This bus is running late

The arrival of the new 1 million Routemaster has been delayed for the second time.

A new version of the expensive three door bus, which was initially expected at the end of 2011, was rescheduled for yesterday but Transport for London declared the bus was not ready yet as a result of the certification process taking longer than anticipated.

In fact the new Routemaster is currently being tested on route 38 between Victoria station and Hackney, where the first of the buses will begin service on February 28.

Moreover the brand new vehicle will be on its own as the other seven prototypes won’t be on London roads until the summer.

Transport commissioner Peter Hendy declared that a week late after three and half years is pretty good as the original bus took twelve years from conception to service.

The new models have also attracted criticism as the absence of clippies could aid fare dodgers. 

However the Mayor of London pointed that the back doors will be open during the day and a conductor will be on board to invigilate passengers, to help and make sure people pay their fares. At night the rear doors will be kept closed and operated by the driver, preventing fare evaders to board without paying.

One ticket fits all

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson is planning to control all suburban railways and introduce a one-ticket system across Greater London.

He wants the Government to devolve to him the power to award rail franchises in order to integrate them with the London underground network and offer a more punctual, reliable and affordable service.

Mr Johnson said that the fractured organisation of London’s suburban railway is inefficient and needs a complete overhaul. His vision is for one integrated suburban service operating to the standards achieved on London Overground, which is one of the most reliable and popular  railways in the UK at the moment.

Mr Livingstone wanted to execute a similar plan when Mayor four years ago and has claimed he would attempt this proposal to Mr Johnson if elected.

Meanwhile, a report published by research company Just Economics found that Britain’s rail services are slower,  less comfortable and more expensive than those on the continent.