CoverGirl car insurance for women providers say goodbye to the bendy bus

As dedicated providers of car insurance for women we know you love driving your cars, but we appreciate that once in a while a luxury marque comes along that could tempt you out of your Fiesta and into a…..bus.

Yes, the iconic London symbol that is the big red bus, or the London Routemaster to be exact, has received a design makeover by none other than, James Bond car maker extraordinaire, Aston Martin.

So ladies, in the near future, you might well be able to say you go to work in an Aston Martin and be telling the absolute truth.

A Routemaster for the 21st Century
Now, I don't live in London, but even I know that bendy buses were a bad idea and when Boris Johnson was elected Mayor of London, he swiftly declared that he would rid the capital of these public transport creepy crawlies and replace them with a brand new Routemaster bus. A competition was launched and entries were invited to design a new bus for London.

The Routemaster is the bright red double-decker bus, first built in the late 1950's, that had the distinctive hop-on hop-off platform and a roving bus conductor that used to tote a metal ticket dispensing box round their neck.

Original Routemasters were phased out at the end of 2005 as they were inaccessible to wheelchairs and made boarding very difficult for the elderly and people with pushchairs.

The rise of the bendy bus
The articulated bus was brought in to facilitate greater passenger volumes, rapid simultaneous boarding and disembarkation of passengers through separate and larger doors, increased stability due to the lower centre of gravity, and accessibility for wheelchair users, people with disabilities and the elderly.

However, critics of the buses have been alarmed by the number of accidents involving the vehicles; including, tyre bursts, engine fires, collisions with pedestrians, and fatalities. They have proved unwieldy in heavy traffic and are widely disliked by passengers and other road users alike.

All hail the Aston Martin Routemaster
The sports car legends at Warwickshire based Aston Martin teamed up with leading architect Foster and Partners and won the London bus design competition jointly with truck design firm Capoco Design of Wiltshire.

The Aston Martin-Foster bus design envisages a highly-manoeuvrable, zero-emissions vehicle, with solar panels built into a glass roof, full accessibility, warm lighting and wooden floors described as a nod to the original design.

The Capoco design combines what the company describes as "the best of the old with the best of the new". It has a low flat floor to allow easy access and will be low emission, but will also retain the Routemaster-style front engine and open rear platform.

Mr Johnson and Transport for London (TfL) hope to have the new buses in service by 2011.

CoverGirl car insurance and the occasional bus ride
Getting your car insurance for women from CoverGirl will save you money because we offer some of the cheapest motor insurance for ladies deals around. However, although we know you love your cars, occasionally it's nice to let someone else do the driving.

So from 2011, you'll be able to have a drink in your favourite London bar, or enjoy a gin and tonic or two in the interval at the theatre and go home in an Aston Martin with a chauffeur at your beck and call. That sounds like heaven.

Call CoverGirl now on 0800 954 97 56 for a really great deal on your car insurance for women and see how much you could save.