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Post by ! ALEED on Mar 3, 2024 10:50:42 GMT
One bus has been properly blinded for the SL2 (HA38), DX might be getting under control a bit. Attachments:
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Post by atb123 on Mar 3, 2024 15:00:19 GMT
From a purely enthusiast’s point of view, there seems to be lots of Arriva bashing going on at the minute. Find me a bus company that is absolutely perfect and never has any issues and I’ll start to listen. It’s no secret that some issues are out of the operators control and indeed are the leadership of TFL and their changes and demands. It would be more credible if we were to let an operator start a route for say a couple of months and then provide feedback rather than attack them on the first day of operation. Let’s see how the SL2 performs over the next 6 weeks and then feedback constructive criticism perhaps. My family have not been in the bus industry for years but anybody will tell you it’s a much tougher business now than it was. Arriva do have form for poor blind displays (184, 318, E10, SL2 etc.) but it is also down to TfL for sticking to obsolete roller blind tech when the world has moved on. As we've seen from the latest LED offerings, there is a credible alternative. As for branding, this is TfL's best effort yet, considering everything else is all over red if not ad wrapped. I know traffic in that part of town is a nightmare, like how the SL1 can equally be blighted, so I wish any operator of a Superloop service the best of luck as TfL have not provided the infrastructure (decent traffic speeds, clearer roads, less roadworks... in fact there was talks of even lowering the A406 to 30 a few weeks ago). Sadiq Khan admitted in The Telegraph that the Streatham LTNs have caused nothing but mayhem and ruined bus services, which will hardly encourage people out of their cars. Bus Enthusiasts are like football fans. You'd love Arriva, like Spurs, to do well, but their "Spursy" performance lets them down. Buses look as tired as Katie Price's Sussex mansion, and don't get me started on the chaos of the 307's electrics rollout. Some things are beyond their control, perhaps even TfL could have leaned on UK Power Networks to sort out the electrics in the area and add more substations in, but it further proves electric tech is a busted flush and just political will. I think the bus industry is getting tougher as everything else is in the UK since Brexit. BTW fares did rise, despite Khan claiming they were frozen (Zone 1-3 Travelcard for one month up to £192 from £184), so you can't trust anything TfL tell you. Sadly, the majority use buses because they have to rather than want, so presentation may be key, considering London is light years behind the rest of the bus industry outside of the M25, in this world of luxury SUVs and creature comforts. Yesterday lunchtime, I tried to flag down a 243 at Awlfield Road stop (heading towards Wood Green). The bus buzzed me and seemed to pull in towards the stop, but was still doing at least 15, then drove off, but the 123 directly behind it (both HV's) did stop. The 123 then drives so close to the 243 in front I thought it would go into the back of it at Watheof Avenue stop. Turns out the drivers were playing around and it was "bants" between the pair. Another passenger looked as puzzled as I was by the antics, but it's all part of the standard of bus travel in general, regardless of operator in London. Perhaps it's demanding schedules from TfL due to stupidly low traffic speeds, sometimes the gaps in service are so bad it's quicker to walk. I would love all services across London to improve, but naturally one will criticize their local routes if seen to be sub par. There is no real solution to this, so the bashing will continue, it's just the way it is. 242 was my local route back in the day, now it's changed operator, no doubt someone using that route will still find fault, it's just human nature Very well said! I agree I feel like the road system is the most neglicated system in Tfls point of view. If you don't provide the best road conditions how can have a good bus service and LED Lights do look the long term future.
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Post by ! ALEED on Mar 3, 2024 15:20:32 GMT
Could existing buses be retrofitted with LED blinds and Smart Cameras instead of mirrors and roller smart blinds?
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Post by ServerKing on Mar 3, 2024 16:10:00 GMT
Could existing buses be retrofitted with LED blinds and Smart Cameras instead of mirrors and roller smart blinds? Yes, but it's not in the interest of TfL operators to do this as margins are too low... there's little to be made in retrofitting mid life vehicles. I think it wouldn't be a bad idea, but they are already fitting USB charging to the HAs, and no doubt having to pay for blind inserts and Superloop wraps to be applied. I hope the SL2 batch get the current Arriva logo, like the SL5 buses did
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Post by DT 11 on Mar 3, 2024 16:13:19 GMT
Could existing buses be retrofitted with LED blinds and Smart Cameras instead of mirrors and roller smart blinds? The longer real mirrors stay the better. The Cameras do have teething problems occasionally especially sometimes the Screen can go Green and you cannot see a thing When dark.
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Post by DT 11 on Mar 3, 2024 16:15:26 GMT
One bus has been properly blinded for the SL2 (HA38), DX might be getting under control a bit. Interesting it states Ferry Terminal on the blinds.
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Post by DE20106 on Mar 3, 2024 16:26:58 GMT
Could existing buses be retrofitted with LED blinds and Smart Cameras instead of mirrors and roller smart blinds? The longer real mirrors stay the better. The Cameras do have teething problems occasionally especially sometimes the Screen can go Green and you cannot see a thing When dark. Omg I feared something like this would happen. It could be very very scary if something like that happens when you need to change as part of your route. These camera mirrors really are change for changes sake, or at the very very least extremely rigorous testing done on the electronics to make sure these failures happen as little as physically possible
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Post by DE20106 on Mar 3, 2024 16:28:17 GMT
One bus has been properly blinded for the SL2 (HA38), DX might be getting under control a bit. Interesting it states Ferry Terminal on the blinds. Oh no, wait for TfL to change the ibus announcement to “SL2/473 … to … … … … … N o r t h W o o l i c h, F e r r y T e r m i n a l”
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Post by wirewiper on Mar 3, 2024 16:31:54 GMT
One bus has been properly blinded for the SL2 (HA38), DX might be getting under control a bit. Interesting it states Ferry Terminal on the blinds. I remember when the qualifier was "Free Ferry" (and that was for both Woolwich and North Woolwich). The ferry was a fer more important public transport link that it is now. Having grown up in Harrow and being more used to outer London suburbia, North Woolwich and the ferry seemed very other-worldly.
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Post by cl54 on Mar 3, 2024 16:41:01 GMT
Interesting it states Ferry Terminal on the blinds. I remember when the qualifier was "Free Ferry" (and that was for both Woolwich and North Woolwich). The ferry was a fer more important public transport link that it is now. Having grown up in Harrow and being more used to outer London suburbia, North Woolwich and the ferry seemed very other-worldly. It has been said in the past that TfL would like to charge for the ferry crossings when tolls are introduced next year for the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels. It would require an act of parliament.
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Post by capitalomnibus on Mar 3, 2024 17:01:56 GMT
One bus has been properly blinded for the SL2 (HA38), DX might be getting under control a bit. Jut thought, it would be funny seeing people getting SL2 and EL2 confused and going on the wrong bus especially in Barking.
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Post by capitalomnibus on Mar 3, 2024 17:02:53 GMT
Could existing buses be retrofitted with LED blinds and Smart Cameras instead of mirrors and roller smart blinds? Yes, but which operator is going to fork out to do this now, when there is not much money coming in.
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Post by capitalomnibus on Mar 3, 2024 17:05:52 GMT
I remember when the qualifier was "Free Ferry" (and that was for both Woolwich and North Woolwich). The ferry was a fer more important public transport link that it is now. Having grown up in Harrow and being more used to outer London suburbia, North Woolwich and the ferry seemed very other-worldly. It has been said in the past that TfL would like to charge for the ferry crossings when tolls are introduced next year for the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels. It would require an act of parliament. If they charge it would go bankrupt, who in their right mind would waste money for a crossing that takes ages when you can do the same going via silvertown and still spend the same money.
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Post by Unorm on Mar 3, 2024 17:18:06 GMT
Could existing buses be retrofitted with LED blinds and Smart Cameras instead of mirrors and roller smart blinds? Abellio 2447 had blinds and now has LEDs (exhibit Blinds, not my photo flic.kr/p/2n271Na ) (exhibit LEDs, not my photo flic.kr/p/2oDppuN ) Relevant to this Arriva thread, EMC6 also had a retrofit I recall seeing a Tower Transit VN on 25 with both camera mirrors and standard mirrors on a TfL document somewhere, when trialling the camera tech.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 3, 2024 17:19:28 GMT
Looks like Arriva sent someone out to North Woolwich in the evening yesterday to adjust the front blinds on DW333 to be white and inserted the white laminate SL2 card in front of it. Clearly trying their best
I believe blinds were delivered late on Friday hence they prioritised getting route number inserts in first on Friday night and then front and side destinations in last night.
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