Justin Bieber takes double-decker bus ride in London

Teen pop idol, Justin Bieber, is the latest in a line of celebrity faces ditching the chauffeur driven car and giving London’s famous buses a try after he was spotted catching a lift from his hotel to the ITV studios on a big red double-decker over the weekend.

Only a few weeks ago R&B singer Rihanna was spotted catching the London tube to her concert at the O2 Arena, while Made in Chelsea star and daughter of Sir Phillip Green the Topshop the tycoon, Chloe Green, was snapped catching the night bus home with a friend.

Now Canadian pop singer Justin Bieber is the latest celebrity to endorse public transport, although his bus trip may not have been 100% authentic as there seemed to be a whole camera crew in tow, and also a few minders to keep over-eager fans at bay.

The 17-year-old star is currently over in the UK to promote his Christmas album release, Under the Mistletoe, and is reported to be starring in his own ITV special to advertise the release of the festive record. In fact, at the time he was spotted on his hired London bus, the singer was being transported from his West London hotel to the ITV studios, possibly to record material for the upcoming show.

The teen pop star evidently enjoyed his ride on the open top London bus as he tweeted a picture of himself looking relaxed and enjoying the view from the top deck with the caption, “London Town.”

First of the new London Routemaster buses driven off the production line

The first of the new style London Routemaster buses was driven off the production line today by the man who’s spearheaded their return.

Boris Johnson vowed to scrap the bendy buses and reintroduce a new version of the classic open platform London buses as part of his election pledge during his bid to become mayor of London in 2008, and today he delivered on that promise when he got behind the wheel to drive the first of the vehicles off the production line at the Wrightbus factory in Northern Ireland.

The first batch of finished hybrid Routemasters will be operated by Arriva and introduced to busy central London bus routes from early next year. Their return will signal the first time the Routemasters have been seen on the London transport systems since they were phased out in 2005.

Eight of the new style double-deckers will be launched into the city to begin with, all of which feature three entrances/ exits, and two staircases. However the rear exit of the bus will only be open at peak times as a second member of staff is required to ride on the bus to supervise when the back platform is opened.

The London mayor predicts that the new Routemasters will ensure London is seen as a “world leader” in terms of its public transport system, and is confident the environmentally friendly buses will be well received by the public as the double-decker have been designed with the city and its passengers in mind.

Nottingham Undertakers offer double-decker bus for funeral hire

A funeral directors company based in Nottingham has launched an alternative mode of transport to the traditional hearse which is proving extremely popular.

The funeral firm have purchased a red double-decker bus which is available to hire for those who would like an alternative vehicle to the usual hearse.

One of the main advantages of the double-decker bus funeral vehicle is that the family can travel onboard the vehicle along with the coffin, which is a great comfort for some people.

Lymn Undertakers in Nottingham say their quirky funeral vehicle is proving extremely popular with clients in the area with the firm providing the double-decker bus for between 2-3 funerals a week.

The undertakers say they like to offer their clients the freedom to choose a funeral that suits their personal wishes, and which at the same time, preserves the memory of their loved one. Mr Lymn Rose from the funeral directors says his company always attempts to deliver a final send off which is tailored to their client’s wishes.

Last year we reported on the story of a 45-year-old woman from Sutton Coldfield who instructed her family to arrange a red London bus to transport her to her funeral before she sadly passed away. One of her main reasons for wanting a bus for her final journey was so she could travel with her loved ones.

If the demand for funeral buses continues, we could see more double-decker funeral vehicles on UK roads in the future.

One injured after London bus crashes in Piccadilly

The police and TFL are trying to establish the circumstances of the bus crash in Piccadilly

One woman was left with injuries to her arm and leg after a double-decker London bus careered off the road, colliding with railings in Piccadilly earlier this week.

It’s believed the woman, who is in her 50’s, was emerging from the Piccadilly tube exit when the bus struck the railings outside, and the woman was hit by falling masonry from the collision.

An ambulance was sent to treat the woman at the scene of the accident, she has since been admitted to a South London hospital where she is receiving further treatment. Two fire engines also attended the scene.

The police are still trying to establish the cause of the accident. Transport for London (TFL) are also carrying out there own investigation into why the driver didn’t stop at the scene of the crash, but continued a few hundred yards down the road to the Haymarket area before brining the bus to a halt.

The number 9 double-decker bus was seen to hit the railings outside exit 2 at Piccadilly tube station. One eyewitness said the force of the crash meant the railings then fell down into the station. A lamppost at a nearby bus stop was also struck by the bus.

Aside from the woman, no other casualties have been reported as a result of the accident.

The police and TFL are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the crash.