Route 8

[Deleted]

Should the route be re-extended back to Victoria Station?

I think its ideal to do it if they gain NBFL's.
But i know the Oxford Circus section of the route is choc-a-bloc, but the route can just go around that area to avoid the traffic jam.

[DT 11]

This is a pointless thread.

[snoggle]

Jun 8, 2013 12:49:53 GMT @freebbc said:

Should the route be re-extended back to Victoria Station?

I think its ideal to do it if they gain NBFL's.
But i know the Oxford Circus section of the route is choc-a-bloc, but the route can just go around that area to avoid the traffic jam.

Not going to happen. The old route was notoriously jammed up and congested and will be even worse given all the Crossrail related works near Bond Street. I'd also doubt that NB4Ls would get round the route at night when the streets in Mayfair are jammed with badly parked cars. Even the E400s on the C2 struggle and get stuck - plenty of comment about that from other group members.

TfL are not going to remove the C2 from reaching Victoria as it gives a Ox Circus / Regent St to Victoria link that avoids Oxford St itself.

Whenever I see route 8 it is not very busy - I think it is one of those routes that is a bit of a shadow of its former self. It might perk up a bit if it ever gets extended to Stratford City via the Olympic Park. It would create more demand at the eastern end of the route.

[twobellstogo]

Jun 8, 2013 13:12:12 GMT snoggle said:

Jun 8, 2013 12:49:53 GMT @freebbc said:

Should the route be re-extended back to Victoria Station?

I think its ideal to do it if they gain NBFL's.
But i know the Oxford Circus section of the route is choc-a-bloc, but the route can just go around that area to avoid the traffic jam.

Not going to happen. The old route was notoriously jammed up and congested and will be even worse given all the Crossrail related works near Bond Street. I'd also doubt that NB4Ls would get round the route at night when the streets in Mayfair are jammed with badly parked cars. Even the E400s on the C2 struggle and get stuck - plenty of comment about that from other group members.

TfL are not going to remove the C2 from reaching Victoria as it gives a Ox Circus / Regent St to Victoria link that avoids Oxford St itself.

Whenever I see route 8 it is not very busy - I think it is one of those routes that is a bit of a shadow of its former self. It might perk up a bit if it ever gets extended to Stratford City via the Olympic Park. It would create more demand at the eastern end of the route.

Agree : the 8 would benefit from an easterly extension, but not a westerly one. I was quite surprised when nothing was done to the 8 when Westfield opened.

[Deleted]

Jun 8, 2013 12:49:53 GMT @freebbc said:

Should the route be re-extended back to Victoria Station?

I think its ideal to do it if they gain NBFL's.
But i know the Oxford Circus section of the route is choc-a-bloc, but the route can just go around that area to avoid the traffic jam.

If its extended anywhere it should be back up Edgware Road............and maybe back to Willeseden Garage replacing the 98? Another route that was split up for route tendering reasons and thats why Oxford Street is now often a wall of buses

[Deleted]

The 8 is still a busy route, although oddly enough now you've mentioned it snoggle I can't help noticing it's not as busy as it was when the 25 was bendy. Maybe there is some truth in my suspicions that certain would-be 25 users chose the 8 to get a seat. It should still be very busy east of Liverpool Street though.

[Deleted]

Jun 8, 2013 13:12:12 GMT snoggle said:

Jun 8, 2013 12:49:53 GMT @freebbc said:

Should the route be re-extended back to Victoria Station?

I think its ideal to do it if they gain NBFL's.
But i know the Oxford Circus section of the route is choc-a-bloc, but the route can just go around that area to avoid the traffic jam.

Not going to happen. The old route was notoriously jammed up and congested and will be even worse given all the Crossrail related works near Bond Street. I'd also doubt that NB4Ls would get round the route at night when the streets in Mayfair are jammed with badly parked cars. Even the E400s on the C2 struggle and get stuck - plenty of comment about that from other group members.

TfL are not going to remove the C2 from reaching Victoria as it gives a Ox Circus / Regent St to Victoria link that avoids Oxford St itself.

Whenever I see route 8 it is not very busy - I think it is one of those routes that is a bit of a shadow of its former self. It might perk up a bit if it ever gets extended to Stratford City via the Olympic Park. It would create more demand at the eastern end of the route.

I think an alternative to the parallel Central Line would certainly be welcomed. Currently Bethnal Green to Stratford is only achievable by the Central Line, or by changing at Bow or Whitechapel; not exactly a favourable arrangement

[Trident]

Jun 8, 2013 13:12:12 GMT snoggle said:

Jun 8, 2013 12:49:53 GMT @freebbc said:

Should the route be re-extended back to Victoria Station?

I think its ideal to do it if they gain NBFL's.
But i know the Oxford Circus section of the route is choc-a-bloc, but the route can just go around that area to avoid the traffic jam.

Not going to happen. The old route was notoriously jammed up and congested and will be even worse given all the Crossrail related works near Bond Street. I'd also doubt that NB4Ls would get round the route at night when the streets in Mayfair are jammed with badly parked cars. Even the E400s on the C2 struggle and get stuck - plenty of comment about that from other group members.

TfL are not going to remove the C2 from reaching Victoria as it gives a Ox Circus / Regent St to Victoria link that avoids Oxford St itself.

Whenever I see route 8 it is not very busy - I think it is one of those routes that is a bit of a shadow of its former self. It might perk up a bit if it ever gets extended to Stratford City via the Olympic Park. It would create more demand at the eastern end of the route.

Extending the 8 West? I agree, I dont think its useful when you even consider traffic levels already throughout Victoria and Hyde Park during the day.

Well from my observations I do see the 8 heavily used, particularly through the peaks at Liverpool Street which im sure Chris will back me up on. It's just one of those routes that hides out in Old Ford before serving serious patronage through Bethnal Green and the City.

[Deleted]

Jun 8, 2013 19:19:19 GMT Trident said:

Jun 8, 2013 13:12:12 GMT snoggle said:

Not going to happen. The old route was notoriously jammed up and congested and will be even worse given all the Crossrail related works near Bond Street. I'd also doubt that NB4Ls would get round the route at night when the streets in Mayfair are jammed with badly parked cars. Even the E400s on the C2 struggle and get stuck - plenty of comment about that from other group members.

TfL are not going to remove the C2 from reaching Victoria as it gives a Ox Circus / Regent St to Victoria link that avoids Oxford St itself.

Whenever I see route 8 it is not very busy - I think it is one of those routes that is a bit of a shadow of its former self. It might perk up a bit if it ever gets extended to Stratford City via the Olympic Park. It would create more demand at the eastern end of the route.

Extending the 8 West? I agree, I dont think its useful when you even consider traffic levels already throughout Victoria and Hyde Park during the day.

Well from my observations I do see the 8 heavily used, particularly through the peaks at Liverpool Street which im sure Chris will back me up on. It's just one of those routes that hides out in Old Ford before serving serious patronage through Bethnal Green and the City.

Indeed. Since its my local route and most used Tfl route I can vouch from what Trident said. The 8 gets heavily used between Roman Road Market, then it picks up from then on throughout the route.

If the 8 were to extend to Stratford City Im sure it may benefit me and others as it would creat another link in my hub although more running will have to be added which will me the timetable will be tighter than it already is.

IMO, Routes like the 8 should be left alone from extension as there already has been a proposal for the 388 to be extended to Stratford City.

[vjaska]

Jun 8, 2013 13:12:12 GMT snoggle said:

Jun 8, 2013 12:49:53 GMT @freebbc said:

Should the route be re-extended back to Victoria Station?

I think its ideal to do it if they gain NBFL's.
But i know the Oxford Circus section of the route is choc-a-bloc, but the route can just go around that area to avoid the traffic jam.

Not going to happen. The old route was notoriously jammed up and congested and will be even worse given all the Crossrail related works near Bond Street. I'd also doubt that NB4Ls would get round the route at night when the streets in Mayfair are jammed with badly parked cars. Even the E400s on the C2 struggle and get stuck - plenty of comment about that from other group members.

TfL are not going to remove the C2 from reaching Victoria as it gives a Ox Circus / Regent St to Victoria link that avoids Oxford St itself.

Whenever I see route 8 it is not very busy - I think it is one of those routes that is a bit of a shadow of its former self. It might perk up a bit if it ever gets extended to Stratford City via the Olympic Park. It would create more demand at the eastern end of the route.

The LT's wouldn't even get through during the day either - even the Tridents on the 8 only just made it through that section when it ran to Victoria.

[Deleted]

* Lines on maps mode *

Given how busy the 8 can get especially east of Liverpool Street, I wonder whether there might be value in having a new route between Euston and Stratford via Bethnal Green Road and Roman Road. This would avoid the need to extend the 205 eastwards and help out the busiest sections of the 8 and 205.

[Late Again]

The 8 really doesn't need any extra routes to help it out. In fact apart from a small section on old ford road which it had to its self. The rest of the route it shares with others. It's got the 388 to help out between bethnal green and Liverpool street. Plus the fact the 8 runs every few minutes means the route only really has problems when the central line is down. Extending it to Stratford city would make it worse as when the traffic is bad on the A12 it would end up getting stuck for a long while.

[Deleted]

The number of times I've used the 8 east of Liverpool the bus just barely managed to take all passengers and invariantly became very overcrowded. The bit it has to itself on Roman Road is by no means trivial - it has a large residential catchment area with very high densities. The 8 is the only route for these people to get to the City to work, change for the Central Line at Bethnal Green or go shopping at Bethnal Green and Shoreditch. Two routes on Roman Road achieving a combined frequency of say 5 minutes (4 minutes during peaks), and likewise between Euston and Old Street with the 205, would achieve a much more resilient operation. This could be achieved within the current level of resources if frequencies are reduced slightly for the less busier sections of the routes (west of the City for the 8 and west of Euston for the 205).

[Deleted]

Jun 9, 2013 11:17:33 GMT @nct said:

The number of times I've used the 8 east of Liverpool the bus just barely managed to take all passengers and invariantly became very overcrowded. The bit it has to itself on Roman Road is by no means trivial - it has a large residential catchment area with very high densities. The 8 is the only route for these people to get to the City to work, change for the Central Line at Bethnal Green or go shopping at Bethnal Green and Shoreditch. Two routes on Roman Road achieving a combined frequency of say 5 minutes (4 minutes during peaks), and likewise between Euston and Old Street with the 205, would achieve a much more resilient operation. This could be achieved within the current level of resources if frequencies are reduced slightly for the less busier sections of the routes (west of the City for the 8 and west of Euston for the 205).

Indeed even I get off at Bethnal Green Station to use the Central Line, there are times were I cant be bothered to do the full route. From Liverpool St (Westbound) traffic gets a tad bad during rush hour.

[Deleted]

Bishopsgate itself is never much fun at rush hour and Bank junction can often have fairly long tailbacks.