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So these bendy-buses, when did they come about? In my day the Routemasters ruled the roost!

Firstly, the correct name for them is 'articulated buses'. Ken Livingstone who was  Mayor of London at the time introduced them, back in June 2002.

Pretty ground-breaking!

Not really, other countries had them in operation way before we did. It was because we were slow off the mark that there was so much press surrounding their implementation.

Burst my bubble why don't you. Because of the hype, they must have been a massive success then?

They have been very unpopular. And our current London mayor Boris Johnson has undertaken the withdrawal of the bendy-buses, a promise that he made as part of his 2008 campaign to be mayor. Since 2009 they have slowly been replaced by either double-deckers or single-deck low floor buses.

When was the first Routemaster introduced?

The first Routemaster, the RM1, was introduced on 23 January 1954 and 57 years on, it would be nice to see them again...

Next you're going to tell me that Routemasters are going to be dusted down and put back in service!

Even better. By 2012 a prototype for a new version of the ever popular Routemaster, which will  now incorporate an electric hybrid driveline, will be on the streets. It is expected to be in service in time for the London 2012 Olympics.

Sounds exciting to me! Blast from the past with a twist!

Exactly. So what Livingstone took off the road in 2005, Boris will (hopefully) have back on by this time next year.

But at what cost?

I thought you may ask that. Well £7.8 million would get you 5 of the new model Routemasters. The cost of replacing all of London's 5000 double-deckers and bendy-buses would cost £600 million per year. And a further £108 million per year to replace all bendy-bus routes with buses that have conductors.

Well I'm all in favour of getting rid of the beastly bendy-buses which, may I add, more often than not people hop on and off of without paying.

Out with the new, in with the old I say! And long live the ruby-red Routemaster that has outlasted many buses that have tried and failed to replace it.

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