|
Post by capitalomnibus on May 17, 2019 22:25:32 GMT
It isnt the bus it's almost all of the 13reg VHs. They are soooooo slow to go anywhere and I don't remember Arrivas older HVs being so slow and bouncy!! As for the traffic and bus lane on the strand, well the traffic was between mid day and 1415 as I was on route 3 days in a row Monday/Wednesday same duty and Tuesday a different duty. Monday was actually quiet but Tuesday & Wednesday I finished more than 20 late. The problem is you have alot of taxis using the bus lane, also alot of buses and also delivery vans etc blocking the bus lane so you have to keep going in and out the bus lane and sitting in the normal traffic and quite a few traffic lights which don't give enough time to get through them. Hmmm, and you thought [AR] was bad. Trouble is, give a few years and some buses of a certain batch would be slow, some average and one or two rockets. Its a lottery, no matter what company you work for.
|
|
|
Post by vjaska on May 18, 2019 0:44:00 GMT
This is so sad, that not even an enthusiast wants to use the daytime buses anymore in central London.
Having reduced central London road space significantly, a key reason for this worsening of congestion, people then sit around and wonder why bus patronage has fallen in zone 1, when a large part of the answer is starring them in the face. Then buses take longer to complete their journey, so to maintain the same service level a higher PVR is required and so up goes the bus subsidy! Self inflicted disaster - you really could not make this up!
I use buses in Central London, although if I was in a hurry I'd use the train or tube, but in fairness most journeys can be made at a reasonable pace, the biggest delay is usually the self inflicted regulating of the service. I generally agree with reducing road space to make a more pleasant environment for pedestrians and more road space just invites more traffic to come and fill it. I'd argue the biggest delay is endless amounts of congestion due to too many vehicles on the road, then roadworks & then regulation. Most bus journeys in Central London have become like chores that some people sadly have no choice but to use.
|
|
|
Post by Volvo on May 18, 2019 4:56:03 GMT
Another day on the 139 another passenger asking me confusing questions. She gets on at Charing Cross Station, her - are you going to Trafalgar Square? Me - yes, it is the next stop. Her - Can you let me know when we get there please, Me - okay. It is the next stop though. Her - thank you. Next stop. Me - opens rear doors, this is Trafalgar Square ( even though Ibus has already announced that. Her - stays seated. Me - this is Trafalgar Square Her - stays seated. Me - Close the doors and drives off. Her (on regent Street) do you go to Selfridge's I said yes it is two stops. Her - thank you. Selfridge's stop. Me - opens door, this is Selfridge's. Her - stays seated. Me - close doors. Next stop she comes to me Me (before she even opened her mouth) - stop wasting my time please and thank you. She then ended up getting off at Baker Street. Sometimes i think bus companies employ these people to annoy us How many of us have been asked by a passenger to let them know when they get to a certain place and we end up forgetting TBH I don't forget but I do let then know I may forget so listen out on the live announcement just incase. Usually though I get someone asking to go to J then get off at E or R so I am thinking why did you ask me if you go to J.
|
|
|
Post by Volvo on May 18, 2019 4:57:51 GMT
It isnt the bus it's almost all of the 13reg VHs. They are soooooo slow to go anywhere and I don't remember Arrivas older HVs being so slow and bouncy!! As for the traffic and bus lane on the strand, well the traffic was between mid day and 1415 as I was on route 3 days in a row Monday/Wednesday same duty and Tuesday a different duty. Monday was actually quiet but Tuesday & Wednesday I finished more than 20 late. The problem is you have alot of taxis using the bus lane, also alot of buses and also delivery vans etc blocking the bus lane so you have to keep going in and out the bus lane and sitting in the normal traffic and quite a few traffic lights which don't give enough time to get through them. Hmmm, and you thought [AR] was bad. Trouble is, give a few years and some buses of a certain batch would be slow, some average and one or two rockets. Its a lottery, no matter what company you work for. I'll be honest the DWs were better to drive than the 13reg VHs here. The VHs and now the DLEs are the buses that annoy me the most to drive they are very frustrating. The majority of ADEs and DEs are lovely to drive as most go like rockets!! Even if some of the DEs are falling apart being from 2008 I still rather now drive one than a DLE yes as mentioned before on the RATP thread I take back what I said about the DLEs being lovely to drive. As they are only when out of service and not near roundabouts or in stop start situations.
|
|
|
Post by Volvo on May 18, 2019 5:04:50 GMT
What would you guys say is the best route to get an E200 MMC floored on in London, preferably at day time too? The 470 buses (SDE's) and the 293's DXE's make regular apperances on the 465, these have no limiters but the voith 4 speed gearbox. Yep voith strikes again.
|
|
|
Post by Volvo on May 18, 2019 5:08:08 GMT
Twenty five minutes from Aldwych to Charing Cross is completely ridiculous. I mean there's a bus lane down the Strand, what on earth do our traffic planners think they are doing and how on earth can they think this is acceptable?
I am with you @volvo , bus drivers are here to drive not go at less than walking pace down a bus lane. TfL and WCC need to get an urgent grip on this. How can RATP run this route reliably with this sort of problem?
As for driving a terrible bus, BT need to sort the bus out!!!!!
I don't use buses in Central London during shopping hours on any day of the week. The cause of this is things like being on a bendy 73 which took 1 hour and 40 minutes to get from Kings Cross to Marble Arch and made to endure trips on the 176 which took 45-60 minutes to get from Oxford Circus to Trafalgar Square. For no apparent reason other than normal volume of traffic - there weren't even temporary roadworks or anything. These happened ages ago but it has left me to perceive shopping hours bus speeds in Central as glacially slow - and the Strand still being this way isn't much of a shock. Trafalgar Square is a complex junction with many traffic and pedestrian movements that have to be permitted so it will probably always be slow. Out of shopping/business/light goods delivery hours it tends to be ok. You see stories like this are why I don't like go to central London for any reason what so ever and why I really didn't want to learn the 139 after initially being told I don't have to. To then be told to be a spare I have to know all routes even though there are many spare drivers here who don't know all routes and only know 5 or 6!!! And they have been here for many years!!! Funnily enough though when I was on the 73 I enjoyed it despite the Late and I didn't suffer too much traffic tbh, however central London has got alot worse since early 2017 and the 139 is by far the worst bus route I have driven period especially the way it goes through central London.
|
|
|
Post by Volvo on May 18, 2019 5:17:04 GMT
This is so sad, that not even an enthusiast wants to use the daytime buses anymore in central London.
Having reduced central London road space significantly, a key reason for this worsening of congestion, people then sit around and wonder why bus patronage has fallen in zone 1, when a large part of the answer is starring them in the face. Then buses take longer to complete their journey, so to maintain the same service level a higher PVR is required and so up goes the bus subsidy! Self inflicted disaster - you really could not make this up!
I use buses in Central London, although if I was in a hurry I'd use the train or tube, but in fairness most journeys can be made at a reasonable pace, the biggest delay is usually the self inflicted regulating of the service. I generally agree with reducing road space to make a more pleasant environment for pedestrians and more road space just invites more traffic to come and fill it. TBH as long as I have been driving I have rarely ever had to regulate in central London. As more often than not your regulated by the traffic!!!
|
|
|
Post by 6HP502C on May 18, 2019 5:32:53 GMT
What would you guys say is the best route to get an E200 MMC floored on in London, preferably at day time too? I'd say route UL70 - Stratford to Richmond. Especially the trip that runs at 22:15. The only issue is that it runs every 8 weeeks or so!
|
|
|
Post by Volvo on May 18, 2019 6:25:39 GMT
Ok the madness is in full swing now, just got to Watford on the 258. I am on stand and a lady comes and asks me do I pick up from the stand or in the station. I said in the station stop 3 she said yes I know I do it everyday. I said mam it is wayyyy to early for this nonsense why ask me if you do it everyday and you know already ?
You can't make this up.
|
|
|
Post by wirewiper on May 18, 2019 8:05:05 GMT
Ok the madness is in full swing now, just got to Watford on the 258. I am on stand and a lady comes and asks me do I pick up from the stand or in the station. I said in the station stop 3 she said yes I know I do it everyday. I said mam it is wayyyy to early for this nonsense why ask me if you do it everyday and you know already ? You can't make this up. She was possibly hoping you would take pity on her and let her on at the stand. It's a strategy that might work with other drivers
|
|
|
Post by Volvo on May 18, 2019 10:02:46 GMT
Ok the madness is in full swing now, just got to Watford on the 258. I am on stand and a lady comes and asks me do I pick up from the stand or in the station. I said in the station stop 3 she said yes I know I do it everyday. I said mam it is wayyyy to early for this nonsense why ask me if you do it everyday and you know already ? You can't make this up. She was possibly hoping you would take pity on her and let her on at the stand. It's a strategy that might work with other drivers No because when I left she didn't even get on in the bus station. Also your not allowed to have passengers on the bus at the stand anyway and it's not one of those stands where it is last stop/stand/first stop. It is last stop/stand.
|
|
|
Post by galwhv69 on May 18, 2019 10:07:52 GMT
Ok the madness is in full swing now, just got to Watford on the 258. I am on stand and a lady comes and asks me do I pick up from the stand or in the station. I said in the station stop 3 she said yes I know I do it everyday. I said mam it is wayyyy to early for this nonsense why ask me if you do it everyday and you know already ? You can't make this up. She was possibly hoping you would take pity on her and let her on at the stand. It's a strategy that might work with other drivers *Cough Cough* 315 *Cough Cough*
|
|
|
Post by Pilot on May 18, 2019 13:47:07 GMT
What starts to annoy me lately is people think they got trick up their sleeves at how they stop the bus...they think because they wiggle the hand in a funny way the bus driver will stop right next to them. This is mostly the case in very busy bus stops where space could potentially be an issue so they try to wave or do something special to make sure you stop next to them and so they can board first and then in half cases they give you look of madness if you don't...which of course I don't because I don't stop for just one person.
|
|
|
Post by snoggle on May 18, 2019 13:55:53 GMT
What starts to annoy me lately is people think they got trick up their sleeves at how they stop the bus...they think because they wiggle the hand in a funny way the bus driver will stop right next to them. This is mostly the case in very busy bus stops where space could potentially be an issue so they try to wave or do something special to make sure you stop next to them and so they can board first and then in half cases they give you look of madness if you don't...which of course I don't because I don't stop for just one person. Oh dear that would be me then - in terms of sometimes doing the little wave. I only do that if I know I was first at the stop and all the subsequent arrivals then decide they'll shove their way on the bus instead. Being of the older generation, that is used to queuing, I find the "barge in" tendency to be immensely annoying. Obviously some drivers take no notice at all whereas others who recognise me will line the bus up. I don't pull a "look of madness" if drivers don't stop beside me.
|
|
|
Post by busaholic on May 18, 2019 14:20:27 GMT
I don't use buses in Central London during shopping hours on any day of the week. The cause of this is things like being on a bendy 73 which took 1 hour and 40 minutes to get from Kings Cross to Marble Arch and made to endure trips on the 176 which took 45-60 minutes to get from Oxford Circus to Trafalgar Square. For no apparent reason other than normal volume of traffic - there weren't even temporary roadworks or anything. These happened ages ago but it has left me to perceive shopping hours bus speeds in Central as glacially slow - and the Strand still being this way isn't much of a shock. Trafalgar Square is a complex junction with many traffic and pedestrian movements that have to be permitted so it will probably always be slow. Out of shopping/business/light goods delivery hours it tends to be ok. This is so sad, that not even an enthusiast wants to use the daytime buses anymore in central London.
Having reduced central London road space significantly, a key reason for this worsening of congestion, people then sit around and wonder why bus patronage has fallen in zone 1, when a large part of the answer is starring them in the face. Then buses take longer to complete their journey, so to maintain the same service level a higher PVR is required and so up goes the bus subsidy! Self inflicted disaster - you really could not make this up!
A series of what may appear at face value to be unrelated moves have had a hugely cumulative deleterious effect on bus travel in London, particularly in the central area where their concentration in a geograhically confined space has wrought havoc to the bus passenger. As I no longer live in London, and my visits become less frequent, I don't see their day-by-day impact but, in a way, it makes it much starker when I go to an area not visited by me for one, two or even three years and I witness the changes which, in the context of bus travel, have made life so much worse and travelling a chore rather than what had been a pleasure. I'll be controversial and say that I believe the whole elected mayoral system has, at least indirectly, led to the situation, as there is always pressure felt by a newly-elected mayor to make their mark, or stamp their authority or whatever cliche comes tond, whereas I've always thought it better for local government and transport authorities to adopt some good policies, carry them out and, assuming they're working, continue with them without all the grandstanding or changing policy on a whim or to gain some temporary political advantage. When the Central London Congestion Charge was brought in under Ken Livingstone's first mayoral tenure it had widespread support amongst almost everyone who wanted to save the centre of the capital from gridlock, reduce private car usage and encourage use of bus travel by introducing new routes and links, as well as increased frequencies on existing routes, and all worked pretty well for a time, particularly when parts of Kensington and Chelsea were brought into the charge area. However, it was also under Livingstone that the first grand projet evolved, seemingly based on Livingstone's obsession with getting rid of pigeons from Trafalgar Square. I'm not going into the pros and cons of removing traffic from the north side of Trafalgar Square, but it's indisputable that bus travel in the immediate surrounds suffered very quickly when the works started, and it has never improved much since imo. At roughly the same time traffic light rephasing occurred in much of central and inner London, with much longer pedestrian phases even in places which saw few pedestrians, and in some places there was inordinate delay between a light going red, then green again. However, Livingstone was undoubtedly pro bus, and plenty of them, and was fortunate in having people at the top in TfL who knew how to get the most out of that scenario. He went down the bendy bus route (to an extent) though he probably had qualms and, on the whole, they achieved their purpose even if their aesthetics weren't the best. When Livingstone was deposed by Boris Johnson, the latter's first act was (as promised, or threatened) to start the elimination of the bendy, and its blatantly political aspect was proven when the first routes to lose them were the 507 and 521, on which routes any unbiased person could see they'd been highly successful at hoovering up large numbers of passengers seamlessly with, given their peak nature, lesser use of resources than any replacement could offer. His second act was to remove K&C from the Congestion Charge. The subject of NBfL I'll keep out of this thread altogether. Cycling was something BJ expressed a great deal of interest in, not that I'm suggesting it wasn't entirely genuine of course, and started with the Boris Bike hire scheme which, in reality, had been planned under Livingstone's regime. Having seen the great P.R. results from this he managed to persuade sufficient road and transport planners at TfL to redesign important road intersections at Aldgate, Elephant & Castle etc. to cater for the cyclist's needs, or was it a case that they saw BJ as a pliable person who they could persuade to implement ideas they already harboured? I'm not sure when deliberate road narrowing became part of this overall policy, but combined with the cycle lanes, increase in internet delivery vans and private hire vehicles and disregard for or downgrading of bus lanes it's had a corrosive effect on bus services, which shows no sign of abating. The bus passenger is very much the poor relation now in central London, with nobody to advocate for them, the 'user bodies' being largely toothlessly ineffective and, it would appear, no-one near the top at TfL with the required skills or mindset to make a meaningful difference or to prevent the most egregious of the planned cutbacks. Incidentally, the fact that London Transport in its various forms was only responsible for the provision of public transport (and by no means all of it in London, either) and wasn't a 'roads' authority made the situation so different in the past; it might have seemed logical and 'progressive' to bring roads in, but not if their planners are allowed to entirely overwhelm buses and their users, which even now are multitudinous. Also, we now appear to have a Mayor who has no known views on buses, indeed seems scared of his own shadow, and with TfL's dire and getting direr financial position light on the horizon may prove to be a mirage! I accept in advance I may have got chronology wrong in parts, perhaps even 'facts', but it was a serious attempt to give the gist of my thinking as to what's gone wrong/going wrong with London buses, written more in sorrow than in anger.
|
|