Buses
One of the 'free' newspapers that REALLY gets up my nose is The Londoner - a really rubbish collection of mayoral propaganda that does nothing except big-up stuff we either already know or just don't need to hear. It truly annoys me that I indirectly pay for this extremely poor 'journalism' and blatent publicity machine (whether I support him or not is irrelevant - I would disapprove of this bloomin' useless waste of trees and ink whoever the mayor was.)
But when it drops through the door alongside the other free newspapers I do always give it a brief flick-through in case there is ANYTHING worth knowing.
The headline today says that bus fares are going to be 10p cheaper. Initially I thought "oh goodie" - for about ten seconds. But the thing is, I don't think we actually need to persuade people to use the buses any more - most are happy enough to give public transport a go. What we do need are a few more actual vehicles to take all the passengers who have been already converted to bus travel.
Take last night - pretty typical. I came out of North Greenwich Tube - not late - maybe 10.45/11.00pm. There were NO buses of any variety at any stops. Plenty of would-be passengers though all hanging about waiting for - well - any form of bus. Eventually a 108 bowled up, so I thought I'd get that and walk the rest of the way rather than waiting for anything more appropriate.
Trouble is, that's exactly what everyone else had thought too. I didn't expect to get a seat, but I DID hope to board the bus. Actually to be fair, I did manage to, just about, squeeze on, by asking people if they'd mind moving up a bit, which they did, albeit grudgingly. The guy drove like the clappers, ignoring red lights on the peninsula left, right and centre, though at least we couldn't be thrown about too much as we were all packed so tightly.
I'm obviously not moaning at a drop in fares. But encouraging more people to use a bus that's already too full seem crazy to me. Far better spend all those extra 10ps on a couple of extra buses, IMHO.
But when it drops through the door alongside the other free newspapers I do always give it a brief flick-through in case there is ANYTHING worth knowing.
The headline today says that bus fares are going to be 10p cheaper. Initially I thought "oh goodie" - for about ten seconds. But the thing is, I don't think we actually need to persuade people to use the buses any more - most are happy enough to give public transport a go. What we do need are a few more actual vehicles to take all the passengers who have been already converted to bus travel.
Take last night - pretty typical. I came out of North Greenwich Tube - not late - maybe 10.45/11.00pm. There were NO buses of any variety at any stops. Plenty of would-be passengers though all hanging about waiting for - well - any form of bus. Eventually a 108 bowled up, so I thought I'd get that and walk the rest of the way rather than waiting for anything more appropriate.
Trouble is, that's exactly what everyone else had thought too. I didn't expect to get a seat, but I DID hope to board the bus. Actually to be fair, I did manage to, just about, squeeze on, by asking people if they'd mind moving up a bit, which they did, albeit grudgingly. The guy drove like the clappers, ignoring red lights on the peninsula left, right and centre, though at least we couldn't be thrown about too much as we were all packed so tightly.
I'm obviously not moaning at a drop in fares. But encouraging more people to use a bus that's already too full seem crazy to me. Far better spend all those extra 10ps on a couple of extra buses, IMHO.
Labels: Services
posted by The Greenwich Phantom at
08:23
26 Comments:
Getting a bus from North Greenwich, a decent alternative to the train when I moved to Woolwich 3 years ago, has become impossible. Fighting to board a 472 or 161 has become a nightmare and if I can possibly avoid it I do.
Just recently it was quicker for me to get back on the tube, go to North Greenwich, get the DLR to Cutty Sark and a bus from there. Something really really needs to be done. Much as I welcome a price cut I can't see that this wil do anything other than make the situation worse.
Contact London Buses and let them know what problems you're experiencing. If enough of us do then hopefully something might happen.
You're right, of course, Methers. I shall do so today.
Is it a real 10p or one of them Oyster 10ps?
i.e. does the real fare remain £2.00?
What do YOU think? Oyster of course...
Is now the right time to have a moaning session about Oyster and it's complete lack of integration with ANY of the transport services you can get from Greenwich?!
No, m32, because that's the government/ rail operators' fault. If they'd joined in with the Oyster project, it'd be alright by now, instead of in 2009.
What is down to Ken is the lousiness of the bus network serving North Greenwich - too few buses on routes which are far too long to be reliable. It can actually be quicker to go home the old-fashioned "East London Line to New Cross then a 53/177" way at times. I abandoned North Greenwich as a regular way to work about four years ago.
There's all sorts of issues about "consultation" here - TfL usually talks to the council, who talk to...?
Incidentally, all-night 188s start on 28 July, all-night 472s are due later this year, but an extension to the B16 (which runs from Bexleyheath to the Ferrier Estate in Kidbrooke) to North Greenwich appears to have been binned.
>which runs from Bexleyheath to the Ferrier Estate...
why does the phrase 'out of the frying pan, into the fire' leap to mind when I read this sentence ;)
Exactly. And via Eltham and Welling too. Nice.
It's probably because the council whines about there "not being enough buses from the south of the borough" up to North Greenwich, but doesn't bother lobbying for the intensive service that people in Greenwich and Charlton (and Blackheath) need.
(I don't include people who get off after one stop in Legoland in that.)
I don't like Oyster. I totally object to being required to make an interest-free loan to Ken simply so I can get cheaper fares should I decide to take a bus or underground at some point in the future.
£2 vs. 90p is nothing short of extortion.
I confess I do like Oysters - in theory. I never have much cash stored on mine - and I don't use it as much as I'd like because the train companies dragging their heels over joining in means that I often end up still having to buy a paper ticket, but I think that once they're all integrated it will make things much easier and quicker.
I hear what you're saying Andrekabu, but if my (very) small 'loan' to Ken helps the buses improve evena tiny bit, I guess it's better in the long run than having even more massive fare rises than we might otherwise have.
It is a bit confusing for visitors though - we have a spare Oyster with a couple of quid on it in case we have out-of-towners visiting, and I sort of pity foreigners. But they all have their own systems in their respective countries and we are expected to find out about how things work there when we visit - if they're forking out to come to London (not a cheap option these days,) a bit of research is not unreasonable - and the info IS avaialable.
BTW has anyone else complained about the lack of buses to London Buses, like Methers suggested? If we all do it we MIGHT get somewhere (I'm not holding my breath)
I like Oyster for the convenience - but only if they are the pay-as-you-go ones so they can't be identified with me personally. And I too only keep a few pounds on them. I wish Oyster readers could be installed on mainline railway stations as well as tubes, buses and DLR.
What I don't like are the season ticket ones or any that are registered. I don't like the idea that my movements are recorded in some central database. Not that there's anything very interesting about my transport usage but still ...
I complained to London Buses in 2002 about North Greenwich's lack of one of those screens that tell you when the buses are departing.
They replied to say that these are only installed at strategically important locations, such as major terminuses or bus stops where there are many services arriving and departing.
I give up...
...and this was North Greenwich Terminus?
(shakes head...)
Johnse18; I hear what you are saying BUT I would like to point out one of the benefits of having a season ticket that is registered. I lost my Oyster card, with almost a full £90-worth of monthly ticket on it. I got a free replacement card, plus the remaining season ticket, with just a phone call. I am usually the first to object to invasions of my privacy, but in this case I see the benefits.
Great news about the all night 188.
Count me in as an Oyster fan, although it is all too easy not to check in or especially out- a costly mistake when you next check in and discover that you have been charged the max fare.
Apparently the card readers for railway stations are on there way and the service should be extended shortly- anybody know when exactly?
I have complained about the bus services from North Greenwich in the past and got letters back saying they aren't doing anything yet. Its pathetic - they clearly have no forward planning in place and aren't anticipating an increase in passengers to and from there, even now the O2 is fully functioning.
I've been trying to get the bus for the past week as I've been using oyster rather than a travelcard. I've arrived home almost in tears after being pushed, trampled on, squished and elbowed. Its a joke. Although I have had the lucky 161 roll up when I get there a few times so I shouldn't complain.
Oops- sorry- I meant that ON THE DLR it is all to easy not to check in or check out
Daily Mail rants at the rubbish Dome transport issue here.
I've complained a couple of times, it's usually more satisfying to bash my head against a wall.
The Mail rant's quite funny, really. People know when the last Tubes are. There's a late boat back to Waterloo.
And, in many cases, they don't have to bloody drive.
Oh, and andrekabu - obviously, I'll object to Oysters as soon as Boris gets in, but in the meantime I'll just save my fury for people who hold up buses by fumbling for change.
Gwladys Street - 2009.
Nice objective journalism from the Daily Mail, as ever. I love the way the headline is possibly the least accurate summary of events possible. It seems that everyone using public transport got home fine. There is a moral in there somehwere.
Although I still agree with you all about the buses :-)
It's actually the Evening Standard rather than the Mail - that story was their first edition lead yesterday. It's just been shoved onto the Big Mail's website...
To be fair, it is an ARSE to get to the Dome by public transport from many other parts of south-east London. It's easier to get there from Uxbridge than from, say, Crayford, because of the Tube link.
But yes, there's clearly plenty of people in that story who should have thought before leaping in their cars, if only to make a bit more room for those that really do need to use them. Ho-hum.
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