Danger: bendy buses in London cause double the number of injuries to pedestrians than other types of buses, official figures show today

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These buses are an absolute disgrace not only are they used by the great unwashed for free they're potential death traps too as we have seen. They cause terrible congestion on our narrow streets and are very dangerous for other road users ,especially cyclists. Get rid of them and bring back the safer and more fuel efficient Routemaster!

- Miles, Kennington, London

I feel we should stop blaming the buses and take a look at the drivers. I drive London buses myself although not bendy buses. It is very easy to feel king of the road and that everybody else needs to move out of the way. There have been many times when I have been cut up by buses not using indicators and pulling out. I do feel cyclists and young motorbike riders need to understand that they can not always be seen when they come down the near side of the bus. But there is no excuse for overtaking a cyclist then cutting them up by pulling in to a bus stop. We are taught to read the road ahead.
These drivers need to start doing it and not giving good drivers a bad name. There are cameras everywhere and a near side mirror just by the front doors on these buses. Drivers need to use them. There is no excuse. Don't rely on electronic sensors, when you have 2 eyes.

- Dave S, Epsom, UK

There are many different characteristics for articulated buses but one essential point is that (unlike the stretch limousines which seem to escape any campaign on the legality and safety of their operation) these vehicles pass the required tests for swept areas when going round a corner.

They do hug a corner more tightly than a rigid bus and the modern 'pusher' design can force the middle of the bus out, and tuck the back end in closer to the inside kerb. They do thus have some problems using existing streets - watch them trying to get out onto Borough High Street from London Bridge Station, but in some countries 25 metre triple section 200 passenger vehicles operate like trams, on dedicated routes, built to suit them.

Recording and reviewing digital images from the 2 rear-facing cameras on the back section of most of London's Citaro fleet might actually deliver the true facts. This CCTV is not used by the driver when driving although the rear of the bus is not visible in the rear view mirrors on the outside or the inside of a tight turn - creating substantial 'blind spots' and requiring that the bus is driven appropriately to recognise this issue.

I have 'driven' a bendy-bus on a simulator and so have noted some of this detail from my experience, and also talking to those who have driven the old and the new versions.

I think that there is a place for these vehicles as a much cheaper and faster way to deliver the aspired to West and South London tram route.

- Dave Holladay, Glasgow/Guildford

Transport for London should bring back the Route Masters and get rid of these European buses which don't suit our streets.

Apparently black cabs have to be able to turn on a sixpence to deal with our streets but these articulated trucks otherwise know as bendy buses don't have to. Does rigorous scrutiny of policy not apply to TfL?

- Jane, London

As a cyclist and a car driver its obvious bendy buses are too big for the roads in London as are articulated lorries. Simple solution, go back to double deckers.

- Paul Humphreys, Essex

what is it about us English, we love to whinge and complain but never promote ourselves to action...a nation of cry babies is what we are becoming, blaming all our problems on the nearest news article.

- Dave B, United Kingdom

Bus drivers (in particular, bendy bus drivers) seem to feel it completely acceptable to park over a pedestrian crossing once the lights have changed, causing pedestrians to have to walk out in to the road and dodge cars as they can't use the crossing This is highly frustrating and very dangerous!

- Jp, London

The bendy bus issue confuses me. Mr Livingstone banishes articulated trucks from the centre of town because they are too long. Then he axes the Routemaster buses only to replace them with 60m long articulated buses. How does that work?

Bendy buses are just too long to get around London roads. They coninually block junctions, are a danger to cyclists (even the careful ones) and cost we taxpayers hugely because of the fare dodgers.

- Mark, London

I travel on a bendy bus every day. They are not noisy as someone implied. The drivers of them are just as experienced as articulated lorry drivers, and any accidents are normally caused by another vehicle or bicycle trying to squeeze past the pavement side of the bus as it's turning a corner. Are there any cyclists at all in London that actually stop at a red light because I've never seen one? Yet if they were to be involved in an accident they start whinging that it wasn't their fault!

- Sue, Orpington, Kent

In response to Graham's rant above, as a cyclist myself I know just how dangerous these buses are.

I am often overtaken by them just before bus stops, the buses then pull in with no regard for me, or other cyclists, and I have had to slam my brakes on or get up onto the pavement in order to avoid being hit.

Cyclists get in front of the traffic to avoid being hit by buses as the drivers wouldn't see them otherwise and from my own experience have absolutely no respect for cyclists rights on the roads. We are also faster off the lights than the buses so I am unsure in what way we are slowing the service down.

Why should we have to pay for parking when we don't park on the roads?

Furthermore, as part of my journey I cycle along Oxford Street and Theobolds Road, both of which are full of large, deep potholes. If you are stuck behind a bus you can't see them and if you hit one could have a serious accident. Graham might want to think about these points and possibly try cycling through London to experience it for himself!

- Kathy, London

I have had two nasty incidents involving the front doors on bendy buses recently. The first time I had my arm trapped in the front doors. But then when travelling with an elderly friend (she is 84) the driver closed the doors on her, trapping her arm in the door and throwing her into the gutter. I had to scream at him to re-open them and I jumped off and grabbed her. When I complained to Tfl they said that the front doors do not have sensors on them and that customers should not exit through the front doors. DO THE PUBLIC KNOW OF THIS DANGER?

- Sally Milton, London

I'm sick to death of reading drivers blaming cyclists for everything. I have ridden to work for the past 6 years and the four times I have been involved in an accident is due to poor driving standards NOT bad cycling. Sure there are poor cyclists out there but does their poor cycling kill people? I also own a car but choose to use it only at weekends so do see both points of view before we get the usual "you don't pay road tax" debate. Many a time I have had motorbike riders shout at me to get out of the way saying I shouldn't be on the road because I don't pay tax whereas being a car driver also I actually pay more road tax than they do.

Bus and taxi drivers are the worst for causing accidents with bicycles as they seem to think they have a divine right to the bus lane and therefore treat cyclists with utter contempt, both sides should take responsibility for their actions not just blame the other.

- Dominic Mills, London

Bendy buses are such a stupid idea. More buses, not bigger buses, would have been a much better solution - with a more frequent service. I'm no fan of cyclists, but I can see how these buses cause accidents and they DEFINITELY cause congestion because they are so long. Ban the bendy bus. Bring back the routemaster!

- Kirsty, London

In response to Graham Wyborn's comment "Most road users suffer from BTB syndrome - beat the bus. The constant desire to get in front of the bus, very few drivers give way to buses as per the Highway Code!".

If you get stuck behind a bendy bus at traffic lights, you will have to wait for least five traffic light changes until the junction is clear and it can get through.

Some bus drivers need to read the highway code too. Here's some examples of things they do when running too early on their route:

1. When running early, slowing down at green traffic lights in the hope they will turn orange and then red.

2. Stopping on a main road to allow EVERYONE out of a side turning for same reason as above.

3. Blocking box junctions, especially bendy buses.

4. Generallly being impervious to any traffic around them and blocking everything from traffic lights to crossroads.

I'm sure people could add some more!

- Simon, London

All these cyclists complaining want to take a long, hard look at themselves and their own abilities on the road. I regularly drive in town and I've got to say, I've not seen many buses, bendy or otherwise, weaving in and out of traffic like nutters, jumping red lights or mounting pavements so that they don't have to brake.

- Richard,, London

I am a bendy bus driver, I have had a few minor accidents but none of them blame worthy on my driving. All bendy buses have cameras which record the drivers driving, in an accident these are used as evidence. All my "accidents" have been caused by other vehicles and vandals.

I give an open challenge to TFL to view the recorded evidence of how cyclists and pedestrians behave towards our buses. Cyclists are the worst offenders at breaking the traffic regulations! But nothing is done about it, in fact because they know nothing will be done they take more chances and risks, continually abusing the system!

Most road users suffer from BTB syndrome - beat the bus. The constant desire to get in front of the bus, very few drivers give way to buses as per the Highway Code!

Recommendations:-
1. Take cyclists out of bus lanes. They only slow the service down.
2. Remove priority boxes at the front of a queue of traffic at traffic lights. Why should the slowest user on the road have priority?
3. Make cyclists have number plates, so they can be recorded on CCTV and fined!
4. Make cyclists pay something towards the cost of road use and parking!
5. Allow motor bikes to use bus lanes. They do any way!

- Graham Wyborn, London

My car was recently damaged by the back of one of these buses. Despite all this evidence that they are obviously poorly designed will I get my money back? Will I hell.

- David, London

They have these things in Denmark as well, and regularly at one of their turns in Glostrup I have to do an emergency stop, on my bicycle, due to them. The normally very good bus drivers here must have their vision obscured in some way by the design of these buses. I have seen several accidents where the drivers just carried on, and when stopped swear they never saw anything.

- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark

My office overlooks Victoria bus garage and the bendys do a great job of completing the snake of buses right around from the station, down Victoria Street and back on a regular basis, snarling everything up. They are far too long for London streets, and they also have a worrying habit of bursting into flames. As for any loss of revenue if they bring back the Routemaster, all I can say is the 73 bendy is not called the 'Seventy Free' for nothing!

- Paul, London

Never ride on a bendy bus in a tunnel!

- Graham, London

I think these buses are fantastic, if worked on a suitable route. Boarding/alighting is much much quicker than on traditional buses, and journey time is significantly cut. They seem quieter than older double deckers. And in regard to Lynda Lynch's comments, I sympathise about what happened to your mother, however tube drivers are in charge of 26 doors and I am sure there are many more injuries there than on buses. We can't wrap everyone up in cotton wool. I am all for converting more routes into bendy buses. Cyclists have to be aware that they are not invincible and apply common sense around all long vehicles.

- Ian, London

I have cycled in the capital for many years. Bendy buses are the most scary vehicle I have ever come across. They are just so big and so long. It is no surprise they cause more accidents than any other bus.

Interestingly in Bogota, hardly one of the world's safest places, bendy buses are restricted to separate roads away from other road users.

- Richard, London

Maybe the London streets are in many cases too constricted; however, could it also be a matter of driver training? Not only single but even longer double articulated buses have been operating, without similar problems or accidents, here in Geneva for several years (and some of the streets on their routes are similarly constricted.)

- Michael Knight, Geneva, Switzerland

It's not necessarily the buses that are at fault. I saw these in use in Copenhagen over 20 years ago. Comparisions should be drawn with accident levels in other countries. It may well be that the drivers need to have additional training, or it could be, as others have said, that they are unsuitable for London's streets.

- Paul Bradford, Monflanquin, Lot-et-Garonne, France

They are huge monstrosities totally ill-suited to London's narrow, winding roads. Also I suspect the loss of revenue due to open boarding offsets any manpower savings.

- R M, London, UK

They are awful noisy things, I don't believe they have a place on London's roads.

- Teddy, Islington, UK

I am a courier who comes into London on a regular basis. Every time I visit I am appalled at the accidents and near accidents these buses cause. The driver simply cannot see the damage he is causing as the tail wags in his wake.
The amount of congestion they cause is horrific. I and many others are seriously impeded as they manoevre across traffic lanes to make turns at junctions and at the end of bus lanes. Just stand and watch at Piccadilly Circus as they pass onto it. I was in London on Tuesday and was stopped from crossing sets of traffic lights on no less than six occasions by bendy buses obstructing the junction and standing still on clearly marked box junctions.
These buses were not designed for London Streets. At 14 years old in the 1970's I stood in awe of the things navigating around Mochen gladbach and Koln in Germany but this was on wide boulevards with massive four lane junctions, not on roads designed for carriage and horses!

- Chris Saunders, Aldershot, Hants

How can Tfl say "TfL claimed bendies had more accidents because they " encountered more road users" than non-bendy buses." The bendy buses encounter the same amount of road users as normal buses. Tfl should scrap the bendy buses and bring back the good old routemasters with conductors. The amount of revenue they lose on these buses must be enormous, with the conductors they may lose some revenue, but it won't be anywhere as much.

- Jj, London

If a bendy bus carries twice as many people as a standard one and is twice as long as a standard one, one might expect it to have about twice as many accidents as a standard one. Which appears to be roughly what happens. Twice as many standard buses would be just as bad.

- Nigel, London

Bring back the Routemaster! They are safer than the bendy buses, and for the passengers within as they had a conductor to keep order; they are quicker as the driver didn't have to wait for people to pay; and they are more convenient, as you could get on and off as you pleased (at your own peril). Plus they had more seating, take up less road space and were a tourist attraction!

- Anna, London

Honestly, London was not designed for Bendy buses and they should all go.
Have you seen the state of Victoria bus station and it's surrounds? These buses take up far too much room, block the roads and hold people up. It's particularly bad coming into the station when although you are actually on the grounds of the station your bus can't make it to it's stand because of the space the bendy buses are taking up but you can't get off so miss your train.

LT insistence on these buses in nonsensical - no doubt they will say it is because it is easier for disabled people to board the bus - but what % of people does this apply to compared to the total number of passengers ? And how many really and honestly found the old buses difficult to use ?

- Chris, Beckenham, England

The standard of bus driving in London continues to deteriorate rapidly. Many bus drivers seem to be oblivious to the fact that they are responsible for the comfort and well-being of their passengers as they consistently accelerate hard, swerve hard, and brake hard.

Also, how many Standard readers have tried to cross at a pedestrian crossing with the "green man" showing, only to to find a bendy bus blocking their safe passage as it straddles the crossing (and beyond)!

- Steve R, London, UK

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