The New Bus For The West Midlands?

[domino.99]

I hope you guys have seen the 'new bus for London' or the 'Borris Bus'.

Do You think this could last on the streets of birmingham and wolverhampton and would you like to see this bus on the streets of the west midlands. Personally I feel it would be a great addition to the fleet, But what do you think?
Obviously without the middle doors and another advantage would be the fact that more jobs would be created as more conductors would be required to be at the back of the bus.

[Kevin]

No, just no

[filbus1]

I hope you guys have seen the 'new bus for London' or the 'Borris Bus'.

Do You think this could last on the streets of birmingham and wolverhampton and would you like to see this bus on the streets of the west midlands. Personally I feel it would be a great addition to the fleet, But what do you think?
Obviously without the middle doors and another advantage would be the fact that more jobs would be created as more conductors would be required to be at the back of the bus.

Went down to London last Saturday. Plenty borismasters about, very quiet but ugly, look a bit like
Alexander Fleetlines from a distance.

[domino.99]

No, just no

Why?

[The Real 4778]

look a bit like Alexander Fleetlines from a distance.

So very pretty then!

[Stuharris 6360]

What would be the point in using the New Routemaster in the Midlands???

For years now, National Express/WMPTE/Birmingham Corporation have purchased buses with a single exit/entrance.  If National Express wanted to speed up entry & Exit, all they need to do is purchase buses with a middle exit. They don't because of safety fears using a middle exit.

For a New Routemaster to operate with the rear platform open, it need a Customer assistant to police the rear platform, This would add to the expense of travelling and lead to higher fares.

[Roy]

Big, ugly and useless.  And the buses named after him are just the same.

Seriously, I agree with everything that Stuart has just said.   

[vinh1000]

What would be the point in using the New Routemaster in the Midlands???

For years now, National Express/WMPTE/Birmingham Corporation have purchased buses with a single exit/entrance.  If National Express wanted to speed up entry & Exit, all they need to do is purchase buses with a middle exit. They don't because of safety fears using a middle exit.

For a New Routemaster to operate with the rear platform open, it need a Customer assistant to police the rear platform, This would add to the expense of travelling and lead to higher fares.

I second this also

Have been to London and seen them not the best looking tbh

[Stuharris 6360]

Plus with a current price (For TFL anyway, maybe higher for other operators) of £354,500, they are not cheap.

[Stu]

Obviously without the middle doors and another advantage would be the fact that more jobs would be created as more conductors would be required to be at the back of the bus.

As has already been commented, this is the main problem. Creating jobs is great, but ultimately these people need to be paid, so the cost of operating the service increases as a result, so you'd either need to increase ticket prices to absorb the extra cost, or operate a much reduced service, which would mean less frequent and constantly packed buses.

Boris had a dream, but let this one stay in London.

[domino.99]

Obviously without the middle doors and another advantage would be the fact that more jobs would be created as more conductors would be required to be at the back of the bus.

As has already been commented, this is the main problem. Creating jobs is great, but ultimately these people need to be paid, so the cost of operating the service increases as a result, so you'd either need to increase ticket prices to absorb the extra cost, or operate a much reduced service, which would mean less frequent and constantly packed buses.

Boris had a dream, but let this one stay in London.

Yeah i can see where you are coming from

[Kevin]

No, just no

Why?

For pretty much all the above reasons

[pb2012]

The london bus market is regulated the boris is paid for by tfl so are the conductors as i believe there are no commercial routes as i understand it in london the operators dont have to pay for these buses cost is factored in with the tender of the route?

[nx4737]

Nothing wrong with the NBFL... But as the name suggests it's the new bus for London, not London, Birmingham and wherever else buys them.

[Steve3229vp]

I've travelled on the NBFL many times and they are very comfortable and by far the best Hybrid I've travelled on (judging by comfort and smooth ride), I don't think they'll be seen in the West Midlands or anywhere else, if they did appear anywhere else it would more likely be a shorter version with only 1 staircase and the centre door omitted, this possible shorter version was mentioned in the BUSES magazine earlier in 2013 for London routes outside the central area.