Bendy bus cull 'is causing crowding'

Monday, 14 September 2009

By Sam Masters

ANOTHER controversial bendy bus route has been axed, but the move has angered commuters who claim replacements have caused over-crowding.

London Mayor Boris Johnson first made good on his election pledge to scrap bendy buses on South London streets in July.

The first route to face the chop was the route 507 bus running from Waterloo to Victoria.

Last week, route 521 from Waterloo to London Bridge was “de-bended” and replaced with single-decker vehicles.

The buses – described by the Mayor as “whales” – were stored at an airfield in the Midlands before being sold.

The Mayor claimed axing the massive buses would ease congestion, stop fare dodgers and prevent accidents on the roads.

But Val Shawcross, London assembly member for Lambeth and Southwark, claimed the axing has led to commuters waiting longer for buses at mainline stations.

She said: “The main complaint is about the shortage of seats. The new buses are not big enough.

“I have heard them being called cattle trucks.

“The Mayor seriously needs to speak to passengers that his gimmicky policy is affecting.”

She said replacement buses used a similar door layout as the old bendy buses – meaning fare dodgers were still able to board the bus without paying.

According to Ms Shawcross, axing the buses will cost an extra £3million a year.

Angie Taylor, who lives near Waterloo station, had mixed feelings about the axing.

She said: “They did hold a lot of people, especially in rush hour when people were going to work.

“On the other hand people can get on without paying their fares. I also think they are dangerous when they go around corners.”

The remaining 400 bendy buses will be axed by 2011 with a replacement Routemaster double decker in development.

Kulveer Ranger, the Mayor’s transport advisor, said: “What cannot be argued with is that the electorate voted for a Mayor who promised to rid the capital of bendy buses, which he is doing as swiftly as possible.

“Londoners have consistently reminded him that they do not want to see these buses on their narrow streets and, far from leaving passengers behind, the new buses are running more frequently than their bendy predecessors.

“Rather than increasing pollution the new buses are so incredibly green that, despite an increase in numbers, they actually reduce the overall emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and particulate matter on those routes.

“Yes, there is a cost of removing bendy buses but Val also fails to mention the increase in revenue expected thanks to the reduction in fare evasion that will result from removing the fleet of bendy buses from our roads.”

Email: sam.masters@slp.co.uk

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7 comments on this news item

Posted by : Robert Honeybourne, Southend on Sea | Friday 02/Oct/2009 | Report this comment

TFL do a fantastic job. There were undoubtably problems with the bendy bus but they did have a big capacity. I am surprised that they were taken away before an sufficient alternative was available

This is politics. Ken was a mayor who believed in public transport for all. Now there is a mayor who wants some kind of dream land transport with imitation Routemasters and bobbies on bicycle 2 by 2

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Posted by : Mr Hicks, West Norwood | Friday 18/Sep/2009 | Report this comment

It is a shame because the bendys had plenty of room for everybody but the sad fact is that far too many people were taking avantage and fare dodging free rides.

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Posted by : Tom Barry, London | Tuesday 15/Sep/2009 | Report this comment

Kulveer’s a bloody idiot if he thinks we’re going to fall for the one about fare evasion - it’s been obvious for ages that any decrease in evasion is far less than the cost of the buses and in any case is irrelevant on the 507 and 521 which I can attest are perfectly usable without paying. This morning I gave up on the 521 and took the 68 instead, it was a scrum out there. Later in the route we

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