London’s new Routemaster buses might not be as green as you think

London’s Mayor Boris Johnson has long championed green public transport, but his hybrid Routemaster buses are now being criticised for faulty batteries and an overdependence on diesel. According to MayorWatch‘s Christian Wolmar — who hopes to be Labour’s next Mayoral candidate — 40 drivers from Holloway Garage have put together a dossier slamming the broken batteries. As a result, the group says Routemaster buses are relying on diesel for 90 per cent of their journeys and overworking the conventional engines, which are only supposed to run while the internal batteries are charging.

Both Transport for London (TfL) and Metroline, a bus operator which manages some of the Routemaster routes, have confirmed that there’s been a problem with the electric systems. Mike Weston, TfL’s director for buses, says the batteries are now being upgraded “as soon as possible and within the warranty period, at no cost to TfL or the taxpayer.”

According to Wolmar, however, the problem isn’t just economical. He’s brandished the buses a “dangerous con” because, according to drivers he’s spoken with, the faulty batteries are also making them a hazard on the road. The engine doesn’t initiate as quickly as it should, so drivers are keeping their foot on the accelerator while the handbrake is engaged. Not only is this dangerous and a waste of fuel, but the slow acceleration means buses are rolling back on inclines. Drivers have criticised the Routemaster design for other reasons too, such as the lack of opening windows and doors that hit passengers as they fold inwards. TfL is strongly denying most of these claims though: “New Routemaster buses are completely safe whether they operate in diesel mode or electric mode.”

[Image Credit: AP Photo/Sang Tan]

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Source: MayorWatch, BBC