Quirky

Nothing to do with Wales, but I couldn't help but be impressed with the prototype design for a new double decker London bus.

I don't particularly share Boris Johnson's irrational hatred for bendy buses, because they actually serve their main purpose well: namely that the three sets of doors allowed people to get on and off faster to speed up journey times. Cardiff didn't quite learn that lesson when they used the same bus, but with only two set of doors.

     

But when the winning design (above) for a new Routemaster was announced last year, I was disappointed because it was just a pastiche of the original (which, to be frank, is what Boris Johnson said he was looking for) with most of its faults. Yes, the problem of disabled/pushchair access had been addressed, but it couldn't be operated by the driver alone, and the front wheels were too far forward for a set of front doors anyway.

     

But as the video shows, this prototype has addressed those faults. With three sets of doors and two staircases it should be almost as good at allowing people to get on and off quickly as a bendy bus. It's a bit quirky, but that's something I quite like about it.