Transport for London hopes 'new routemaster' will be in service by 2012
The final designs by Heatherwick for London's 鈥渘ew routemaster鈥 bus have been revealed.
Working with bus maker Wrightbus, the design team has developed a double-decker bus that will be 15% more fuel efficient than existing hybrid bus and has the open 鈥渉op-on and hop-off鈥 platform, a feature of the out routemaster.
It has a 鈥済lass swoop鈥 at the back and an 鈥渁symmetric design鈥 at the front, which completes its 鈥渇uturistic look鈥.
London mayor Boris Johnson said the new bus for the capital would be 鈥渋conic鈥 and 鈥渂eautiful鈥.
The bus will have two staircases enabling easier and quicker access to and from the upper deck. The open rear platform has the option to be closed off at quiet times for example during the night.
Wrightbus engineers are working on a static mock up of the bus to be complete later this year with the first prototype to be delivered late next year. Transport for London hopes they will be in service in 2012.
Last year Foster and Partners won the design competition to replace the routemaster, but its design was rejected in favour of the Heatherwick/Wrightbus proposals.
The original routemaster bus was withdrawn in 2005, on accessibility and environmental grounds.
No comments yet