Parallel Universe

The start of yesterday’s Dr Who episode saw a sentimental and reflective Rose Tyler aboard a Routemaster. Since this was Rose looking back at the time when she first met The Doctor – during the very twilight of the Routemaster era, in fact – her ride on this iconic bus in an episode screened in July 2006 was historically acceptable. No need for poetic licence.

She’s not the only one, however, looking back at the Routemaster. One organisation is the Chartered Institute of Transport (oops, the Institute of Logistics & Transport these days). But more surprisingly, so is the Department for Transport – with the publication last month of its good practice guide to making “In Town Without my Car” work.

For the front of the DfT’s 2006 campaign booklet, it chooses not an ADL Enviro400, an Euro 4 Scania, or a Wright StreeCar. You’ve guessed it. The front cover of the motivational booklet designed to get people out of cars and on to modern, clean, accessible, swift buses is the trusted RM.

Is this the best they could come up with? Actually, in terms of beating the car, the RM’s not such a bad bet, giving the passenger something of the car’s flexibility by letting them hop on or off wherever you felt it was appropriate, in traffic-throttled, slow-speed central London.

At least the bus is recognisable up and down the land.

But perhaps the DfT’s guide is from a parallel universe. Perhaps it’s the one where Rising Damp’s Phillip was PM (till “deleted” by the Cybermen) and ailing businessman John Lumic was the creator of the human upgrade. Perhaps even Rose Tyler will not die in the final episode next week, passing instead just like Mickey this week between realities, to the parallel universe where London is so similar to ours, save for the airships… and perhaps even the sight and sound of the Routemaster in its parallel streets.

Or, maybe Dr Who will drop back to 1962 to witness the furore upon the abandonment of London's trolleybuses and the opposition and resentment towards the Routemaster this caused.