P13 bus during rush hour and school run

[tomskip]

Can anyone tell me how long it takes for the school run to Kingsdale and beyond on this bus, and does it run reliably and on time? Many thanks.

[Jah Lush]

That depends on where you're leaving from and it doesn't go past Kingsdale. I assume you'll be walking from Dulwich College? I use the bus regularly and if you look at the Live Bus Arrivals from London Transport online or a bus stop app on your phone you'll never miss one.

[tomskip]

Thanks. Yes, I know it doesn't go past Kingsdale. I was really looking for information on how crowded it gets, how reliable it is, and how long to allow for the journey. From Underhill Road in particular.

[Penguin68]

It will be very dependent on setting-off time - the S Circular can be murder at some times, and it seems difficult to predict.

[tomskip]

Say a person caught the bus on Underhill Road at 7.45ish, would they get to Tulse Hill by 8.30? Roughly.

[bawdy-nan]

Travelling by bus or car at that time is very tricky. We live an ordinary 8-10 min max car drive from Kingsdale but on school days this can take 45 mins. If it is about getting to school probably much quicker to walk. (For us we'd allow 30 mins walk or 15 -20 mins cycle)

[solar]

Kingsdale run coach services which pick up at local primary schools and drop off at Kingsdale school. Might be useful if you live near a primary school. You do have to pay for it though.

[rjsmall]

During the school term I use the P13 to take my daughter from the Friern Road stop to the West Dulwich station stop. Usually we get the bus about 8:05am (as Jah Lush suggests use the Live Bus Arrivals from London Transport online) and arrive anywhere between 8:25am and 8:35am. On Friday there is usually less traffic and the journey is quicker. It can get crowded at the Grove Tavern stop but a lot of people get off at Dulwich College and West Dulwich station. I have found it to be very reliable - once or twice in the mornings it was late.

For the return journey in the evening I have found it less reliable - sometimes you get no bus for 20 minutes and then two turn up a minute apart.

[Drone]

I would always allow extra time especially when it rains as the traffic on the S Circular seems to grind to a halt.

[bawdy-nan]

There's always the 363 and another bus or a walk ....or use a bus app and jump on and off bus as necessary

[ozzy]

Yea as Bawdy-nan said a 363 to the parade then a number 3 will get you quite close to Kingsdale school .

[se22cat]

I took the P13, my favorite bus yesterday and it went on diversion around Peckham as the road going past Morrisons is still being repaired so the route is suffering from delays because of this, not sure about around the Kingsdale area I'm afraid though.

[mynamehere]

Consider cycling through Dulwich Park of good weather days. This does take getting used to and careful practice if you and your children are not used to city cycling but from all points East Dulwich it's only the South Circulae that you have to practice getting across safely.

[bawdy-nan]

indeed, and from the park there are off road cycle paths all the way (and you don't have to do the south circular thin wobbly pavement cycle paths) - main worrisome area is Hunts Slip Road which should be easy, but isn't because of the madness of DC Prep car drop offs.

mynamehere Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Consider cycling through Dulwich Park of good

> weather days. This does take getting used to and

> careful practice if you and your children are not

> used to city cycling but from all points East

> Dulwich it's only the South Circulae that you have

> to practice getting across safely.

[KalamityKel]

Walk?

[Lazero]

Where you are on Underhill can make a difference in terms of how crowded it is. From the Belvoir road stop you occasionally get a bus coming along in the morning that doesn't stop at all, as it can't hold any more people. It's not as big of a problem since they increased its frequency, but if the previous bus didn't materialise you can suddenly find yourself being late.

[simonethebeaver]

Our Kingsdale student gets the bus from the Belvoir Road stop. The 7.45 bus is best in terms of getting there time and also likelihood of getting on, but he frequently pushes it to 8 or beyond.

[Bic Basher]

Some options off the top of my head.

Kingsdale is around a 10-15 walk from Dulwich College. Walk up College Road, then Hunts Slip Road which leads into Alleyn Park. I used to work at the bottom of Gipsy Hill and walked past Kingsdale daily.

Get the train to Gipsy Hill, the school is a 5-10 min walk from the station. Trains leave from East Dulwich or Forest Hill every 30 mins. Also Route 322 from Crystal Palace will drop you off at the bottom of Gipsy Hill from Crystal Palace.

Also mentioned, Route 3 from West Dulwich Station or Crystal Palace to the Gipsy Hill stop.

[tomskip]

Hi all, thanks for your replies. My son isn't at Kingsdale (he wasn't one of the lucky 10% in the lottery or whatever the tiny number is these days), he has had to start his secondary life at Elmgreen in Lambeth. I just said "Kingsdale and beyond" in the op because not many people in ED will be familiar with the experience of getting all the way to Elmgreen and thought I could work out a rough journey time by adding on 10 minutes to the Kingsdale journey via the P13. Anyway, that's a waffly way of saying it has been most helpful and he got to school on time today!

[bawdy-nan]

Glad he had a good logistical start! Looks easier to get to that Kingsdale, in any case.

[leenorris78]

Cycle. 15 minutes each way.

[HannahSE23]

Glad he got there on time today Tomskip. Hope he settles well into life at Elmgreen.

[JimmyMc1311]

This question got me thinking a bit. Why is called the P13? I assume there is a bus 13 somewhere, but what does the P stand for? Peckham?

[Lowlander]

Yes it was when they ran out of numbers and started new routes - the prefix letter is the area around which the routes cluster apparently.

So for instance:

P = Peckham

C = Central

D = Docklands

More info here http://markhadfield.typepad.com/that_gormandizer_man/2009/03/how-london-buses-are-numbered-tfl-come-up-trumps.html

[JimmyMc1311]

Cheers!