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Post by lwldriver on Sept 30, 2018 15:32:43 GMT
Last night I got to North Greenwich about 8.45pm. I headed up to wait for a 486. A lot of people were waiting. After about 5 minutes the bus turned up and everybody boarded. All seats were occupied. Buses used to have priority in the area but not now. We were held at every red light until Charlton station. Having been passed by an empty bus going to Bexleyheath the announcement was made that our bus would be turned short at Welling Corner. Whilst at Charlton Station a bus that should have got to North Greenwich was turned short. These turns at Charlton are becoming more frequent. It certainly explains longer waits at North Greenwich. The busway near the O2 will shortly go to be replaced by a standard dual carriageway with bus lanes. The performance on the route is being ruined by TfL traffic management and Greenwich Council. One other thing that I think needs to be sorted is this practice of allowing a bus going the full route to overtake the turned one because all is mean those going further than the curtailment point having a longer wait once the bus is curtailed. This seems to becoming increasingly common which is quite annoying. Agreed, I always call up and ask that bus to wait to take my passengers they are often appreciative of this. |
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Post by busaholic on Sept 30, 2018 16:22:11 GMT
One other thing that I think needs to be sorted is this practice of allowing a bus going the full route to overtake the turned one because all is mean those going further than the curtailment point having a longer wait once the bus is curtailed. This seems to becoming increasingly common which is quite annoying. Agreed, I always call up and ask that bus to wait to take my passengers they are often appreciative of this. Why does the route controller not arrange for that in the first place? |
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Post by wirewiper on Sept 30, 2018 17:16:42 GMT
What is ridiculous is the situation described, a bus leaving North Greenwich for Bexleyheath is curtailed and then to add insult to injury a bus that is actually going to Bexleyheath overtakes. And you wonder why people are abandoning bus travel! Why was the bus not blinded for Welling Corner when it left North Greenwich? Usually you don't get given a turn until you are actually on the trip as you often lose more time during the trip. The bus going to Bexleyheath would overtake as it is standard practice in order to keep that bus on time. No wonder bus use is declining. A response like that demonstrates clearly that keeping to the schedule matters more than actually giving a passenger-focused service. Thankfully there ARE some drivers and controllers who will attempt to ensure that passengers are inconvenienced as little as possible. |
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Post by sid on Sept 30, 2018 18:01:16 GMT
Agreed, I always call up and ask that bus to wait to take my passengers they are often appreciative of this. Why does the route controller not arrange for that in the first place? Good question! I'm sure controllers have their own priorities and customer care isn't one of them and that is left to the driver to deal with. |
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Post by DT 11 on Sept 30, 2018 18:26:33 GMT
Last night I got to North Greenwich about 8.45pm. I headed up to wait for a 486. A lot of people were waiting. After about 5 minutes the bus turned up and everybody boarded. All seats were occupied. Buses used to have priority in the area but not now. We were held at every red light until Charlton station. Having been passed by an empty bus going to Bexleyheath the announcement was made that our bus would be turned short at Welling Corner. Whilst at Charlton Station a bus that should have got to North Greenwich was turned short. These turns at Charlton are becoming more frequent. It certainly explains longer waits at North Greenwich. The busway near the O2 will shortly go to be replaced by a standard dual carriageway with bus lanes. The performance on the route is being ruined by TfL traffic management and Greenwich Council. I don’t use the 486, but I’m regularly at Bexleyheath and I do see 486s leaving showing Charlton a lot. |
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Post by DT 11 on Sept 30, 2018 19:03:07 GMT
That's a ridiculous idea! Buses are not always late leaving the stand. Most of the time they lose the time during the trip for any number of reasons. What is ridiculous is the situation described, a bus leaving North Greenwich for Bexleyheath is curtailed and then to add insult to injury a bus that is actually going to Bexleyheath overtakes. And you wonder why people are abandoning bus travel! Why was the bus not blinded for Welling Corner when it left North Greenwich? Anything can happen during a journey. I do speak to 486 drivers and they mention it’s always late so I’m not surprised at these curtailments. I see 486 to Charlton all the time. Even if the bus was showing Welling Corner people would still think it’s going to North Greenwich. In general routes where most people use it end to end people dislike curtailments and always complain. The 269 has some very observant and moany passengers a lot of people actually will read the blinds on the 269. If it is showing something different people do ask. I’ve left the first stop showing Bexley & Chislehurst, War Memorial on a few occasions and people do ask then those who moan. I do explain disruptions and tell them your better off taking this part way as I don’t know how long you’ll be waiting. |
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Post by twobellstogo on Sept 30, 2018 20:35:56 GMT
Usually you don't get given a turn until you are actually on the trip as you often lose more time during the trip. The bus going to Bexleyheath would overtake as it is standard practice in order to keep that bus on time. No wonder bus use is declining. A response like that demonstrates clearly that keeping to the schedule matters more than actually giving a passenger-focused service. Thankfully there ARE some drivers and controllers who will attempt to ensure that passengers are inconvenienced as little as possible. Both the Shooters Hill services, 89 and 486, are notorious for buses being turned mid-route at short notice with no bus close behind to take the abandoned passengers. Recently had the miserable experience on the 486 of being thrown out twice en route from North Greenwich to Bexleyheath - at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Welling Corner. |
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Post by sid on Sept 30, 2018 21:07:34 GMT
What is ridiculous is the situation described, a bus leaving North Greenwich for Bexleyheath is curtailed and then to add insult to injury a bus that is actually going to Bexleyheath overtakes. And you wonder why people are abandoning bus travel! Why was the bus not blinded for Welling Corner when it left North Greenwich? Anything can happen during a journey. I do speak to 486 drivers and they mention it’s always late so I’m not surprised at these curtailments. I see 486 to Charlton all the time. Even if the bus was showing Welling Corner people would still think it’s going to North Greenwich. In general routes where most people use it end to end people dislike curtailments and always complain. The 269 has some very observant and moany passengers a lot of people actually will read the blinds on the 269. If it is showing something different people do ask. I’ve left the first stop showing Bexley & Chislehurst, War Memorial on a few occasions and people do ask then those who moan. I do explain disruptions and tell them your better off taking this part way as I don’t know how long you’ll be waiting. Yes I appreciate that anything can happen but in the instance quoted I doubt if the 486 would have accumulated that much delay between North Greenwich and Charlton to make a curtailment at Welling necessary, it sounds like a lack of forward planning and there do seem to be too many mid journey curtailments on the 486 and I can understand passengers being annoyed. I was on an X26 recently that was curtailed at Hatton Cross, left Croydon on time but encountered all sorts of delays on the way. The driver was great and explained things to passengers and assured them there would be a 285 along soon that we had passed down the road to to take them to Heathrow Central at no extra cost and said passengers could remain on the bus until it arrived. All to often though passengers just get dumped at the roadside and left to fend for themselves, a total lack of customer care that can only put more people off bus travel. |
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Post by capitalomnibus on Oct 1, 2018 12:28:00 GMT
Some cyclists are just the WORST. I am sick of them running through red lights - when there is a GREEN MAN on the crossing. This morning on my way to work: Cyclist on the pavement getting frustrated because I was blocking his path. (He wanted to cycle next to his buddy and he had to move to the road). Get in the sea. Crossing the Mall - a cyclists swoops close to me when I am clearly crossing the road on a green man. On my way back from a meeting - I can't even reach the end of the crossing before a moron decides to swoop right behind me. Yes, on a green man. It's not like I'm looking down on my phone not paying attention to anything. I look both ways (The Mall has cyclists come from behind the pavement btw). The only things I should be looking out for are police cars/ambulances/fire trucks and other emergency vehicles. And these things have bright shining beacons and loud ass sirens. Sure there might be a moronic driver on a hit and run but I can see it pretty clearly and won't cross the road until it passes. RED LIGHT MEANS STOP FFS. I have gotten into arguments with these inconsiderate cyclists and they have the gall to get mad when I point out their mistake. All these cycle lanes seem to be undersubscribed. I remember all the work we did in the bus schedules for the Mini-Holland scheme in Walthamstow. Return to Walthamstow recently... it's not exactly well used, to put it mildly. I did the new 425 route with a friend just this week - quite a few on the road itself, but hardly traffic on the well-made CS2. I can see why people are protesting CS9 (the Chiswick High Road Superhighway). If you follow the rules of the road and stop at red lights though, I have no beef with ya. On Friday I was at Lea Bridge Road, for near 1 hour by Markhouse Corner just saw 2 kids wearing hoodies riding around in circle in the cycle lane and one cyclist wearing lycra, and guess what, he was using the normal road not the mini helland lane. |
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Post by londonbusboy on Oct 1, 2018 18:18:48 GMT
Anything can happen during a journey. I do speak to 486 drivers and they mention it’s always late so I’m not surprised at these curtailments. I see 486 to Charlton all the time. Even if the bus was showing Welling Corner people would still think it’s going to North Greenwich. In general routes where most people use it end to end people dislike curtailments and always complain. The 269 has some very observant and moany passengers a lot of people actually will read the blinds on the 269. If it is showing something different people do ask. I’ve left the first stop showing Bexley & Chislehurst, War Memorial on a few occasions and people do ask then those who moan. I do explain disruptions and tell them your better off taking this part way as I don’t know how long you’ll be waiting. Yes I appreciate that anything can happen but in the instance quoted I doubt if the 486 would have accumulated that much delay between North Greenwich and Charlton to make a curtailment at Welling necessary, it sounds like a lack of forward planning and there do seem to be too many mid journey curtailments on the 486 and I can understand passengers being annoyed. I was on an X26 recently that was curtailed at Hatton Cross, left Croydon on time but encountered all sorts of delays on the way. The driver was great and explained things to passengers and assured them there would be a 285 along soon that we had passed down the road to to take them to Heathrow Central at no extra cost and said passengers could remain on the bus until it arrived. All to often though passengers just get dumped at the roadside and left to fend for themselves, a total lack of customer care that can only put more people off bus travel. A lot of routes seem to have poor scheduling, do-able timetables would be nice! Passenger hold ups do not help keep buses to time.(Looking for bus passes, making the bus driver wait for a runner, OAPs that can barely get on/off a bus) [EDIT] I drive a high frequency route and when you get held up you will often find your headway will go to 6 bars which means from then on you start to pick more people up and gradually get later and later |
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Post by cl54 on Oct 1, 2018 18:24:41 GMT
Anything can happen during a journey. I do speak to 486 drivers and they mention it’s always late so I’m not surprised at these curtailments. I see 486 to Charlton all the time. Even if the bus was showing Welling Corner people would still think it’s going to North Greenwich. In general routes where most people use it end to end people dislike curtailments and always complain. The 269 has some very observant and moany passengers a lot of people actually will read the blinds on the 269. If it is showing something different people do ask. I’ve left the first stop showing Bexley & Chislehurst, War Memorial on a few occasions and people do ask then those who moan. I do explain disruptions and tell them your better off taking this part way as I don’t know how long you’ll be waiting. Yes I appreciate that anything can happen but in the instance quoted I doubt if the 486 would have accumulated that much delay between North Greenwich and Charlton to make a curtailment at Welling necessary, it sounds like a lack of forward planning and there do seem to be too many mid journey curtailments on the 486 and I can understand passengers being annoyed. I was on an X26 recently that was curtailed at Hatton Cross, left Croydon on time but encountered all sorts of delays on the way. The driver was great and explained things to passengers and assured them there would be a 285 along soon that we had passed down the road to to take them to Heathrow Central at no extra cost and said passengers could remain on the bus until it arrived. All to often though passengers just get dumped at the roadside and left to fend for themselves, a total lack of customer care that can only put more people off bus travel. Fairly east to build a delay. It took 4 minutes to load at North Greenwich. People asking "Does this bus go to....". Held for around 90 seconds at the first traffic lights. Held for 30 seconds at the next 2 sets of traffic lights. Another minute waiting at the lights by the new Ikea. Further delays at the next 2 sets of lights and the final delay at the Woolwich Road lights. |
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Post by sid on Oct 1, 2018 19:15:08 GMT
Yes I appreciate that anything can happen but in the instance quoted I doubt if the 486 would have accumulated that much delay between North Greenwich and Charlton to make a curtailment at Welling necessary, it sounds like a lack of forward planning and there do seem to be too many mid journey curtailments on the 486 and I can understand passengers being annoyed. I was on an X26 recently that was curtailed at Hatton Cross, left Croydon on time but encountered all sorts of delays on the way. The driver was great and explained things to passengers and assured them there would be a 285 along soon that we had passed down the road to to take them to Heathrow Central at no extra cost and said passengers could remain on the bus until it arrived. All to often though passengers just get dumped at the roadside and left to fend for themselves, a total lack of customer care that can only put more people off bus travel. Fairly east to build a delay. It took 4 minutes to load at North Greenwich. People asking "Does this bus go to....". Held for around 90 seconds at the first traffic lights. Held for 30 seconds at the next 2 sets of traffic lights. Another minute waiting at the lights by the new Ikea. Further delays at the next 2 sets of lights and the final delay at the Woolwich Road lights. But surely this is nothing out of the ordinary? It's commonplace for buses to take a few minutes to load up at North Greenwich at busy times and the traffic lights are something that should be factored into the timetable. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 19:28:43 GMT
Is anyone else having issues with LVF running slow over the last few days? I find the first search is fine then it seems to hang.
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Post by cl54 on Oct 1, 2018 21:01:00 GMT
Fairly east to build a delay. It took 4 minutes to load at North Greenwich. People asking "Does this bus go to....". Held for around 90 seconds at the first traffic lights. Held for 30 seconds at the next 2 sets of traffic lights. Another minute waiting at the lights by the new Ikea. Further delays at the next 2 sets of lights and the final delay at the Woolwich Road lights. But surely this is nothing out of the ordinary? It's commonplace for buses to take a few minutes to load up at North Greenwich at busy times and the traffic lights are something that should be factored into the timetable. The point I made in my original post is that buses used to be favoured at the traffic lights because of the busways. This appears to have gone and hence the reason for my post. |
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Post by londonbusboy on Oct 1, 2018 21:53:09 GMT
But surely this is nothing out of the ordinary? It's commonplace for buses to take a few minutes to load up at North Greenwich at busy times and the traffic lights are something that should be factored into the timetable. The point I made in my original post is that buses used to be favoured at the traffic lights because of the busways. This appears to have gone and hence the reason for my post. Used to drive the 161 and found the pilot bus way to be unfriendly to buses |
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