The Mayor used his fathers Bus Driving background somewhat substantially both in his campaign for nomination and for the actual Mayoral election.I do accept that saying Anti Bus is a bit harsh. But he has turned out to be rather unenthusiastic about surface transport.Both Ken Livingstone and Boris were both very much for reviving and improving the bus network but under the present Mayor it has gone into neutral.Ken lost his campaign by Killing off the Routemaster without a decent replacement. The 'Borisbus' was originally hatched by Ken's team.He went for the Bendy Bus. Big mistake.See Boris's Bus by Capital Transport Publishing. It's a very good read.As for the Labour stance of "Boris's vanity bus" This Vanity bus is the only London Bus designed for London and built in the UK. It was on course to revive the entire UK bus manufacturing industry. Most of it's R&D was underwritten by London and has created and saved a heck of a lot of manufacturing jobs in the UK albeit mainly in Northern Ireland.The much claimed hideous costs of the bus are because all the development and prototype costs were included. But the design is to last a minimum 17 years ( against 7 to 12 for all other types) and the volume of production brings the unit cost down.When first unveiled it was a huge improvement on hybrid technology and is designed to be future proofed and upgradeable. It was a huge improvement in design and quality - But not in my view as good as the original. But better than it's modern counterparts. Some of which are really costly to operate.So just as they begin to show their durability, ( all electric versions were in the build ) the Mayor cancels them. Just pure politics of spite because they have got a nickname of a politician of the wrong party.So what happens next? The Chinese lift the entire design and technology ( they do not honour or recognise patent and copyright laws ) improve on it from state funding and then sell their product to...TfL as the Mayors preferred product.So more jobs in UK lost and more imports. In the meantime, europe soaks up the rest of the orders.But he and his office are largely unenthusiastic about buses, have not listened to the major problems that cycling highways have caused to bus journey times and frequencies and are embarking on rationalisation of services. PVRs are being reduced on many routes and capacity reduced .Apart from the marketing which is simply a revival of a shame run by LRT in the early 1990s. Nothing much is happening. Some tweaking of services for Cross rail, but a lot of reductions in Night Bus services because of the Night Tube ( which is only on certain days but this seems to have gone unnoticed ) Unless you use night buses.No local contracts specified Hybrid or Electric, and whilst Stratford has now been moved into zone 3 along with even more enhancements, Brentford and Boston Manor, remain in Zone 4. That's because their Mayor and council lobbies hard and gets it.Drivers and operating staff are still way underpaid and the issues between operating companies still exist. He has no desire to engage and deal with the very deep crisis within the bus and road surface remit of TfL. Now Leon Daniels, the capable man in charge is calling it a day, one of several who have found the indifference to much to bear.Try reading the trade press. Sadly it is barely reported in the main papers.
Raymond Havelock ● 3057d