500 extra buses

[snoggle]

BBC London are reporting that the updated Business Plan for TfL will included funding to increase the bus network by 500 buses. The extra buses would be in areas of population growth and development like Elephant and Barking Riverside. The press release is not yet on the tfl website nor are the Board Papers but they're not due until tomorrow. The December Board traditionally reviews the updated TfL Business Plan which reflects whatever the fares increase allows plus any government funding announcements in the Autumn Statement. It seems Mr Osborne is chucking £55m at the Overground extension to Barking Riverside which is only 1/3 of the predicted total cost but we don't know if that's total funding or just an initial share.

[M1104]

All these extra 500 buses all non LTs?

[DT 11]

Dec 2, 2014 10:50:39 GMT M1104 said:

All these extra 500 buses all non LTs?

Possibly the extension of more bus routes and PVR increases?

[vjaska]

Dec 2, 2014 10:24:42 GMT snoggle said:

BBC London are reporting that the updated Business Plan for TfL will included funding to increase the bus network by 500 buses. The extra buses would be in areas of population growth and development like Elephant and Barking Riverside. The press release is not yet on the tfl website nor are the Board Papers but they're not due until tomorrow. The December Board traditionally reviews the updated TfL Business Plan which reflects whatever the fares increase allows plus any government funding announcements in the Autumn Statement. It seems Mr Osborne is chucking £55m at the Overground extension to Barking Riverside which is only 1/3 of the predicted total cost but we don't know if that's total funding or just an initial share.

I'm a little skeptical by this as most areas are set to have population growth over the next 20 odd years - Brixton certainly will after plans have been unveiled for a development on Somerleyton Road and plans to shove all council services at Olive Morris House & Hanbrook House into the Town Hall so these buildings can be demolished for more new homes.

415 extension aside, I can quite easily see little bus investment within Brixton for many years.

[snoggle]

Dec 2, 2014 10:50:39 GMT M1104 said:

All these extra 500 buses all non LTs?

I doubt the extra buses will be NB4Ls to be honest - poetic licence by the BBC on the article.

Until I get to see exactly what the Board papers / business plan say I'm not getting overly excited. The timescale, which might be years, is a crucial factor too. The other factor will be the ability for operators to house the extra buses and to find and retain the drivers and engineers. If the labour market keeps improving then it always gets harder for bus companies to retain staff, especially if a downward pressure on bus staff wages is maintained because of TfL wanting tender costs minimised. No point launching new routes if you can't run them reliably.

It does make me wonder how many "dead" proposals for routes and extensions might "rise from the grave" in TfL's planning department.

[LX09FBJ]

No doubt 99% of these extra buses would be in the east of London, whereas the West does have a capacity problem (e.g. 111 despite having its PVR increased from 15 in 2000 to 24 in 2013) so hopefully some of these changes will be seen in the South West.

[snowman]

Until the details are published its hard to guess

Could be 500 extra peak hour buses, but cuts off peak to help fund it.

One of the interesting problems is if they are concentrated in some large growth areas, eg Barking reach, will it mean a new garage in those areas?

Also with full Crossrail and Thameslink schemes in 2018 will it be short new rail feeder routes or more trunk routes.

The only thing that newly developed areas (including Olympic park) has over existing routes is the roads should be fit for 21st century vehicles, so 12m or 13m buses should fit unlike some parts of London where road layout was devised in horse and cart days.

I forsee the introduction of the 99 capacity bus instead of the old 87 capacity (or less than 87 in case of LT)

[rambo]

London will run out of room..............

[John tuthill]

Dec 2, 2014 10:50:39 GMT M1104 said:

All these extra 500 buses all non LTs?

YES! Buy back all the RM/RMLs (If only)

[Eastlondoner62]

Is sure going to be interesting on what routes they pick for these extra buses, seeing as only 3 routes currently serve Barking Riverside. Elephant and Castle seems to also get special mention, I wonder what routes they have in mind

[bengady3]

Should be used around the Lewisham area aswell but i think 500 is slightly alot

[vjaska]

Dec 2, 2014 18:18:33 GMT Eastlondoner62 said:

Is sure going to be interesting on what routes they pick for these extra buses, seeing as only 3 routes currently serve Barking Riverside. Elephant and Castle seems to also get special mention, I wonder what routes they have in mind

Most likely the 415 which has a proposed extension to Old Kent Road, Tesco for next May.

[ThinLizzy]

Dec 2, 2014 18:18:33 GMT Eastlondoner62 said:

Is sure going to be interesting on what routes they pick for these extra buses, seeing as only 3 routes currently serve Barking Riverside. Elephant and Castle seems to also get special mention, I wonder what routes they have in mind

I think Barking Riverside has always had extra routes planned, like the once proposed EL3. Maybe we might get deckers on the 62, extra buses on the 5 and a new route on Longbridge Road!

[Deleted]

A early Christmas present for Wright? no doubt at least some of these will be LT's?

[snoggle]

Based on comments elsewhere it seems that most of the extra money does not materialise until 2019 or 2020. The plans are additional to whatever has been retendered so the 415 to Old Kent Road is a known existing proposal outside the scope of this funding increase. They are also in addition to whatever is planned in respect of Crossrail adjustments and the effect of the Night Tube services on the night bus network.

Quote from the press release.

The extra buses will be used to increase the frequency of bus services and improve transport connections to key growth areas, such as Barking Riverside and Elephant and Castle, providing high quality bus routes between new residential areas and local town centres. The investment will improve access to this vital form of transport across London, especially in outer London where around four-fifths of bus journeys take place.

The Standard, who seem to have had an extra briefing, said the following

The extra buses will serve shifting populations in Bexley and Newham, as well as hotspots for growth, such as Elephant and Castle and the 11,000-home Barking Riverside development, which is expected to be given the go-ahead by Chancellor George Osborne in tomorrow’s Autumn Statement.

There will be more frequent services and some single-deckers will be switched to double.

Changes will be financed in part from fares at a time of record ridership.

Deputy mayor for transport Isabel Dedring said: “We are giving similar attention to buses as we have to the Tube. In recent years there has been a rise in ridership but no major increase in the total number of buses.

“It is important to ensure the growth is focused in the right areas, such as Newham and Bexley, where there is a lot of change in where people are living and working.”

Ms Dedring said the capacity increase was in addition to an ongoing review of routes, such as altering the network because of Crossrail and changing night buses after the introduction next September of the weekend Night Tube.

New bus lanes, longer hours for bus lanes, and priority turns will be added under a £200 million “bus priority scheme”. The spending proposals are included in Transport for London’s business plan, covering spending until 2021, which is subject to approval by the board tomorrow.

Given the date by which the new or expanded services are most likely then I think NB4Ls are almost certainly ruled out as they will be "out of date" in terms of environmental performance given the existence of the ULEZ by then and general technological progress.