New Routemaster

It is known for having a "hop-on hop-off" rear open platform similar to the AEC Routemaster but it was made to meet rules for modern buses and to meet accessibility rules.

 History 

The AEC Routemaster bus was used in London from 1968 to 2005, it had a rear open platform and was monitored by the bus driver or the conductor. In 2005, it was withdrawn and replaced with buses that didn't have a rear open platform.

In the 2008 London mayoral elections, many people complained about the withdrawal of the Routemasters, Boris Johnson made a campaign pledge to make a new Routemaster bus.

In 2009, Wrightbus was awarded the contract to make the new Routemaster bus, the final design was announced in May 2010.

The new Routemaster first entered service in February 2012 with Arriva London on route 38.

The new Routemaster has three doors; the doors are at the front, in the middle and at the rear, the rear doors can be closed by the driver. It has two staircases; one in the middle and one at the rear that goes down to the rear platform.

 Operation 
 1,000 New Routemasters are in TfL operation.

Current routes
New Routemasters currently run on the following routes:

 Route Operator Peak vehicle requirement Introduction date 3 Transport UK London Bus 22 8 February 20165Blue Triangle3028 June 2022 8 Stagecoach London 30 28 June 2014Route 8 and 38 now served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 2 July 2014 9 Metroline 22 26 October 2013Route 9 to be served by iconic New Bus for London from Saturday Transport for London 21 October 2013 11 London General 25 21 September 2013Second Borismaster route named  Bus & Coach Professional 4 June 2013 12 London Central 36 28 March 2015Route 12 to be served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 8 April 2015 15 Blue Triangle 24 28 February 2015Route 55 and 15 to be served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 26 January 2015 16 Metroline 15 26 September 2015 19 Arriva London 28 5 October 2019Short Hops Buses issue 76 November 2019 page 22 21 London Central 27 5 December 2016 24Transport UK London Bus 27 22 June 2013Mayor announces first bus route to be fully served by iconic new bus for London fleet Transport for London 25 January 2013 27 22 24 November 2018Route 10 to go as TfL engages all-engines reverse Buses issue 764 November 2018 page 2432Metroline1829 April 2023 38 Arriva London 59 10 May 2014 55 Stagecoach London 35 28 February 2015 59 Arriva London 26 22 March 2016Route 59 converts to New Routemasters Arriva London 23 March 2016 67 London General 12 15 June 2019LSBL confirms latest London bus routes to change hands Coach & Bus Week issue 1400 2 July 2019 page 7 68 Transport UK London Bus 24 6 February 2016Route 68 now served by new Routemaster bus Transport for London 5 February 2016 73Arriva London 53 14 May 2015Route 73 to be  served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 15 May 2015 76 25 25 March 2017"Blue Triangle and Arriva London North win new London tenders" Coach & Bus Week issue 1251 2 August 2016 page 787 London General 22 30 March 2019Success for Go-Ahead Buses issue 752 November 2017 page 22 137 Arriva London 31 2 December 2014Route 137 to be served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 1 December 2014 148 London United  25 15 February 2014Routemasters running on route 148  Transport for London 19 February 2014 149 Arriva London 38 13 October 2015Route 149 now served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 26 October 2015 159 Transport UK London Bus 34 12 December 2015Route 159 now served by New Routemaster buses Transport for London 11 December 2015 168 Metroline 22 10 December 2015 176 London Central 22 7 November 2021 189 Metroline 20 30 August 2016 211 London United 20 4 June 2016 215 Stagecoach London 5 1 February 2024248Arriva London1524 September 2022 253 32 20 October 2016 254 33 3 June 2017Bus Service Changes 5 May to 16 June 2017 Transport for London 19 May 2017 267 Transport UK London Bus 17 7 November 2017Last New Routemasters for route 267 Buses January 2018 page 24 313 Arriva London 8 4 October 2020 390 Metroline 22 7 December 2013Route 390 to be served by New Routemasters from Saturday Transport for London 5 December 2013 415 Transport UK London Bus 10 30 July 2018Short Hops Buses issue 763 October 2018 page 24 453 London Central 35 18 October 2014New Routemaster buses on route 453 Transport for London 2 October 2014 EL1Blue Triangle 1718 February 2017 EL2 15 EL3 14 H32 London United 8 28 August 2021RATP shuffles fleet Buses issue 800 November 2021 page 22 N3 Transport UK London Bus 13 8 February 2016 N8 Stagecoach London 21 28 June 2014 N9 Metroline 18 26 January 2019Short Hops Buses issue 768 March 2019 page 26 N11 London General 7 31 October 2015Revised rear door arrangement on latest LTs Buses issue 725 August 2015 page 25 N15 Blue Triangle 23 26 August 2017N19Arriva London85 October 2019 N32 Metroline 6 29 April 2023 N38 Arriva London 26 10 May 2014 N55 Stagecoach London 12 28 February 2015 N73 Arriva London 13 14 May 2015  N87 London General 13 30 March 2019 N253 Arriva London 13 20 October 2016 SL3 Stagecoach London 15 24 February 2024

Former routes
New Routemasters previously operated on the following routes.

 Route Last operator Peak vehicle requirement NRMs introduced NRMs withdrawn 10 London United 23 26 April 2014 Transport for London 24 April 2014 23 November 2018 48 Arriva London 22 25 February 2017Arriva London starts running TfL bus route 48 service this Saturday Arriva London 23 February 2017 12 October 2019Permanent Bus Changes Transport for London 88 London General 23 24 August 2015 29 March 2019 91 Metroline 21 9 May 2016"Metroline" Buses issue 736 July 2016 page 73 November 2021111Transport UK London Bus2428 August 20212023N16Metroline6April 2023

In November 2018, route 10 was withdrawn and its New Routemaster buses were transferred to route 27. In March 2019, route 88 was restructured and its New Routemaster buses were transferred to route 87. On 11 October 2019, route 48 was withdrawn. Route 91's New Routemaster buses were transferred to Routes 17 and 332.

 Accidents and incidents 
The New Routemaster has been involved in several accidents and incidents:
 In September 2013, three people were seriously injured when a New Routemaster on route 11 crashed into three other buses and some parked cars on Chelsea Bridge Road.
 In June 2014, the driver of a car going at 100 mph was killed, one person was critically injured and 12 were hurt when the car hit a New Routemaster on route N38.
 In April 2015, a car was wedged in between two New Routemasters on Goodge Street. The occupants of the car were treated at the scene.
 In January 2016, 13 people were injured when two New Routemasters on routes 11 and 148 collided with each other and hit a van in Parliament Square.
 On 27 December 2019, a New Routemaster caught fire in Kennington, while working route 59 to Euston.
 On 5 March 2024, two people were injured after a New Routemaster on route 8 lost control and crashed into a shopfront on New Oxford Street in Westminster.
 On 19 May 2024, a new-style Routemaster on the 5 route between Canning Town and Romford crashed into the side of a house in Claughton Road, East Ham.

 References 

 Other websites 

 Official links 
 A New Bus for London Greater London Authority May 2010
 New Routemaster on Wrightbus website
 Product range of the Routemaster on Wrightbus International Website
 A New Routemaster Transport for London, 15 May 2010
Winning design
 Exclusive preview of new £8m London bus BBC News video preview of new bus with mock-up, 16 September 2010

 Design competition 
 New Routemaster winners announced, BBC News, 7 May 2008
 New look for Routemaster bus BBC News video featuring three proposals, 3 November 2008
 Entry for design competition Capoco Design Limited
 Entry for design competition Foster + Partners and Aston Martin, 19 December 2008

Category:Double-decker buses
Category:Low-floor buses
Category:Wrightbus buses
Category:2012 in London