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Post by matthieu1221 on Aug 30, 2024 15:23:05 GMT
I heard that 257’s curtailment has extended to October due to lack of space at Walthamstow Bus Station. There needs to be some sort of extension for the 257. That seems to coincide with when the permanent new traffic lights at the bus station are due to be installed? |
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va59
Conductor
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Post by va59 on Sept 8, 2024 21:24:47 GMT
I heard that 257’s curtailment has extended to October due to lack of space at Walthamstow Bus Station. There needs to be some sort of extension for the 257. That seems to coincide with when the permanent new traffic lights at the bus station are due to be installed? I assume there is no stand space at St James Street? I often wonder if that's the reason the 275 was extended there years ago due to lack of stand space at Central. |
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Post by MKAY315 on Sept 9, 2024 17:10:58 GMT
That seems to coincide with when the permanent new traffic lights at the bus station are due to be installed? I assume there is no stand space at St James Street? I often wonder if that's the reason the 275 was extended there years ago due to lack of stand space at Central. That and the 212 |
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 9, 2024 19:38:17 GMT
I disagree! It’s not ideal but passengers can change to another bus at Leyton Green to continue onwards to Walthamstow. Also don’t forget buses on the 257 run the full length of the route after 8pm daily. The hopper fare is there for situations like this. Tbh there’s already too many buses running on the Walthamstow/Whipps cross corridor so it’s not that bad the 257 is pulled back to Leyton. The 257 is a short route though |
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 9, 2024 19:40:52 GMT
The 357 is mainly what’s causing excess capacity on that corridor & I never see anyone using the route. The rest of the routes on that corridor do provide useful unique links & they should ideally remain but the 357 does not & it should be withdrawn tbh. Our dear late friend Snoggle would have disagreed with you on that one  he was always an advocate for the 357 when the rest of us were slagging it off 😂 apparently school times is when it gets heavy loads His main reason for the 357 was because of Walthamstow dogs, no longer there and gaps on the 97. It does not cut the mustard imo. A route should not be there primarily to cover for gaps on another. It could be easily single deck on a week day or withdrawn, it is a typical wasteman route. |
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 9, 2024 19:44:22 GMT
Well I and a few others have suggested that 257 and 357 should be merged running between Stratford and Chingford Hatch but some people said that the 257’s frequency would be too high for the 357’s section. Didnt the 357 used to be part of the 257 anyway? Not too familiar with Waltham Forest routes, but the similarity in the numbers would suggest they’re related in some form The 357 was 97A, which has had so many changes over the years. It's last variation for some years was from Whipps Cross to Chingford Station. The 257 used to go up to Chingford Mount, then was extended to Fantaseas swimming pool on New Road. The swimming pool had closed and was abandoned for some years. It never recovered after an incident where the roof collapsed and a boy was injured. A lot of people stayed away from it after that and they also faced legal action IIRC. |
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 9, 2024 19:50:25 GMT
Yeah that’s true. Well I think it should still be merged anyway so that there is space at Walthamstow Bus Station because now 34 and SL2 have to go to St James Street then turn around because of the lack of space at Walthamstow Bus Station It's no good merging it just to release space at the bus station if the merger itself isn't right. A merged 257/357 would be timed at 90-100 minutes at max running time despite the 257 passing through some pretty congested areas (Leytonstone is horrible for this, I'm beginning to develop a hatred of this place just on congestion alone) and the frequency of the 257 is far higher than the 357 needs - 7-8 minutes would be overboard for Chingford Hatch. I really do think people need to calm this obession with merging routes - rarely are mergers ever that good an idea as in most cases, they come with obvious drawbacks. The problem at Leytonstone is down to one man Clyde Loakes. The same idiot is the one responsible for the W12 at Walthamstow Village and removing many of the bus lanes in the borough. He has refused to abandon the silly reverse flow one way system in Leytonstone which pitches traffic against each other. |
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imran
Conductor
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Post by imran on Sept 11, 2024 17:20:45 GMT
How did I know this thread would end up in a route change ideas one. 🙄 The 257 is temporarily cut back until 8pm daily. This is not permanent. I agree. This is only temporary until the end of the October. I also don’t agree with the idea of a 257/357 merger. While on paper it sounds like a good idea, in reality it’s just creating a recipe for trouble. If this merger route were to run between Stratford and Chingford Hatch, that would create an unnecessarily long route having to navigate two busy roundabouts in the process. Plus, the 97 and 158 already provide bus links between Stratford and Chingford (the 158 running 24/7). Why add a 3rd one? I’m sure we can think of other ideas on how to free up space at Walthamstow Bus Station, but merging two routes like the 257 and 357 is not the answer. |
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Post by mondraker275 on Sept 11, 2024 18:14:52 GMT
How did I know this thread would end up in a route change ideas one. 🙄 The 257 is temporarily cut back until 8pm daily. This is not permanent. I agree. This is only temporary until the end of the October. I also don’t agree with the idea of a 257/357 merger. While on paper it sounds like a good idea, in reality it’s just creating a recipe for trouble. If this merger route were to run between Stratford and Chingford Hatch, that would create an unnecessarily long route having to navigate two busy roundabouts in the process. Plus, the 97 and 158 already provide bus links between Stratford and Chingford (the 158 running 24/7). Why add a 3rd one? I’m sure we can think of other ideas on how to free up space at Walthamstow Bus Station, but merging two routes like the 257 and 357 is not the answer. It was temporary to August... I dont think it will be back on 1 November (unless there is a timetable change). It will be back though. I dont think there is an issue with stand space as it is now in WC (considering number of buses that stand outside or bypass the station). The issue is similar to Canning Town and other places where nothing seems to happen quickly and there needs to about 15 steps to get clearance to get on with works. This situation is a farce because TfL knew this would happen yet decided not to try and continue to have the 257 there. Only one stand was removed and service chucked out and it has been like 6 months. |
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Post by yunus on Sept 13, 2024 12:12:05 GMT
The new contract starts next month so I expect it to return as normal!
BTW the 257 is converting to EV buses in due course.
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Post by WH241 on Sept 13, 2024 13:46:39 GMT
The new contract starts next month so I expect it to return as normal! BTW the 257 is converting to EV buses in due course. The tender renewal has nothing to do with how long the works will take. They have been extended once and could be again. |
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Post by capitalomnibus on Sept 13, 2024 16:23:25 GMT
The last notice issued on 27th August;
Start Time/Date 15/05/2024 05:00 AM
End Time/Date 31/10/2024 20:00 PM
Event Details
Amendment C - End date change
In order to facilitate changes to the bus station layout the following changes will take place.
Route 257 will curtail to Leyton Green daily from first bus until 2000 hours. Following 2000 hours they will use the main stand within the bus station.
Route 257 toward Stratford
From Leyton Green Road at High Road Leyton, right High Road Leyton, left Capworth Street, right Denton Road, right Leabridge Road to pick up at stop EH to line of route.
The now freed up 257 stand on the western side of the bus station will be used to accommodate Route 69
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imran
Conductor
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Post by imran on Nov 16, 2024 21:21:03 GMT
Tbh there’s already too many buses running on the Walthamstow/Whipps cross corridor so it’s not that bad the 257 is pulled back to Leyton. I've suggested before to extend the 357 from Whipps Cross to Redbridge (via Wanstead) to create some new links. I think if you did that, the 257 could perhaps be cut back to Leyton Green or Whipps Cross permanently. The 357 would cover the section between Walthamstow and Green Man Roundabout, while several other routes are available from Walthamstow to Leytonstone, Leyton and Stratford. Could then also consider creating some new links across Stratford by merging with a shorter route currently terminating there (104, 241, D8 etc)? I said this before and I’ll say it again: extending the 357 to Redbridge would make the route too long and risk potential early curtailments. Some people will also be angry of losing their Sunday bus service to Whipps Cross Hospital. |
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Post by Eastlondoner62 on Nov 16, 2024 22:47:00 GMT
I've suggested before to extend the 357 from Whipps Cross to Redbridge (via Wanstead) to create some new links. I think if you did that, the 257 could perhaps be cut back to Leyton Green or Whipps Cross permanently. The 357 would cover the section between Walthamstow and Green Man Roundabout, while several other routes are available from Walthamstow to Leytonstone, Leyton and Stratford. Could then also consider creating some new links across Stratford by merging with a shorter route currently terminating there (104, 241, D8 etc)? I said this before and I’ll say it again: extending the 357 to Redbridge would make the route too long and risk potential early curtailments. Some people will also be angry of losing their Sunday bus service to Whipps Cross Hospital. I have to ask what the history behind the Sunday extension into the hospital is. Is it a relic of a department that used to be at Whipps Cross Hospital that no longer is the case? Outpatient appointments are predominantly done throughout the week and not on Sundays unless they're catch up clinics which are only a recent addition. Staff members who use the extension would manage the other 6 days without it so I can't see there being a barrage of complaints if it's removed. |
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Post by vjaska on Nov 17, 2024 0:20:02 GMT
I said this before and I’ll say it again: extending the 357 to Redbridge would make the route too long and risk potential early curtailments. Some people will also be angry of losing their Sunday bus service to Whipps Cross Hospital. I have to ask what the history behind the Sunday extension into the hospital is. Is it a relic of a department that used to be at Whipps Cross Hospital that no longer is the case? Outpatient appointments are predominantly done throughout the week and not on Sundays unless they're catch up clinics which are only a recent addition. Staff members who use the extension would manage the other 6 days without it so I can't see there being a barrage of complaints if it's removed. I know when I done it a few years ago, the Sunday journey on the WS was very busy and a lot got off at the hospital. |
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he was always an advocate for the 357 when the rest of us were slagging it off 😂 apparently school times is when it gets heavy loads
