On the buses: Capital design!

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Heatherwick Studio and Wrightbus finally have their beauty on the road

Many of you won’t give a hoot about the Capital’s new public transport that hit the foggy streets of ‘Lahn’dahn Taaaarn’ this week – you could cite its mammoth expense, the irrelevance of it outside of the city, or its political leanings as a glory project of the Mayor – but hear me out.

In the borough of Hackney, the beginning (or end) of its number 38 route that takes it across the city to Victoria Station, it is great to see the design of an object being the centre of attention for all people – even more special given the giant ‘melting pot’ of ages, wealths, professions and cultures in a borough most recently in the spotlight for its riots last summer: The camera phones were out in force and people were openly discussing it in the street.

Although this excitement will have dispersed by the end of the week such is the fast pace of the City, it’s great to see new design being a focal point of London life for at least a split second, with its designers Heatherwick Studio, and manufacturers Wrightbus rightly taking the plaudits for innovative British design.