Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Bendy Buses reprieved - at least until 2015
Londonist is reporting that the replacement of London's articulated buses is to be deferred until 2015.
http://londonist.com/2009/06/bendy_buses_-_demise_deferred.php
As I've pointed out before, this was always to be expected, as the cost of replacing the buses with sufficient drivers and vehicles was too high. This presumably means that the money spent on the Boris' new Routemaster was also wasted.
If Boris doesn't succeed in winning a second term, that will probably end the saga of the new RMs and the current bendy-buses and their like will be with us for a long time to come.
http://londonist.com/2009/06/bendy_buses_-_demise_deferred.php
As I've pointed out before, this was always to be expected, as the cost of replacing the buses with sufficient drivers and vehicles was too high. This presumably means that the money spent on the Boris' new Routemaster was also wasted.
If Boris doesn't succeed in winning a second term, that will probably end the saga of the new RMs and the current bendy-buses and their like will be with us for a long time to come.
Tags for Forum Posts: TfL, bendy buses, buses, public transport
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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As a regular bus user, I for one welcome this news.
Interesting comments undeneath the article about bendies preventing pedestrians from getting across crossings...this does happen but bendies do it no more than say the white vans who try and run the lights, the plonkers on mobiles who don't realise that they light is changing and any other number of people who park on the crossings when the lights are red, forcing pedestrians to weave round them.
I always enjoy the leave the space of one pedestrian trick which means that a buggy is literally scraping their bumper to get through. Odd how they don't like the head shaking (more in sorrow than in anger), you'd think they would feel a twinge of guilt.
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Permalink Reply by Danzigger on
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Yeah - the worst feature of the bendy buses is the incessant fare dodging. But there are better ways of dealing with that than scrapping the whole fleet
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Permalink Reply by rahman on
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Londoners dont go upstairs on buses. Double deckers usually mean that buses drive round at half capacity. I dont think Berlin's buses will do very much for relieving congestion here at all.
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Permalink Reply by John D on
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Not my experience Rahman. And I always go upstairs and get the front seat if I can cos it's a much more interesting view.
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You do know that where you sit on the bus reveals your personality, don't you, John?
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Permalink Reply by StephenBln on
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@Tom .. thanks for remembering my photos.. and giving me another opportunity to post them -Hurra! :o) We now have 300 in service from an order of 600.
The front door is used for entering the bus, showing tickets etc., the middle used for people with pushchairs and alighting from downstairs. The back door separates those coming down from upstairs from the rest .. shortening the time spent at bus stops. The driver operates the flaps manually..
The front staircase. The signs says 83 seated passengers, 55 up 28 down, (in camaprison an old London RML seated 72, a RM only 64 with 5 standing):
Looking from the back door towards the middle seating area. The front space is used for wheelchairs /puschchairs etc.:
Upstairs Front staircase:
Seats:
Back staircase:
The offside showing small window on front staircase:
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Permalink Reply by Sally Ann on
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Long live the bendy bus. The best way for a mother and buggy to travel. Selfish view maybe but it keeps my car at home!
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For all their failings, this sounds like good news to me. I do love the old 29.
The fare-dodging will happen, it's true, although lately every 29 I get into town is subject to a dramatic 15 minute raid of TfL staff and police officers who leap on board and interrogate those who haven't paid, before taking them off the bus to be charged. It's quite exciting, although it has made me late a few times.
Bendies were conceived for European cities, and it's true they struggle not to block traffic and pedestrian crossings. They're a Citaro G, an elongation of the Mercedes-Benz Citaro bus. Despite being awkward in London traffic, they work very well for people who have trouble climbing stairs, and for buggies and wheelchairs, as stated.
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The loss of the bendy on 507 has already prompted users to ask for it back There is talk of "chaotic scenes when around 100 people crammed on to a Waterloo to Victoria bus during rush-hour".
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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The fare-dodger's favourite bus is being phased out.Transport for London (TfL) predicted it would increase its takings by £7.4m because fare-evasion would now become harder. Thousands of passengers avoided paying.
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