Icons saved from the final stop

2005-11-15 13:44

London - London's iconic traditional buses were given a new lease of life on Monday, with the launch of two heritage routes that will save the much-loved Routemasters from the scrapheap.

London mayor, Ken Livingstone, said the popular jump-on, jump-off vehicles, painted to look as they did in the 1960s with cream stripes along the side, would run along two routes past the main tourist sites.

Transport for London (TfL) decided to phase out the old stalwarts with their trademark spiral staircases last year in favour of more modern vehicles, such as bendy-buses.

Some old buses saved

But Livingstone said that 10 sturdy old Routemasters were being saved.

"Everybody who goes to San Francisco always goes for a ride on a cable car," he said. "London tourists want to try one of these wonderful old buses they have seen on the telly or at the movies."

He defended the decision to withdraw them from normal service.

"One Londoner in 10 can't physically get on a Routemaster and that's before you consider all the people struggling to get on with buggies (prams) and all that."

The Routemaster, with its cap-wearing conductor, is still running on the 159 route from the end of Oxford Street to south London. It is due to be withdrawn on December 9.

The heritage buses will charge the regular 1.20-pound (about R14) London bus fare.

Capturing Londoner's hearts

Heritage Route 15 will run through Trafalgar Square, along The Strand, down Fleet Street, past Saint Paul's Cathedral to the Tower of London.

Heritage Route 9 takes in the Royal Albert Hall, the plush Knightsbridge district, Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square, before running along The Strand to Aldwych.

In its heyday, more than 2 700 Routemasters weaved their way around the British capital. The Routemasters have gradually been replaced by newer double-deckers which, although retaining the distinctive red livery, have failed to capture a place in Londoners' hearts.

TfL phased the Routemasters out, saying a single driver was more efficient than the "with-conductor" combination, while the open-ended rear platform was less safe than newer vehicles and access was difficult for disabled passengers.

Some Routemaster fans saw the heritage services as scant consolation for losing the celebrated buses on their traditional routes.

"I'm not convinced how long they'll last. I don't know why they took them out of normal service,? said Andrew Ship, from Croydon, south London.

"If people are stupid enough to jump off when they shouldn't, then that's their problem."

- AFP