New Routemaster bus starts first day of service in London

Rex

Boris' new hop-on, hop-off bus started its first day of service in London today.

The new Routemaster bus will run between Victoria Station to Hackney, and will not run at night or on weekends.

The launch of the bus, which will be staffed with conductors, was delayed by a week after a software problem meant it had to run with the rear platform shut.

But TfL called this "teething problems", and Boris sung the buses' praises, calling them "tailored to the London passenger" according to the BBC.

But not everyone is so enthusiastic; the Lib Dems, Labour, and the Green Party have all criticised the Routemaster over costs.

Labour MP for Tottenham, David Lammy, said riding the bus was "surely the most expensive ticket in history", after pointing out that each one costs £1.4 million compared with conventional double decker buses, which cost about £190,000 each.

The old Routemasters were taken out of service in December 2005, although some still run tourist routes.

Boris announced plans for the new "green" versions, which run on a hybrid diesel-electric motor, back in 2008.

He defended the new hop-on hop-off bus, saying: "It's not just a pretty face.

"The green innards of this red bus mean that it is twice as fuel efficient as a diesel bus and the most environment-friendly of its kind."

Boris was left a little red-faced back in December 2011 when, just three days after its public launch, one of the brand new buses ran out of fuel on the M1.

The eco-friendly bus recharges its battery using energy from the brakes, but on longer journeys it fills up on diesel.

A Transport for London spokesman said at the time: "We will be speaking with the operator to ensure that this does not happen again."


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