Coolest bus’ world tour hits Brussels

The new version of the iconic London bus is on a world tour to promote greener bus transport, improved passenger comfort and vehicle design to other cities across the globe. The Smart Move team could not resist a peak when it arrived in Brussels.

27 June 2013 - HRH Prince Harry and UK Prime Minister David Cameron kicked off a global tour promoting trade, tourism, investment and education in New York City in May, on board the new yet already iconic Write Routemaster bus.

As part of its world tour, the bus spent two days touring Brussels and meeting up with Brussels city transport operator, STIB, to showcase the best of its passenger comfort and environmental credentials to a wider public and visiting the site of the European Parliament. The Smart Move team could not resist a visit too.

Renowned British designer Thomas Heatherwick created the New Bus for London (NBfL) to share some of the design DNA of the iconic Routemaster double-decker bus.

Built by Wrightbus, one of Northern Ireland’s leading manufacturers, the NBfL is a public transport vehicle for the 21st century: fully accessible to the disabled, using the latest green diesel-electric hybrid technology to increase fuel efficiency, and producing half the carbon dioxide of a conventional diesel bus.

Wright Group Managing Director Mark Nodder said: “The New Bus for London represents the pinnacle of British automotive engineering design and we are tremendously excited to show the world what we have achieved.”

Read Smart Move story on the coolest bus in the world in November 2011