London Buses.

[Stuharris 6360]

I may be wrong but I feel that part of the problem is all these new ideas that both Boris and Sadiq Khan have come up with.

For example

fewer buses using Oxford Street, probably the busiest street in the capital. People aren't going to walk miles just to find a bus stop. they will use an already massively overcrowded tube.

Night Tube, supposedly used so night bus services could be reduced, but then other bus services have had to be provided in the suburbs to get people home when they get off the tube.

[markcf83]

The bus cuts are entirely down to Sadiq. Which is ironic given he's a son of a London bus driver.......

[Stuharris 6360]

The bus cuts are entirely down to Sadiq. Which is ironic given he's a son of a London bus driver.......

That's true, but also Boris and the NB4L, at the end of the day it's been a very expensive project for TFL, I don't dislike the buses, but part of the point was to bring back the open rear platform bus to London. Firstly Boris suddenly realised that having every route with Customer Assistants would be madly expensive and so cut back the routes that they would be used on, then Sadiq made the CA's redundant, therefore making the rear door pointless. So now you have buses going around with passengers able to board by any door thus no doubt increasing fare evasion ten fold.

[Stuharris 6360]

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

Route               Current Operator          New Operator               PVR     Vehicles         
60                     Arriva London South      Arriva London South       15         2010 Euro VI diesel double deck (a)
73/N73              Arriva London North       Arriva London North       34          2015 Euro VI New Routemaster
144                   Arriva London North       Arriva London North       16          2011 Euro V diesel double deck
166                   Arriva London South      Arriva London South       tbc         2011 Euro V diesel single deck
293                   Metrobus                      Quality Line                      7          New Euro VI diesel single deck (b)
356                   Stagecoach Selkent        Stagecoach Selkent          7          New Euro VI diesel single deck (c)
404                   Quality Line                    Quality Line                     1           New Euro VI diesel single deck
412                   Arriva London South       Arriva London South        8           2013 Euro V diesel double deck
434                   Metrobus                       Metrobus                         3           2013 Euro V diesel single deck
612                   Arriva London South       Arriva London South        2           2008 Euro IV diesel double deck
626                   Sullivan Buses                Sullivan Buses                 4           2009/10 Euro V diesel double deck
634                   Metroline                        Metroline                         1           2011 Euro V diesel double deck
685                   Arriva London South     Arriva London South       0*          2013 Euro V diesel double deck

* PM only journey using bus from route 412.

(a) These vehicles have been upgraded from Euro V to Euro VI emissions standards.
(b) One vehicle will be double deck – details to be confirmed.
(c) One vehicle is an existing Euro VI diesel built in 2014.

The above contracts will commence on the following dates:

1st September 2018: Routes 60, 73/N73, 166, 293, 412, 434, 612, 626, 634 & 658.
15th September 2018: Route 356.
29th September 2018: Route 404.
13th October 2018: Route 144.

[JoNi]

End of "hold tight please" trial
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.cityam.com/279758/there-economic-lessons-learn-tfls-hated-bus-announcement&ved=0ahUKEwiElsqc7ILZAhVqJsAKHXjhARsQxfQBCB0wAA&usg=AOvVaw3TnSPYnjQfCIdgs2sDt_DE

[Stuharris 6360]

End of "hold tight please" trial
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.cityam.com/279758/there-economic-lessons-learn-tfls-hated-bus-announcement&ved=0ahUKEwiElsqc7ILZAhVqJsAKHXjhARsQxfQBCB0wAA&usg=AOvVaw3TnSPYnjQfCIdgs2sDt_DE

Thank goodness for that, was in London last week and the announcement was serving no purpose at all. Presumably the announcement is directed to visitors more than commuters, however if that is the case, it needs to be in French, German, Japanese etc.

What they need to work on more is Oxford Street, the mayor wants less (NO) buses eventually, however to me the problem is not buses. Those stupid bike things causing havoc, and I rode along Oxford Street on the 10, I counted 7 times when taxis suddenly did a 3 point turn in the middle of the road. If Oxford Street was bus only it would be a lot better than it is at the moment.

[JoNi]

Sadly London North Western Railway have caught the bug with an announcement on how to take pushchairs off trains!

[DJ]

Sadly London North Western Railway have caught the bug with an announcement on how to take pushchairs off trains!

London Midland were the ones to introduce that iirc, I remember hearing it on a 350 on the way back home from Coventry a few months ago.

[JoNi]

Dark times ahead on the buses in London.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-42975661

[markcf83]

Some brief tender news which takes effect in September. Metroline have held onto the 390 and will keep the Borisbuses. Stagecoach London have held the 165,179 and 252 plus they have won the 193 from GoAhead London. New buses are expected for the 165/252. The 390 starts its new contract on September 1st with the rest starting on the 29th of September.

[winston]

Abellio & Metroline's loosing streak continuing:

Notification of Tender Results   

23rd March 2018

LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

Route   Current Operator                      New Operator                            PVR     Vehicles          

12*       London Central                           London Central                           33         2015 Euro VI New Routemaster

79         Metroline                                     London Sovereign                      11         New Euro VI hybrid double deck

223       Metroline West                           London Sovereign                      TBC      New Euro VI diesel single deck

224       Metroline West                           London United                            TBC      New Euro VI diesel single deck

318       Arriva London North                   Arriva London North                     7         2008 Euro IV diesel single deck

403       Arriva London South                   Metrobus                                      7        2011 Euro V diesel double deck

452       Abellio London                            Tower Transit                              21         2011 Euro V diesel double deck

453*     London Central                           London Central                           36         2015 Euro VI New Routemaster

H25      Abellio West London                   Abellio West London                     9         2013 Euro V diesel single deck

S1        Quality Line                                Quality Line                                 11         2014 Euro VI diesel single deck

*24 hour route.

All Euro IV and Euro V vehicles will be upgraded to Euro VI emissions standards.

The above contracts will commence on the following dates:

13th October 2018: Routes 223 & 224.
27th October 2018: Route 403.
3rd November 2018: Route 12.
10th November 2018: Route 318.
17th November 2018: Routes 453 & H25.
24th November 2018: Route 79.
1st December 2018: Routes 452 & S1.

[markcf83]

Welcome gain for Tower with the 452. London Sovereign continue to get new work.

[winston]

Go-Ahead London are taking a BCI tri-axle hybrid decker as a pilot vehicle, spec in conjunction with TFL:
https://cbwmagazine.com/london-to-try-a-tri-axle-decker/

[markcf83]

Tender news announced today is that Metroline regain-once again-the 292 from London Sovereign and will be using Volvos currently on the 105. They,however,have lost the 603 to Sullivans. Also gained,and both from Arriva London,are the 317 & 393. Dates for these changes are 8th December for the 292,12th January for the 603,and March 30th next year for the other two. Also of note is that existing buses are to be used on the 603 when Sullivans take it on.

[Dylanbusboy45]

London Tender announcements today, taken from LOTS website:
LBSL intends to enter into new contracts for the following routes with the operators listed below:

Route   Current Operator                      New Operator                           PVR     Vehicles         
51         Stagecoach Selkent                   Metrobus                                   19         2011 Euro V diesel double deck
61         Stagecoach Selkent                   Stagecoach Selkent                  10         2013 Euro V diesel double deck
207*      Metroline West                           Abellio West London                 28         New & existing double deck (a)
261       Stagecoach Selkent                   Stagecoach Selkent                  13         New & existing double deck (b)
607       Metroline West                           Metroline West                          19         New Euro VI hybrid double deck
R5/10    Stagecoach Selkent                  Metrobus                                    1          Single deck (details TBC)

* Includes night route N207.

(a)16 Euro V diesel built 2012 plus 15 new Euro VI hybrid (TVR 31).
(b) 3 Euro V diesel built 2013 plus 11 new Euro VI hybrid (TVR 14).

All Euro V vehicles will be upgraded to Euro VI emissions standards.

The above contracts will commence on the following dates:
1st December 2018: Routes 61 & 261.
8th December 2018: Routes 51 & R5/R10.
6th April 2019: Routes 207/N207 & 607.