Routes that you try to avoid

[rif153]

I know there are routes everyone dislikes, but what routes do people on here try to, and go out of their way to, avoid?

[george]

Oct 9, 2019 17:33:13 GMT rif153 said:

I know there are routes everyone dislikes, but what routes do people on here try to, and go out of their way to, avoid?

I go out of my way to avoid the 74 in the peaks due to how slow the route gets not sure if that would count? 

[rif153]

Oct 9, 2019 17:39:24 GMT george said:

Oct 9, 2019 17:33:13 GMT rif153 said:

I know there are routes everyone dislikes, but what routes do people on here try to, and go out of their way to, avoid?

I go out of my way to avoid the 74 in the peaks due to how slow the route gets not sure if that would count? 

That definitely counts, to me there is no better reason to avoid a route than how slow it is

[YY13VKP]

Oct 9, 2019 17:33:13 GMT rif153 said:

I know there are routes everyone dislikes, but what routes do people on here try to, and go out of their way to, avoid?

I used to avoid the 407 until it got converted to double deck, but I'd still avoid using it during the peaks as Godstone Road is an absolute nightmare. The 434 bypasses most of that traffic through the hail and ride section between Whyteleafe Station and Foxley Hill Road. I also used to avoid the 433 until 2017 when the buses started getting refurbished and the allocation got a little more interesting from time to time, and then I did the route end to end and decided it wasn't too bad!

[enviroPB]

Ever since 2012 when I started to go to the City on a regular basis, I'd avoid the 25 between Aldgate and Bow like the plague! I'd happily let a couple 25s go by in the hopes for a 205, knowing that the 205 will very likely overtake whatever bus(es) I let go. Nothing to do with operator, it's just the mass volumes of people using the route. I'd often get on a 25 at Bow if it was the first Stratford route to appear.

[Deleted]

300 - always seem so busy and makes slow progress. Only really use the route Prince Regent towards Beckton.

69 - only towards Walthamstow, its painfully slow but fine towards Canning Town and so much quicker! Probably can say that about a lot of routes in London.

[VWH1414]

Definitely the 251 - when travelling between Edgware and Burnt Oak to get the 302 (Used to be one swift journey on the 303 before the stupid changes), usually will wait for a 204 instead. Reason for this is because it is an extremely busy route that needs DDs and the DEs on it are awful all round, with awful seats - Now I know most of the classic E200s are cramped but the seating style makes it worse - I'd rather take a 324 DE anyday over a 251 DE. Shame the 251 is not run with DLEs - would not solve the crowds but would at least prove a more comfortable ride and also would not have strange sounds coming from the engine at all times. Roll on the 251s tender so it either is retained with new vehicles or lost with new vehicles.

[DE20106]

Oct 9, 2019 17:33:13 GMT rif153 said:

I know there are routes everyone dislikes, but what routes do people on here try to, and go out of their way to, avoid?

Have to say I thought this was a fantastic topic for a new thread

So when I’m in Kingston I avoid the 57 in favour of the 131 (no surprises there), it’s very busy and can get very slow and unreliable - oh and the 09-reg E400s on it are awful.

Everywhere else I generally avoid LT routes (although obviously I wouldn’t give myself a longer journey just to avoid one as it serves its function as a bus at the end of the day) but if I have alternative non-LT route available for use then I definitely take that. Especially in summer with how hot they get.

Not to do with LTs this but I (and probably loads of others too now looking at how much the numbers have plummeted) avoid the 11, 15 and 24 as it’s just quicker to walk. They’re so so so slow there’s just no point.

Another one I would have previously avoided however probably not anymore (and this is a really interesting one) is the 205. As it ploughs straight through the middle of London one would assume in the peaks it’s a total no-go. However one trend that the 205 completely bucks is that it’s busiest part of the route is by far its Zone 1 section rather than its outer London section, nearly every Zone 1 route is totally the opposite, for obvious reasons.

Last week I took an evening peak 205 from Warren Street all the way to its terminus of Bow Church and it only took 55 minutes! The only sticking point was Liverpool Street. By Kings Cross the bus was absolutely as packed as it can get but by Aldgate there was a mass exodus and the bus was half full at best to Bow Church. Every passing 205 going towards Paddington before I got to Aldgate was also rammed full, so now I totally see where the 205 gets its heavy loadings. I find it so weird that the 205 gets busiest in the part where generally bus usage has fallen the most, so this route is a really interesting outlier. Because I saw how well the 205 actually flows I wouldn’t actually avoid it anymore

[george]

Oct 9, 2019 21:54:44 GMT DE20106 said:

Oct 9, 2019 17:33:13 GMT rif153 said:

I know there are routes everyone dislikes, but what routes do people on here try to, and go out of their way to, avoid?

Have to say I thought this was a fantastic topic for a new thread

So when I’m in Kingston I avoid the 57 in favour of the 131 (no surprises there), it’s very busy and can get very slow and unreliable - oh and the 09-reg E400s on it are awful.

Everywhere else I generally avoid LT routes (although obviously I wouldn’t give myself a longer journey just to avoid one as it serves its function as a bus at the end of the day) but if I have alternative non-LT route available for use then I definitely take that. Especially in summer with how hot they get.

Not to do with LTs this but I (and probably loads of others too now looking at how much the numbers have plummeted) avoid the 11, 15 and 24 as it’s just quicker to walk. They’re so so so slow there’s just no point.

Another one I would have previously avoided however probably not anymore (and this is a really interesting one) is the 205. As it ploughs straight through the middle of London one would assume in the peaks it’s a total no-go. However one trend that the 205 completely bucks is that it’s busiest part of the route is by far its Zone 1 section rather than its outer London section, nearly every Zone 1 route is totally the opposite, for obvious reasons.

Last week I took an evening peak 205 from Warren Street all the way to its terminus of Bow Church and it only took 55 minutes! The only sticking point was Liverpool Street. By Kings Cross the bus was absolutely as packed as it can get but by Aldgate there was a mass exodus and the bus was half full at best to Bow Church. Every passing 205 going towards Paddington before I got to Aldgate was also rammed full, so now I totally see where the 205 gets its heavy loadings. I find it so weird that the 205 gets busiest in the part where generally bus usage has fallen the most, so this route is a really interesting outlier. Because I saw how well the 205 actually flows I wouldn’t actually avoid it anymore

I agree with you on the 11 think most people would avoid that now.

[londonbuses2018]

I tend to avoid the 13 sometimes it gets more packed than the 460 tbh

[capitalomnibus]

I avoid the 5, drivers are slow, routes is over regulated, buses are slow.

[ian]

I also avoid the 251, especially in the peaks. (Mill Hill - eastbound am and vice versa in my case). Most of the time it is impossible to get on. If you can it is totally rammed, hot, sweaty and unpleasant.

[rif153]

Oct 9, 2019 21:54:44 GMT DE20106 said:

Oct 9, 2019 17:33:13 GMT rif153 said:

I know there are routes everyone dislikes, but what routes do people on here try to, and go out of their way to, avoid?

Have to say I thought this was a fantastic topic for a new thread

So when I’m in Kingston I avoid the 57 in favour of the 131 (no surprises there), it’s very busy and can get very slow and unreliable - oh and the 09-reg E400s on it are awful.

Everywhere else I generally avoid LT routes (although obviously I wouldn’t give myself a longer journey just to avoid one as it serves its function as a bus at the end of the day) but if I have alternative non-LT route available for use then I definitely take that. Especially in summer with how hot they get.

Not to do with LTs this but I (and probably loads of others too now looking at how much the numbers have plummeted) avoid the 11, 15 and 24 as it’s just quicker to walk. They’re so so so slow there’s just no point.

Another one I would have previously avoided however probably not anymore (and this is a really interesting one) is the 205. As it ploughs straight through the middle of London one would assume in the peaks it’s a total no-go. However one trend that the 205 completely bucks is that it’s busiest part of the route is by far its Zone 1 section rather than its outer London section, nearly every Zone 1 route is totally the opposite, for obvious reasons.

Last week I took an evening peak 205 from Warren Street all the way to its terminus of Bow Church and it only took 55 minutes! The only sticking point was Liverpool Street. By Kings Cross the bus was absolutely as packed as it can get but by Aldgate there was a mass exodus and the bus was half full at best to Bow Church. Every passing 205 going towards Paddington before I got to Aldgate was also rammed full, so now I totally see where the 205 gets its heavy loadings. I find it so weird that the 205 gets busiest in the part where generally bus usage has fallen the most, so this route is a really interesting outlier. Because I saw how well the 205 actually flows I wouldn’t actually avoid it anymore

That post was music to my ears. I completely agree the 24 is one to avoid, last time I had was at TCR and was going to Victoria, I opted for a 390 instead. Of course ideally there would still be a route from Oxo to Victoria via Mayfair as the 8 and C2 have done in the past.

[rif153]

Oct 10, 2019 8:48:02 GMT ian said:

I also avoid the 251, especially in the peaks. (Mill Hill - eastbound am and vice versa in my case). Most of the time it is impossible to get on. If you can it is totally rammed, hot, sweaty and unpleasant.

Sounds just like the 490

[george]

Oct 10, 2019 17:09:30 GMT rif153 said:

Oct 10, 2019 8:48:02 GMT ian said:

I also avoid the 251, especially in the peaks. (Mill Hill - eastbound am and vice versa in my case). Most of the time it is impossible to get on. If you can it is totally rammed, hot, sweaty and unpleasant.

Sounds just like the 490

or the 371 😁