Hospital routes review

[britishguy54]

So... TfL needs ideas for a route for King George Hospital and Lodge Avenue... there’s already a few options like:

Extension of Route 368 via route 173. Wangey Road stand would now be served by 368 to KGH and 62 to Marks Gate.

Pros: Brings KGH a connection to Becontree, Upney, Barking. This could help possibly relieve the EL3 and help give the 368 more of its own identity rather than a semi-clone of the 62.

Option 2 could be a new route (Let’s call it the 369). Probably going KGH, Goodmayes Station, Goodmayes Lane, Lodge Avenue, Goresbrook Road, New Road, Beam Park. This solves two problems at once. Give KGH a new Becontree route, while also giving Beam Park a route without having to alter the 287. Maybe it could complement the EL4, with local schools needing more service and a link to another hospital in the Becontree area.

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Now, for Queen’s Hospital. TfL wants to give it a link to Newbury Park. There are many options on how to do that, like:

Extend the 296 (not 66 as that feels nice ending at the station) to Queen’s Hospital or even Roneo Corner and loop it.

Create a new route between Gallows Corner and South Woodford. Let’s call it the 374. It would go:
Gallows Corner - Romford 174
Romford - Becontree Heath 5/175
Becontree Heath - High Road 173
High Road - Eastern Avenue 62/362
Eastern Avenue - Gants Hill 66
Gants Hill - South Woodford 179

[Eastlondoner62]

Sept 16, 2020 7:29:01 GMT britishguy54 said:

So... TfL needs ideas for a route for King George Hospital and Lodge Avenue... there’s already a few options like:

Extension of Route 368 via route 173. Wangey Road stand would now be served by 368 to KGH and 62 to Marks Gate.

Pros: Brings KGH a connection to Becontree, Upney, Barking. This could help possibly relieve the EL3 and help give the 368 more of its own identity rather than a semi-clone of the 62.

Option 2 could be a new route (Let’s call it the 369). Probably going KGH, Goodmayes Station, Goodmayes Lane, Lodge Avenue, Goresbrook Road, New Road, Beam Park. This solves two problems at once. Give KGH a new Becontree route, while also giving Beam Park a route without having to alter the 287. Maybe it could complement the EL4, with local schools needing more service and a link to another hospital in the Becontree area.

============

Now, for Queen’s Hospital. TfL wants to give it a link to Newbury Park. There are many options on how to do that, like:

Extend the 296 (not 66 as that feels nice ending at the station) to Queen’s Hospital or even Roneo Corner and loop it.

Create a new route between Gallows Corner and South Woodford. Let’s call it the 374. It would go:
Gallows Corner - Romford 174
Romford - Becontree Heath 5/175
Becontree Heath - High Road 173
High Road - Eastern Avenue 62/362
Eastern Avenue - Gants Hill 66
Gants Hill - South Woodford 179

If I was to hazard a guess I think the EL4 is dead in the water, the 287 reroute seems to be more of a direct replacement for it rather than to complement it. The route was just going to link a load of houses and not actually go to any Town Centre so I can imagine it wouldn't attract much custom. The 287 links Dagenham Asda and Barking Town Centre which is more of what's needed rather than a link between houses. 

I find it funny ou refer to the 368 as the semi clone of the 62, when going to school years ago I'd always need to go Chadwell Heath and the 368 was just seen as exactly that, Blue Triangle hasn't exactly nailed operation when they inherited it from First so buses would always have large gaps between them making people opt for an already chronically overcrowded 62. Both routes have come far since those days   

As for the 368 extension I would actually be in support of this, this also might be a push but I think I'd also use this opportunity to cull back the 173 to Chadwell Heath to improve reliability along the route. There might be the issue of losing a hospital link from the Dagenham area however I think this will not be hugely lost compared to the benefits of a 368 extension. Currently the Catchment area for King George's tends to be in the Chadwell Heath area, heading south down towards Wood Lane, most of Becontree and the North of Barking which is the area served by the 368. The 173 serves Dagenham which is served by Queens, and then the south of Barking which is served by Newham so I don't think many patients would be missing out. 

I think the 296 should be extended to Queen's Hospital, I don't get the justification for the 66 feeling "nice" ending at Romford Station but the 296s 15 minute frequency and link via Marks Gate seems like it would be more useful. I don't think your 374 suggestion would be the best idea as you tend to go around in circles along corridors that don't need additional buses down them.