BENDY BUSES: BRIDGET CONDEMNS "BACK-TRACKING BORIS" (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

BENDY BUSES: BRIDGET CONDEMNS "BACK-TRACKING BORIS"

June 7, 2008 10:09 AM

Transport campaigner Bridget Fox has condemned London Mayor Boris Johnson for 'back-tracking' on his election pledge to replace the hated bendy buses. Quizzed by Lib Dem GLA member Caroline Pidgeon, Boris admitted that bringing in a new generation of routemasters is now an aspiration not a commitment.

Bridget says, "It's barely a month since the election, but Boris is already back-tracking. Bendy buses are dangerous, crime-ridden and take up too much space on our crowded streets. Islington residents hate them. Boris must keep his word: bendy buses have got to go. Londoners were promised more staff on buses, but bendy-buses are still driver only. They are crime scenes on wheels."

Bridget, who has won a prestigious National Transport Award for her campaigns, says the Mayor should not waste time and money designing a new bus, but swiftly replace bendy buses with modern double-deckers instead. And he should immediately reintroduce conductors to tackle fare-dodging and crime.

Now she has launched an online petition to demand that Mayor Boris keeps his promise to get rid of bendy buses.

The petition says the Mayor and TfL must:

Keep your promise to get rid of bendy buses
Bring back conductors on bendy buses to cut crime, fare-dodging and make buses safer
Stop wasting time designing a new bus - use modern double-deckers instead