What's in a bus?

In the news today was a bit about the mayor unveiling his new routemaster bus design (below next to the old)

Apparently, Londoners are so enamored of their now-retired original routemaster that the mayor promised to replace the now-common bendy-buses with new double-decker routemasters that would be anew "21st century icon."  So, with all of the development costs, the first 5 will cost a whopping £7.8 million pounds (because of development costs).  And here's what you get over a normal double decker bus:

• An additional door at the back of the bus
• Two staircases instead of one
• Twice the marginal cost per bus (£300k instead of £150k)
• 40% greater fuel efficiency

I know what you're thinking: "40% fuel efficiency increase could save a lot of  money and the environment".  But you'd be wrong, because what you really need to compare to are the normal hybrid bendy buses.  Here's what you get compared to one of them:

• 15% greater fuel efficiency
• half the capacity
• somewhat iconic double decker look that is only marginally different from a normal double decker bus

Yes, that's right, you halve the capacity.  So, great, it goes 15% further per unit of fuel, but with half the people.  For those of you keeping track, that makes it 42.5% less efficient at peak times.  What a waste of money.  All because the mayor doesn't like the bending buses on London's narrow streets.  But guess what? They seem to work.