The last bendy bus accordioned its way through the streets of London before being discontinued on Friday, 9 December. The buses, which were infamous for being the transport of choice for fare dodgers (due to passengers being able to board without passing the driver), are being replaced with 500 new vehicles, a portion of which will be the brand new hybrid-fueled Routemasters.
The Routemasters, which are due out in 2012, will feature:
– Extensive use of glass to highlight key features and produce a light and airy feel inside the bus
– A glass ‘swoop’ at the rear and offside to pick out the two staircases
– An open platform at the rear, shared with the Routemaster of old, which can be closed off at quiet times and which allows the reinstatement of a hop-on hop-off service
– Three doors and two staircases for smoother, speedier boarding and access to the upper deck. (Source: London.gov.uk)
Check out the video above for a more in-depth looking into the buses. Do you like the new design or do you prefer the old tried and trusted models?