Dale Vince
The new London bus
Taking the public for a ride, and other stories
New London bus
Nearly there, the new London bus takes another step closer to production and the streets of the capital. When Boris Johnson started on the campaign trail to be Mayor of London he made a lot of comments about bendy buses. As a well known cyclist Johnson came out with phrases like "being scraped to paste", this had a meaning understood by fellow cyclists' who have feared the things since their introduction.
Other people may have thought his comments had an ideological element to them as it was his predecessor, Ken Livingstone who had introduced the continental styled, and built, 'bendies' to London. Initial fears were that this would be too much of a good thing and a flop were routinely expressed. On this blog the bus, its design and manufacture were discussed HERE.
All could be well as the bus will be built in Ballemena, Northern Ireland by Wrightbus. This is a family run business and a success few people will have heard about. It currently employs about 1,000 staff and could expand to meet the London order. Ironically Wrightbus is a manufacturer and exporter of bendy buses! The company is privately run and warrants comparison with the DeLorean sports car project.
