Withdrawal
In August 2008, following the election of Boris Johnson as Mayor of London, it was announced the bendy buses would be withdrawn as their 5 year operating contracts came to an end, starting from May 2009, and completed by 2013 (or 2015 depending on contract extensions). This was then changed to end of 2011.
Research by London TravelWatch indicated that such a withdrawal could prove costly to TfL. A study conducted in September 2008 found that replacing articulated vehicles on routes 38, 507, and 521, whilst maintaining overall route capacity, would cost an additional £12.6m per annum, due to the additional vehicles necessitated.
The first articulated vehicles to be replaced were those on route 507, which were replaced by twelve-metre long single-deck buses in July 2009. Route 521 was converted to operate with similar buses in September 2009. Articulated buses were replaced by double-deckers on route 38 in November 2009. Route 149 was converted to double deck on 16 October 2010, and route 18 on 13 November 2010. In both cases the peak vehicle requirement increased.
On 25 June 2011, Route 25 was taken over by First Capital from Stagecoach London and was converted to double deck,
In September to December 2011, the remaining routes were converted to double deck: route 73 on 3 September; route 453 on 24 September; route 12 on 5 November; route 436 on 19 November; route 29 on 26 November; and finally route 207 on 10 December, the end of bendy bus operations in London, after 10 years of service.
Withdrawn buses have found their way to other parts of the UK, with some going to Arriva Midlands in Leicester, some to Arriva in Liverpool, and some to Brighton & Hove. Several buses went out of the UK to Arriva in Malta.
Read more about this topic: Articulated Buses In London
Famous quotes containing the word withdrawal:
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—Roger Gould (20th century)
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—Maya Angelou (b. 1928)