Editing AEC Routemaster (section)

==New Routemaster==
{{Main|New Routemaster}}
[[File:Metroline bus LT25 (LTZ 1025), route 24, 23 June 2013.jpg|thumb|[[Metroline]] [[New Routemaster]] on [[London Buses route 24|route 24]] in [[Camden Town]] in June 2013]]

Such was the popularity of the Routemaster that many calls continued to be made for a new version of the vehicle to be produced. On 3 September 2007, Conservative mayoral candidate [[Boris Johnson]] announced that he was contemplating introducing a modern-day version of the Routemaster (and scrapping [[articulated bus]] operation). In December 2007, UK magazine ''[[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]]'' commissioned leading bus designer Capoco, designer of the innovative [[Optare Solo]], to come up with detailed proposals for a new-generation Routemaster.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080512060445/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article3071104.ece Times Online] Blueprint for "son of Routemaster", 19 December 2007, retrieved 15 April 2008</ref>

Johnson backed the Capoco design in principle and suggested that he would hold a formal design competition to develop a new Routemaster if he became London mayor in 2008. After he was elected, this competition was held for general ideas and detailed designs, with cash prizes for the winning entries. The results of the competition were published on 19 December 2008, with the winning and other good proposals being passed to bus manufacturers to draw up a final design. The winners included two joint "whole bus" designs, one submitted by Capoco and one submitted by [[Aston Martin]] and [[Foster + Partners]].<ref>[http://www.fosterandpartners.com/Projects/1761/Default.aspx Routemaster, London, Fosters + Partners, retrieved 14 September 2009]</ref>

Initially named the New Bus for London and later the [[New Routemaster]], eight prototypes entered service on [[London Buses route 38|route 38]] in February 2012, with [[London Buses route 24|route 24]] being the first route fully converted in June 2013.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17173625 | work=BBC News | title=New Routemaster bus starts running on London roads | date=27 February 2012}}</ref> By 2017 the fleet numbered 1,000.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-35474342 London Routemaster Buses: Wrightbus set to get order worth £60m] ''BBC News'' 3 February 2016</ref>