'Will Londoners ever be asked about the new Routemaster?' - Caroline Pidgeon AM

11.45.00am GMT Tue 21st Oct 2008

Commenting on the news that a total of 225 entries were received by the Mayor's office in the competition to provide designs for a new Routemaster-style bus for London Caroline Pidgeon AM, the Liberal Democrats' transport spokesperson at the London Assembly, says: "It's good the Mayor received so many entries but it'd be interesting to know how many are realistic, viable designs.

"But what worries me is when will the actual users of the buses, and indeed all of London's road-users, ever get to have their say on the ideas?"

In July the Mayor launched a competition to design a new bus for London and the deadline for entries passed last month. While a number of the entries have appeared in London's press the Mayor has not said whether or not the actual people who would use the buses will ever be able to voice their opinion.

"Mayor Johnson has always promised the return of a Routemaster-style bus but at no point has he mentioned a public consultation period.

"He's a keen cyclist and so knows very little about what it's like to use London's busy buses. The travelling public must be given a chance to have their say on any shortlist of designs which is drawn up."