New Routemaster is 'years away' admits Mayor

BBC London (online) 1 September 2009

London mayor Boris Johnson has admitted it will be years before the Routemaster bus is ready - but said he is "champing at the bit" to remove bendy-buses.

When it was suggested the newly-designed bus "seems a long way off", Mr Johnson told the BBC: "It is."

But he said: "We are slowly starting to get rid now of the bendy buses."

The mayor said he expected the first new Routemasters, aimed at being better for the environment, to be "purring" through London's streets by late 2011.

He continued: "We are going to bring in a new generation buses which is cleaner and greener.

"The current buses just emit so much fumes and London has a real problem with air quality.

"By the back end of 2011 we will see the first new Routemaster purring through the streets of London."

The idea to reinvent the original double-decker Routemaster bus was one of Mr Johnson's key election pledges.

Sports car manufacturer Aston Martin and architect Foster and Partners joined forces to win the to design the new vehicle.

The bendy-bus, introduced by former mayor Ken Livingstone, has been criticized as a fire hazard and a danger to cyclists.