London: Mayor & More

Would Boris's "New Routemaster" Ever Happen?

From Transit:

"Experts on bus design and production have cast doubt over Boris Johnson's pledge to build a new Routemaster if he is elected mayor of London on May 1.

In his transport manifesto, the Tory candidate pledges to scrap London's 340 articulated buses and launch a competition to design a new Routemaster. But experts interviewed by Transit suggested that it was a promise he could not deliver. A senior executive with a UK bus builder said a new Routemaster could not be certified, and would be too expensive. 'It's not been thought through,' he told Transit.

Other experts also cast doubt on the plan. Sandy Glennie, the former managing director of Volvo Bus UK, said that having an open rear platform on a new bus was a 'non starter'. Andrew Braddock, the former head of access and mobility at Transport for London, estimated that the vehicles would cost the mayor more than £250,000 each, much more expensive than a conventional double decker or an artic."

Now read on. Via The Tory Troll and peezedtee.

At Guardian Comment: On Transport Policies

This fabulous image was provided by the man behind The Spine. These words were provided by me. Same goes for the ones below.

A London mayor sets the Met’s budget and can influence strategy, but he can’t tell the police what to do. He can intervene in planning decisions, but can’t control the housing market. He can plant trees and bed in anti-pollution schemes, but the environment is bigger than he is. He can, though, make the bus service better. He can improve the Tube and train services. He can do something to restrain traffic flows. These are the areas where Ken Livingstone has been the can-do mayor and Boris Johnson is his hasn’t-done challenger

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