Route 357 & C2

[snoggle]

Amazingly I've had a reply from TfL Customer Services about route 357. Part of the reply is not exactly news. Here is what they've said.

The contract for this route was extended for two years in 2017 and the new contract will be awarded by the end of August.

The route has also undergone some changes as a result of the Walthamstow Gyratory scheme. We proposed to remove bus stop AP outside Walthamstow Central station on Selborne Road, meaning routes 97 and 357 would no longer run into Selborne Road and the bus station. Instead, they’d run directly via Hoe Street in both directions, stopping at a new pair of stops on Hoe Street.

A consultation was then held on the proposals, and the report on this can be found here. Following the consultation route 357 has been permanently re-routed as described above.

When the new contract comes in later this year, there won’t be any change to the structure or the frequency of the route, and the changes to the routing will remain.

Have to say I am really surprised but pleased nonetheless that we have a "no change" scenario for route 357. This rather supports my previous guess that something has happened in the retendering process.

[southlondonbus]

The same was said about the 48 and look at that. They may be referring to the contract extension not having any changes.

[snoggle]

Feb 8, 2019 12:13:26 GMT southlondonbus said:

The same was said about the 48 and look at that. They may be referring to the contract extension not having any changes.

Actually that's not correct. The comments around route 48 were quite clearly "qualified". The statement re the 357 is not qualified. It says quite clearly there will be no changes to route structure or frequencies. It does not say "no changes for the time being" or "we foresee no changes for the next few years" or some other weasel wording. I'm not so naive to believe that TfL won't come along at some point in the future and possibly change things. They can always do this with any route.

[capitalomnibus]

Feb 8, 2019 11:31:23 GMT snoggle said:

Amazingly I've had a reply from TfL Customer Services about route 357. Part of the reply is not exactly news. Here is what they've said.

The contract for this route was extended for two years in 2017 and the new contract will be awarded by the end of August.

The route has also undergone some changes as a result of the Walthamstow Gyratory scheme. We proposed to remove bus stop AP outside Walthamstow Central station on Selborne Road, meaning routes 97 and 357 would no longer run into Selborne Road and the bus station. Instead, they’d run directly via Hoe Street in both directions, stopping at a new pair of stops on Hoe Street.

A consultation was then held on the proposals, and the report on this can be found here. Following the consultation route 357 has been permanently re-routed as described above.

When the new contract comes in later this year, there won’t be any change to the structure or the frequency of the route, and the changes to the routing will remain.

Have to say I am really surprised but pleased nonetheless that we have a "no change" scenario for route 357. This rather supports my previous guess that something has happened in the retendering process.

That is bad news, they were planning to withdraw it...

[rif153]

I don't want the 357 to be withdrawn but given the traffic on Hoe Street is insufferable at times, I would understand TFL's rationale behind withdrawing the 357. I was in Walthamstow today and I have to say I didn't see a busy 357 all day, I anticipate a savage frequency as preparation to eventually get of thr rid.

[snoggle]

Feb 9, 2019 20:15:12 GMT rif153 said:

I don't want the 357 to be withdrawn but given the traffic on Hoe Street is insufferable at times, I would understand TFL's rationale behind withdrawing the 357. I was in Walthamstow today and I have to say I didn't see a busy 357 all day, I anticipate a savage frequency as preparation to eventually get of thr rid.

And yet I did travel on a 357 today from Bakers Arms Tescos to Bell Corner. We picked up a load of people at the stop after the Bakers Arms junction then a load more at the top of the High Street. Now some of that will be because I suspect there was a bit of a gap in buses going beyond the Billet but nonetheless that bus was well used over a reasonable section of the route.

Until we see something different I am going to rely on what TfL have said about the route's future. I'm glad it's staying.

[RandomBusesGirl]

Unfortunately I wouldn't trust emails from TfL Customer Services - my friend recently tried to inquire about 969's withdrawal date, and they responded that there are "no plans to withdraw the route", which we all know is a lie

So I wouldn't hold my breath for 357 actually staying.

[vjaska]

Feb 9, 2019 20:15:12 GMT rif153 said:

I don't want the 357 to be withdrawn but given the traffic on Hoe Street is insufferable at times, I would understand TFL's rationale behind withdrawing the 357. I was in Walthamstow today and I have to say I didn't see a busy 357 all day, I anticipate a savage frequency as preparation to eventually get of thr rid.

I don’t think the 357 being withdrawn due to traffic is a reasonable reason personally - a couple of Sundays ago, I did the 357 and it was quite busy so the demand is still there if that is a regular occurrence.

[LVF_Admin]

Feb 10, 2019 2:44:59 GMT RandomBusesGirl said:

Unfortunately I wouldn't trust emails from TfL Customer Services - my friend recently tried to inquire about 969's withdrawal date, and they responded that there are "no plans to withdraw the route", which we all know is a lie

So I wouldn't hold my breath for 357 actually staying.

Sadly , TFL Customer Service are often the last to know about anything, so I wouldn't take that as read.

[snoggle]

Note to self - don't bother emailing TfL. Don't bother sharing the result on the bus forum. Clearly it's all a lie.

Sheesh!

(rolls eyes)

[capitalomnibus]

Feb 9, 2019 20:15:12 GMT rif153 said:

I don't want the 357 to be withdrawn but given the traffic on Hoe Street is insufferable at times, I would understand TFL's rationale behind withdrawing the 357. I was in Walthamstow today and I have to say I didn't see a busy 357 all day, I anticipate a savage frequency as preparation to eventually get of thr rid.

You probably only get 2-3 busy 357's in a day when there is a gap in 97's or 215's. Other than that its is a fresh air bus that doesn't warrant double decks.

[Deleted]

357 definitely doesn't warrant DD's, as I mentioned previously I'd extend it to Wanstead via Whipps Cross Rd and Cambridge Park, also convert to SD's and serve the hospital seven days.

[snoggle]

Feb 10, 2019 12:31:11 GMT capitalomnibus said:

Feb 9, 2019 20:15:12 GMT rif153 said:

I don't want the 357 to be withdrawn but given the traffic on Hoe Street is insufferable at times, I would understand TFL's rationale behind withdrawing the 357. I was in Walthamstow today and I have to say I didn't see a busy 357 all day, I anticipate a savage frequency as preparation to eventually get of thr rid.

You probably only get 2-3 busy 357's in a day when there is a gap in 97's or 215's. Other than that its is a fresh air bus that doesn't warrant double decks.

Not in my experience but nothing I or anyone else says will change your fixed view about the route.

[danorak]

Feb 10, 2019 11:06:43 GMT snoggle said:

Note to self - don't bother emailing TfL. Don't bother sharing the result on the bus forum. Clearly it's all a lie.

Sheesh!

(rolls eyes)

Thanks for sharing - I think the scepticism the reply received is more an indication of the breakdown in trust in TfL than anything else.

[DE20106]

Feb 10, 2019 14:45:40 GMT danorak said:

Feb 10, 2019 11:06:43 GMT snoggle said:

Note to self - don't bother emailing TfL. Don't bother sharing the result on the bus forum. Clearly it's all a lie.

Sheesh!

(rolls eyes)

Thanks for sharing - I think the scepticism the reply received is more an indication of the breakdown in trust in TfL than anything else.

Well we’ll soon find out of what they said has any substance or not come August! - they put a stake in the ground: “the route will be retendered by August”. If the tender materialises, then it’s most probably right