'Boris Buses' Appear on Local Route

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Number 267 to be served by controversial new Routemasters

The so-called ‘Boris Buses’ or new Routemasters that were introduced to service under the previous Mayor have been assigned to a local bus route. The number 267 which runs from Hammersmith to Fulwell via Chiswick and Brentford has recently started to be served by the bus which Transport for London (TfL ) announced earlier this year they will no longer be buying.

The New Routemaster. Picture: Londonse1.co.uk

The bus which was widely seen as a pet project of Boris Johnson was criticised for being much more expensive than alternatives and it has been plagued with operating difficulties including ventilation issues and the failure of the battery to power the vehicle.

The new Routemaster being a hybrid will be compliant with the requirement for hybrid or electric buses only to be used on Chiswick High Road by 2020 as long as the bus is the kind with the Euro VI diesel engine.

A spokesperson from Caroline Pidgeon’s office, who has the transport portfolio for the Liberal Democrats in the London Assembly, said that the Boris Buses represented a huge opportunity missed as the money spent on them could have been used to bring forward the adoption of more zero emission electric buses. However, they did concede that the number of reports of problems with the battery units on the buses had declined significantly.

We have asked TfL whether the assignment of the new Routemaster to the route is a permanent move but have not received a response.

 

November 30, 2017