Bye, Routemaster

There is a bus on London8217;s streets today which is quieter, more fuel-efficent and more comfortable than its rivals, which carries a uniformed employee to help passengers, which travellers prefer and which is a symbol of London.

The bus is, of course, the double-decker Routemaster 8212; and it is about to be scrapped. Over the last year Londoners have watched as Routemaster services have given way to long, conductorless single-deck 8220;bendy8221; buses. Today Routemasters will vanish from the 38 route which, it must be said, carries many Guardian staff to work8230;

Mayor Ken Livingstone has argued for the cull on the basis that Routemasters cannot take wheelchairs and that bendy buses carry more people though more of them have to stand. But the bendy buses also block city streets, encourage fare-dodging and leave every passenger, including the disabled, to fend for themselves.