Boris Watch

[Sandperson]

Surely the bendy bus was never about saving space on the roads it was about access for people with disabilities and prams and things. Personally, as a driver, cyclist and bus user (including bendy buses) I don't know what people get their nickers in a twist about. In all three of the above 'capacities' I have never had a problem with them.

[david_carnell]

Sandperson is correct in all accounts:

a) the bendy-bus was designed to allow easy access for disabled users and those with prams

b) it holds more than double decker 120+ compared to 80-90

c) it is more fuel efficient and less polluting

I do however worry about the sanity of an electorate that bases its voting behaviour on the design of buses. Are they really so divisive?

On the competition issue: when working with the MoD they fund development costs for interested parties - the expense would mean very few competitors if they did not.

Finally, for those torn between bendy and double-decker, a solution: the bendy double decker. I shit you not:

Buggered if I'm driving that though.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Looks more like a push-me-pull-you. Would be a winner with Rex Harrison as conductor.

[Brendan]

Ok so they hold 30 ? 40 more people. (Not in humane way I might add. Have you ever tried to get the no 12 home from central London at rush hour?)

The thing is they take up the same amount of space on the road as 2 double-deckers. So for the same amount of road space taken up you can transport 160 people in double-deckers as opposed to 120 in concertinas. And you have the added bonus with double-deckers of those two busses being able to move independently and therefore not block off entire roads when they get stuck and free up traffic flow.

[SeanMacGabhann]

The cons outlined by Brendan and others are true enough

But the pros exist also - better disabled access, better "loading" times, ability to travel on routes with bridges which were inaccessibe to double-deckers

Rush hour on a packed 12 isn't really any worse than rush hour on a 176.. in fact, if I was forced to choose....

[david_carnell]

Alas they do not take up 2x as much road space. At 18m long a bendy is a mere 4m longer than a regular double-decker. The space is used more efficiently.

Also, as much as I like the ideas of conductors there are complications. Firstly they cost money. This would have to be funded by fare rises. Secondly, one of the reasons they were originally phased out was because as fare collectors they became a target for both anger and attack. They would have to be specially trained and probably given stab vests in order to be safe. I suppose Oyster cards negate some of that though as there is no longer any cash involved.

You really need a air-marshall style system to prevent anti-social behaviour on buses (which I presume is what is the intended result) but who would want or be capable of such a job?

[Moos]

The points on loading times, disabled access and buggy access are all very fair - however, the newer doubles also have the controlled suspension (or whatever it's called) and ramps to help disabled travellers and also sneakily benefit buggy pushers. And loading times would be hugely improved with a conductor on board.

Edited because cross-posted with DC - interesting if conductors were phased out to save money - my goodness, how much would fares have increased by if they hadn't been! I think buses are safer with conductors, although it's a good point (in a ridiculous world) that it must be a bit of a dangerous job.

[Keef]

As someone who works in the disability field, I still wouldn't really use it as a pro for these buses, as in reality, you don't see that many wheelchair users at the bus stops, and I have certainly never seen a person in a wheelchair left at a bus stop due to lack of access.

Prams are another matter, and for that reason, I guess they get a tick, but I still think they are horrific things. I have never used them to travel to work in central London, I used to catch the 12 to Peckham, then the 436 to New Cross, and I found it a horrid horrid journey, even more so (for some reason) coming back to Peckham from New Cross. Give me a double decker any day!

david_carnell Wrote:

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> Are they really so divisive?

It would seem so ;-)

[citizenED]

Would not scrapping the Bendies cost money too? They have only just been brought in and can hardly be nearing the end of their servicable life (Routemasters just went on and on). Boris is hardly likely to scrap a whole fleet of perfectly good public vehicles - is he?

[Cassius]

What percentage of people use the Bendy Bus as the "free" bus - quite a high one I would think! The savings from ensuring all passengers paid would not cover the cost of conductors I am sure, but still a valid point.

[Ant]

A small point: where bendy buses win for buggy pushers is not just that it's easier to get on and off, but that there's more space for you and your buggy once you're in there.

[James]

Surely the main advantage of bendy buses is sheer speed of boarding/disembarking? Oyster has also speeded things up, as have the extra bus lanes and congestion charge. All of which were Ken's doing. I fear we'll go backwards with Boris. Like all Tories he doesn't care about investing in things. Averting the ?25 4x4 congestion charge and west London extension are greater priorities (his mates live there and like their big, polluting cars).

I think all this reminiscing about Routemasters is ridiculous. London is a 21st Century city, not a museum piece. If you want routemasters back why stop there - why not trolleybuses and gas lamps?

[Moos]

I don't get the West London extension to the congestion charge. Won't all the people with 4x4s that live in the area suddenly become exempt?

Agree about Routemasters themselves - but personally would like to see a redesigned double-decker which allows for quick on-and-off entry as the old buses did. I imagine that helfnsafety won't allow for the open door any more, though.

[snoozequeen1]

The other week in Nunhead it was impossible for anyone to get off the little P12 bus due to:

two women with buggies

two women with shopping trollies

a chap using a wheelchair.

The bus simply couldn't cope with the needs of the people who actually needed to use it.

So however annoying bendy buses may be when you are trying to drive or cycle past one, it does seem that whoever came up with them was looking at the reality of bus users, which I guess is what they were supposed to do.

[Brendan]

Yeah or the size of London?s streets. Most of which you can?t even get 2 cars down, let alone an articulated bus.

[Ted Max]

http://www.ididntvoteforboris.co.uk

[mockney piers]

The makers of Blair Watch now bring us Boris Watch

[Ant]

I notice there's also an Aaronovitch Watch. At this rate we'll need a Watch Watch before long, what what?

[HonaloochieB]

The weather's been very good since Boris took the throne.

Coincidence?

[citizenED]

Yeah, warm weather - but there has been another RTA in that awful accident blackspot, Albert Square.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I would merely state that the weather post general election in 1997 was simply wonderful, and leave you to judge on wether that's a good omen or not

[Brendan]

Don?t mention the sunshine folks. They?ll want to tax us on that next.

[Cassius]

I'm waiting for people to start moaning that it's too hot for them! Another couple of days over 23 degrees and we'll be getting warnings about staying out of the midday sun and threads of hosepipe bans.......

[bawdy-nan]

I read today that Boris has announced a ban on all alcohol on tubes and buses.

Pretty good idea I think but I'm not at all clear about how this is going to be enforced...

[mockney piers]

Neither does Bob Crowe who's clearly going to be as "can do" towards Boris as he was to Ken.