page_title: AEC Routemaster
section_title: Withdrawal from London
hierarchical_section_title: AEC Routemaster / Rise and decline / Withdrawal from London
caption_attribution_description: English: Arriva London South Routemaster bus RM54 (reg. LDS 279A), operating London Buses route 159 on the last day of non-heritage Routemaster operation in London. It's pictured here leaving Stop M (Whitehall / Trafalgar Square), heading south down Whitehall in Westminster en route to Streatham Station. Pictured here operating its last journey on the day, the first of the VLA class that were entering service as the Routemasters replacement on the 159 is seen here passing it. It's claimed that due to traffic delays, RM54 was actually the last Routemaster to be in service, having reached Streatham station after the last official bus (RM2217) running in the same direction but terminating short of the station, had reached its terminus at Streatham Hill, Telford Avenue (Brixton garage). RM54 was delivered to London Transport in September 1959, registered VLT 54. Having been sold out of London in the 1985, and operated in Scotland (where it was re-registered LDS 279A in 1990 by Western Scottish), and even bought for preservation in Blackburn in the late 1990s, it was one of many buses bought back by London Buses in 2002 and refurbished, for further use. After withdrawal from the 159, it has again entered preservation, and seen service with Ensignbus.
context_page_description: The AEC Routemaster is a front-engined double-decker bus that was designed by London Transport and built by the Associated Equipment Company and Park Royal Vehicles. The first prototype was completed in September 1954 and the last one was delivered in 1968. The layout of the vehicle was conventional for the time, with a half-cab, front-mounted engine and open rear platform, although the coach version was fitted with rear platform doors. Forward entrance vehicles with platform doors were also produced as was a unique front-entrance prototype with the engine mounted transversely at the rear.
  The first Routemasters entered service with London Transport in February 1956 and the last were withdrawn from regular service in December 2005, although one heritage route is still operated by Routemasters in central London. The first London bus route to be operated by the Routemaster was route 2, on 8 February 1956, with RM1. The same bus, with a revised front end, appeared at the Lord Mayor's Show in November 1956.
  Most Routemasters were built for London Transport, although small numbers were built for British European Airways and the Northern General Transport Company.
context_section_description: At the beginning of the 2000s, there was debate concerning the issue of whether to replace or retain the Routemaster in London service. Supporters cited its continued mechanical fitness, speed of boarding and tourist potential, while opponents pointed to the economics of running increasingly elderly buses when newer, larger and more modern designs were now on the market following a resurgence in the bus manufacturing industry after recession in the 1990s.
  Opponents also pointed specifically to the lack of accessibility of the Routemaster in light of impending relevant legislation, which meant all new buses now entering service in London would be required to have a low-floor design. The emergence of off-bus ticketing technology also reduced the argument for better dwell times, whereby the Oyster card and off-bus ticket machines would reduce the time it took passengers to board the bus.
  With Transport for London purchasing fifty Routemasters and having them thoroughly rebuilt in 2001/02, it appeared that the Routemasters would be around for some time to come. In February 2003, route 10 was split, with the Kings Cross to Hammersmith section converted to driver-only operation and the Archway to Marble Arch section remaining Routemaster-operated as route 390. In the same month route 36 was curtailed between Lewisham and New Cross and duplicated by route 436 between New Cross and Paddington, operated by Mercedes-Benz Citaro articulated buses.
  In March 2003, Transport for London managing director Peter Hendy advised that accessibility was a higher priority than retaining conductors, and in August 2003, as the existing contracts became due for renewal, the remaining Routemaster services were replaced, either by low-floor double-decker buses or articulated buses. Government legislation required full accessibility on 22 October 2014 under the Disability Discrimination Act; however, Transport for London was aiming to be compliant far earlier. As a consequence, the last Routemasters were withdrawn from general service on 9 December 2005, although two heritage routes - 9 and 15 - were introduced. This was reduced to one on 25 July 2014.
  Withdrawals began on the dates below as the five-year contracts expired.
  On 9 December 2005, the last Routemasters ran on route 159. On 8 December 2005, 24 special buses, including preserved RMs and RMLs and their predecessors from the AEC Regent III RT bus family made guest appearances on route 159.
  On the last day, on police advice, instead of doing a normal shift, with crews working until around 23:00, the last Routemaster services ran in the middle of the day. RM2217 operated the final departure from Marble Arch at 12:08. Heavily delayed, it took 10 minutes to turn the final corner into Brixton garage arriving at 14:06.
  Around the time of the last runs to the garage, crowds blocked the four-lane road, bringing all traffic to a standstill.
caption: Arriva London's RM54 on Whitehall on 9 December 2005
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