase Two, North London Line Upgrade, and step free access upgrades have all been canned or cut back, it seems like we're paying a very high price for very little value-add. Personally I'd rather keep the current buses and keep the infrastructure projects, rather than get new buses and lose all of these projects.
One thing's for sure - this isn't "Value for Money."
- Mark Lee, Vauxhall
Boris can't find all the money for the rape crisis centres he promised to fund, yet he can apparently blithely chuck unspecified amounts of cash at an entirely pointless boondoggle of a bus? Twice?
I'm wondering whether his priorities are quite right, here. The truth is that London doesn't need this bus, Boris does, to prove he's a man who gets things done and further his political career.
- Tom, London, UK
