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Brilliant! Contrary to trams or tram-trains,bendy buses are part of the problem - not part of the solution to get less cars on the streets and more people in public transport. Especially poorly-designed Mercedes Citaros built with low quality material and gear boxes.
I live in Lisbon, where all buses are high-capacity single deckers and bendy buses (and mostly MAN and Mercedes, to add insult to injury). You don't know how lucky you are to have such superb double deckers - battered as they may be at times. At least you can sit down and enjoy the view or read a book or the paper.

- José Godinho, Lisbon, Portugal, 18/11/2009 15:48
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These buses are best suited to airport work,they are not really well suited to the tight streets of London.
Who ever came up with using them in London should be shot!!

- Mark Marten, Reading,Berkshire, 11/06/2009 21:55
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I am a regular user of all busses in london and i hate double decker busses as they are so over crowded, i hate the small single busses as they are also over crowded. If TFL had any sense theyd put more bendy-busses in place to stop with congestion on busses and so that people could acctully get a seat for once.

Most people that moan about people not paying are people with high jobs who can afford it and people who DONT EVEN LIVE IN LONDON. THIS IS OUR CITY AND THATS THE WAY IT WORKS - DONT LIKE IT LEAVE AS MOST OF US DONT LIKE YOU HERE ANYWAY.

REAL PEOPLE IN LONDON STUGGLE TO PAY FOR MOST THINGS AND I HARDLY THINK THAT SOME ONE "BUMPING!" THE BUS A COUPLE OF STOPS HARDLY MATTERS!

MAYBE BORIS AND THIS COUNTRY NEEDS TO SPEND MORE TIME WORRYING ABOUT THE CRIME ON OUR STREETS, CHILDREN KILLING EACHOTHER, MAYBE THEY SHOULD SPEND MORE TIME ON TRYING TO GIVE PEOPLE IN LONDON WHO LIVE IN THE POORER AREAS BETTER CONDITIONS TO LIVE IN --> NOT WORRYING ABOUT WEATHER SOME ONE HAS PAID BUS FAIR.

ITS PATHETIC!!!!

AND IF THEY REALLY WANTED TO CUT DOWN ON PEOPLE NOT PAYING FOR THE BUS, IM PREETY SURE THAY COULD STICK INSPECTORS ON EACH BENDY ROUTE, JUST AS THEY DID IN THE OLD DAYS WITH THE ROUTEMASTERS.

I SEE ROUTEMASTERS RUNNING IN MAYFAIR AREAS, THEYRE NOT NEEDED. THEY ALL HAVE INSPECTORS, EACH OF THOSE INSPECTORS COULD GO TO A BEDNY-BUS.

PEOPLE JUST NEED TO FIX UP.

- David, North London, 23/05/2009 22:19
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I have disliked bendy buses ever since they were introduced. And, as a regular user of the 149 route, I can't wait for a better form of transport than has become known as the 'free' bus in my area.

They are always overcrowded, even at off-peak times, and are poorly designed as once you have been crammed into the middle bendy section you are trapped. I frequently avoid bendy buses during my commute, even if it means adding 15 minutes to my journey.

- Sasha, London (Hackney), 15/11/2008 16:53
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Replacing the buses with double-deckers and single-deck buses... mean that he need to sefe some money, since he cut off the venezuelan subsidiary on petro from Hogo Chaves (venezuelan president).

Hernan Perez

- Hernan Perez, Margarita Island - Venezuela, 14/11/2008 12:45
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TO Reg - London

I'm not a bus driver. As an infrequent car driver I don't like bendies. But as a passennger (436, 38) they are far superior - esp if you are travelling with someone who is elderly.

May surprise you to know that I cycled for many years until an accident. Once I was OK a few yrs later wanted to start again. Will not because the post 7/7 cyclists are a different breed - arrogant, reckless but most importantly completely lack any road sense.

That poor chap killed on his bike a few months ago by HGV - the driver stood no chance as the cyclist was jumping on and off the pavement at speed and on the inside of the lorry.

I cannot walk my elderly mum on the embankment anymore cos these nutters come up at speed behind you and scare the living daylights out of us.

Recently at Vicotria street with mum we had almost crossed road when lights changed a cyclist shouted/swore at us to get a move on. Luckily for me I got mum to bench, the cyclist got stopped in traffic few yards up. Ran up to him and stood in front of bike to stop him moving gave him a good shouting (cheers from cab drivers). So much so that he was almost in tears - that macho idiot wont be doing that in a hurry anymore.

Cycling on the pavements isn't so bad if the cyclist does it slowly and covers their brakes to give priority to pedestrians. However these cyclists are a rare breed NOW.

- Terry, London, wandsworth, 03/10/2008 15:01
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Yeah, they'll actually have to pay!

- Thalia, London UK, 03/10/2008 00:01
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Does Boris believe he can scrap bendy buses before 2050?

- David Fielding, London, 01/10/2008 01:31
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I'm confused by cyclists' love of bendy buses. Did they get mown down by double deckers on a regular basis over the last 100 years?

David E1

- David Fielding, London, 01/10/2008 01:11
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Rod says he sees 38 buses arriving at Victoria 1/4 full, that's simply because the busiest part of that route is between Islington and around the West End. At busy times, including rush hour and late in the evening when people are travelling home from the pub, the old, wheezing Routemaster was useless and outdated. Central London bus stops over flowed with passengers waiting to get on, however frequently it would simply sail past completely full. Most times I had to wait while 3 or 4 completely packed 38 Routemasters went by before being able to get on. The bendy was a revelation and has vastly improved that service.

- Bus Rider, London, 30/09/2008 23:28
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I see the 38 every night in Piccadilly going to Victoria they arrive every 2 mins and not even 1/4 full - so whats the point of that route having a large bus??

As for cyclists (and I am one myself) you need to avoid everything in london - buses, black cabs, people - you name it they just don't see you! BTW Nigel - Racing requires more than one person, think you will find that you are just not use to seeing something in London moving quicker than walking pace!

- Rod, London SW, 30/09/2008 13:58
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I've cycled in London for years including on many routes shared by bendies. I've never had a problem with a bendy, they're pretty much always carefully driven, and like all heavy vehicles, including other buses, you try and stay away from them when you can.

What's more, with the debendification of routes it's highly likely Boris is going to have to have more buses to maintain the route capacity, which in my view is worse, one bendy driven by a careful driver is better than two double deckers, or three or four single deckers that would be required to replace it.

Boris has got to change his mind on this, bendies are the right answer for certain routes in London (i.e. the high volumne ones they're already on), and he'd be mad to take them away.

- Dave, London, 28/09/2008 11:00
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Could it be time for cyclists to take a little reponsibility? Perhaps some are injured / get involved in accidents because they ride like maniacs and don't obey any of the rules of the road? Almost every night I see adults cycling the wrong way around Russel Square in the dark with no lights, if a motorist hits them it will, for the cyclist, all be the motorist's fault. They also threaten the safety of others, especially pedestrians. I am fed up with aggressive cyclists with no lights racing through red lights when I am trying to cross the road. Of course, kids see adults doing things like this and think it's ok for them do it too, could Boris do something about this?

- Nigel, London WC1, 24/09/2008 15:06
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Terry, a bus driver from Wandsworth, says below that if bendy buses injure or kill cyclists that makes them a good thing. This betrays the fact that Terry - like many goods vehicles drivers, deliberately drives in such a way as to cause cyclists harm in the job he does.

More work needs to be done on recognising that many "careless driving" offences are in fact deliberate injuries by drivers to cyclists. Terry is no better than a knife-wielding fiend, and probably far more dangerous to society overall. I don't wish debilitating injury on YOU, Terry, however I do hope you lose your licence to wreak havoc on the roads soon.

On bendys themselves - they more predictably on the roads and don't tend to make the sudden movements combined with poor visibility which make goods vehicles such killers.

- Reg, London, 24/09/2008 11:23
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The idea that everyone who voted for Johnson agreed with his proposal to scrap bendy buses is absurd. People vote for the lesser of two evils and hardly anyone supports every proposal on their favoured candidate's ticket. Like many people who voted for Johnson I am very much in favour of "bendy" buses but my opposition to Livingston's obsession with high buildings carried more weight when I marked my ballot paper.

- John, London UK, 24/09/2008 11:13
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Please dont take away our free bus service and replace it with one we might actually have to pay to use!!!

- Matthew, Grays, UK, 23/09/2008 17:30
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Double decker buses have most of their seats upstairs where they are innaccessible to the infirm, people with babies or heavy shopping. They have extremely cramped standing room downstairs. They take much longer to load and unload. The upstairs, out of direct sight of the driver, is conducive to anti-social behaviour and therefore a no go area for many people late in the evening. Negotiating the stairs, when the bus is lurching and swaying, would never be allowed in the work place on health and safety grounds. They are loved by tourists, jingoists, the nostalgic, children of all ages and preferred by car drivers who resent any one else using road space. They have no place in an eficient convenient modern metropolitan transport system which is why they are hardly ever now encountered outside the UK and Ireland.

- Jake, London UK, 23/09/2008 15:31
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How can they say scrapping bendies will bring misery to riders? The worst rides of my life began when they were introduced. I'm terrified to get on them.

- R M, London, UK, 23/09/2008 15:28
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Get rid of them as no one pays on the 207, thus we are all funding other peoples travelling. More control is required and English speaking driver would also help, that's if we can get the drivers off their mobile phones.

- John Smith, London, 23/09/2008 14:58
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"A spokesperson for the Mayor said: "The Mayor was elected on a platform of ridding the Capital of the bendy bus". The Mayor also made a campaign promise to not allow City Airport to expand, but then last week changed his mind. So, campaign promises are really not worth the paper they're written on, but we all knew that anyway. Ok, so bendy buses let people get on and off them quicker - but Boris is letting School Kids design the new Routemasters! So that'll mean people on the top deck will disembark via either a waterslide or a firemans pole! That'll be much quicker and more exciting!

- Stephen, Lewisham, 23/09/2008 14:45
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Don't be fooled Fw - he's not going to replace the bendies with beautiful Routemasters, just bog standard single or double deckers.

- Madge, London, 23/09/2008 14:21
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As our car was hit by a bendy 38 bus when I was 7.5 months pregant, I say 'Good riddance'

- Smb, London, UK, 23/09/2008 12:50
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'nobody likes these buses'

apart from the passengers, do you mean? I experienced years of old double deckers whisking past my stop because they were full. Now I have a comfortable bus that's easy to ride on and that arrives regularly. People who have oyster cards (i.e. most of us who commute) do not swipe. This doens't make us 'non payers'. It does make it faster to get on and off.

Do we want a mayor who is more concerned about following through a grudge against his predecessor than serving the actual wants and needs of Londoners? Why not survey actual users of the bendy buses? Although he can't do that, because the results would mean he would have to u-turn.

- Susan, london, uk, 23/09/2008 10:37
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Hooray - long live the routemaster!

If all the politically correct boffins have their way then London will become bland, bland, bland.

What's next for these PCB's then? Removing red telephone boxes because they discriminate against the colour-blind?

Shambolic Boris is clearly showing himself to be the seeing-eye dog of those blinded by pernickety political correctness

- Fw, London, 23/09/2008 09:54
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I have to say that I have always thought the bendies were a good thing. The down side is that they block roads and are not particularly manoeverable but they can certainly pack 'em in.

I remember when the 38 bus was a Routemaster, it was a complete nightmare. At busy times you would have to wait while about 3 or 4 went by before you could use your elbows to shove your way on. Their capacity was very limited. Bendies with 3 doorways are so easy to get on and off and on routes like the 38 on which most people are hopping on and off over very short distances, it's perfect.

The Routemaster was an icon, but it has had its day. London needs efficient transport not a museum on wheels.

- Mcw, London, 23/09/2008 09:42
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The 521 and 507 are perfect bendy routes. Borris is a muppet.

And if ANYONE thinks that bendys aren't suitable for "narrow streets with tight corners" go to Switzerland. Seriously. Because in Switzerland you'll find plenty of bendy buses coping with far tighter corners in far smaller cities without a single problem.

But then in Switzerland everyone (including cyclists) obeys the traffic rules which probably helps.

Still when the anti-bendy lobby have their way (and I have no doubt this minority will have their way) and the 507 and 521 become hell on earth again, we can all rest assured that we're free off this terrible scourge on our city.

- Andrew, London, 23/09/2008 09:24
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...and this intention is different to his declared intentions during the election? In what way? The supporters of the bendy-bus didn't go away in the mean time either. So what has changed to make is a 'big story'? Its just more of the same.

- Rogan, DFW TX, 23/09/2008 08:24
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>Whether or not the proposals are a bad deal for passengers is not the point.

Whatever their problems, bendy buses are faster, easier to access, and better for passengers. They get 120 people (including parents with prams, people in wheelchairs and the elderly) from A to B. A bicycle carries one person. Good cyclists learn to negotiate bendy buses: bad cyclists don't.

- Sarah, London, 23/09/2008 06:52
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People in East London were amazed when their 38 Routemaster was replaced by a Bendybus: they have real advantages to offer on straight routes (eg the proposed tram route from Ealing: spare us from trams!), but are real handicaps elsewhere when they have to do sharp turns, especially rightwards across the traffic. I've seen busy junctions blocked for two or three light phases by buses that cannot complete their turn. Now that two bendies use Essex Road Islington I always use the A1 on Upper St instead to avoid them, which can't be a good thing.

- Mdj, Leyton, e10 london, 22/09/2008 21:28
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Routes 507 and 521 are all that remains of the Red Arrow network and were previously operated with small single deckers which were unable to cope with the thousands of commuters arriving at the mainline stations hence the introduction of Artic-Buses.

The fact is the spokesman for the mayor demonstrates that no thought has been given to this subject on the basis that buses are designed to move people and therefore its a case of "Horses for Courses" and artics are the best single deck buses to cope with the number of passengers who use the 507 and 521.

In fact, it would make more sense to replace route 507 with an extension of double-deck route 76 via the 507 to Victoria instead. But this requires thought something that BOJO and his team plainly have'nt given to this subject.

The fact is only bendy routes 38,507 and 513 come up for re-newal in this mayoral term and as boris's new routemaster is nowhere to be seen it would make sense to re-issue these tenders using the same buses at no cost to bus users or taxpayers.

The decision by Boris Johnson to oppose the tram schemes (west London and now Cross River) clearly shows that he has no idea of how big London is and the hugh numbers that have to be transported each day. He should get on his bike and just watch how artic buses swallow up the commuters.

I look forward to the day gridlock re-appears hopefully before the general election as Boris is the best bet that Gordon Brown has of winning the next election!!

- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex, 22/09/2008 21:06
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"Bj" has scored a spectacular 3 out of 3 - 3 factually incorrect statements, that is. Perhaps Bj could go to Waterloo once the bendies are gone and tell the hundreds of commuters who currently stand in 3 orderly queues for the 521 and are swallowed up every few minutes by them why waiting longer and not getting on the first or even second bus is somehow an improvement.

Perhaps it's asking too much for our woefully inadequate Mayor to make a reasoned decision based on fact and expert advice when it comes to it rather take the knee-jerk short-term approach in order to garner favour with his mates.

- Don, London, 22/09/2008 19:19
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Of course, I am sure all Londoners are aware that if you have a Travelcard, you don't have to swipe it in and out on a bendy. Most londoners will have a travelcard so they're not 'fare dodgers', they're just people with Travelcards.

These routes are popular with people commuting in from the South, Boris key demographic, so I'd be very surprised if these bendy's were removed. They're a marvelous bus.

- K Williams, London, 22/09/2008 18:14
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Get Rid of them, they are a fare dodgers paradise as well as being far too big for our roads.

- Vince London, West London, 22/09/2008 18:06
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For those with mobility probems and those with small children these are far better vehicles than the old Routemaster. You may remember your father's MkIII Cortina fondly but it does not make it a better car than a Mondeo! The main problem with bendy buses, to me, seems that thay are sometimes used on inappropriate routes. The issue with cyclists is a non-issue. Long vehicles, like HGVs or bendy buses, need to be treated with respect. This means you do not ride in their blind spots (if you cannot see their mirrors they cannot see you) or overtake on the inside when they are turning left (patience is a virtue here and using the pavement is not an option).

- Michael, London, 22/09/2008 16:43
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Oh dear, more emissions. I think not. Just think of the emissions caused by the fire and destruction of half a dozen bendy buses,and the pollution caused by the manufacture of their replacements. It is said that pollution caused by the making of a new car will never be made up by lesser emissions over the old car it replaces. The energy required to make one video tape is equivalent to that used by an Indian villager in one week. These bendy buses are a blight on the inner city and a farce.

- Jack Thompson, London England, 22/09/2008 16:39
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getting rid of bendy buses the onley misery it will cause is the people who do not pay liz

- Liz, forest gate, 22/09/2008 16:34
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Was a critic of these buses - as a driver. Having used them as a passenger they are much safer, and more comfortable than the buses they replaced.

- Bj, London
"1. Bendy buses cause traffic congestion, Cyclists are more likely to get injured by a bendy bus."

Cyclists cause more congestion by being slow and stopping traffic flowing freely an increasing number are taking up the space from the kerb of a car. Motocycles on the other hand are good for traffic flow.

If these buses do injure cyclists and keep them off the roads then its another positive in their favour.

- Terry, london, wansworth, 22/09/2008 16:17
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Sarah, I think AM Shawcross probably does travel on the routes quite often, as her comments make a lot of sense.

Bendies have people entering and leaving by three doors, instead of people entering by one door and leaving by another on standard double-decker buses. This means that people get on and off the vehicles quicker, making journeys faster.

Replacing there bendies with conventional buses will make the buses spend longer at each stop, making journeys slower. This will discourage people from using the bus, pushing them onto the already congested tube network. If buses spend longer at bus stops, it will also mean that they will block the roads for longer at each stop, exacerbating congetsion for oher vehicles.

Bendies on route 521 cannot be replaced by double deckers because the route goes through a tunnel; TfL are therefore proposing to replace it with a single-decker bus. The 521 currently has buses every 3 minutes during the morning peak - replacing these with single deckers will require a bus every 90 seconds - this will be pretty unfeasible, and lead to inevitable congestion.

Boris was elected on a "Value for Money" platform - personally I don't consider replacing perfectly good vehicles with new ones to be value for money, nor do I consider having to employ double the number of drivers (by virtue of smaller vehicles being used) to be good value for money either, especially when the service that I will receive as a passenger will deteriorate as a result.

- Mark Lee, Vauxhall, 22/09/2008 16:12
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Please don't take the 38 bendy bus away. So long as the drivers are properly trained about cyclists, etc they do not cause any problems on the route and the journey time has reduced significantly since they came into operation. With this change the company won't have enought drivers to make up the extra number of double deckers needed to cover the passenger usage.

- Andy, London, 22/09/2008 15:45
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Good riddance to bad rubbish! These ridiculous buses should never have been brought into service - totally wrong for London's street, cause traffic delays at every corner and are a menace to all other road users.

- John, London, 22/09/2008 15:26
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In my view bendy buses are unsuited to transport in London. As we all know, buses arrive in threes and these do exactly the same....they take up one hell of a lot of space and cause traffic snarl ups all the time. I find them unpleasant to ride on and dangerous to pedestrians (on the paveement) and cyclists on the road. For most of the day they're mostly empty. Shawcross's objections sound exactly like talk from her backside. BS.

- Nora, London, 22/09/2008 14:55
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Bendy buses are anti-social behaviour clubs on wheels. I have witnessed fights, racial exchanges, alcohol-fuelled skirmishes, people using the bus to transport everything from lawn mowers to workbenches, all without the drivers knowledge. And it is the drivers of these vehicles I have a certain sympathy with. Hardly anyone pays their fare (the Route 25 is known in Newham and Tower Hamlets as the free bus route to the City & West End). In addition, the drivers rarely go beyond 15mph, making a journey from Manor Park Broadway to Stratford Broadway anywhere between 20 - 25 minutes as some even hang back to allow the lights to go to red. I have brough this to TfL's notice many times, yet nothing has changed, and nothing will until these terrible excuses for passenger transport are taken off completely. In fact, all TfL have to do is invent a 'serious mechanical fault', and they have a reason for taking them off the road today, and replacing them with REAL buses. Inconvenient for some, but a blessed relief for the majority. Personally, I avoid using the 25 route, preferring to wait 10 minutes or so for the 86, which is far more civilised. Factor in the congestion, accidents to cyclists and many near-misses, and anyone with a modicum of common sense will realise that these vehicles are totally unsuitable for passenger travel. It begs the question, justs how many more accidents have to happen? How many more have to spontaneously burst into flames? Before TfL take note?

- Joannie, London, England, 22/09/2008 14:44
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These buses are great for getting buggies on and off an loads of space.It will be ridiclous to replace these with single decker buses!!

- Vicki, london, 22/09/2008 14:39
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1. Bendy buses cause traffic congestion
2. Most passengers do not pay to travel
3. Cyclists are more likely to get injured by a bendy bus.

Well two out of three should be enough.

- Bj, London, 22/09/2008 14:02
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Whether or not the proposals are a bad deal for passengers is not the point. They are a bad deal for all other road users, especially those like cyclists and motorbike riders who are at risk, and are utterly inappropriate for a city like London. As the spokesman says, Boris was elected on a platform of removing them and he is simply obliged to carry through that policy.

- Petere, London, UK, 22/09/2008 13:49
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'Nobody like the buses'


so you have obviously done an extensive survey of everyone who uses buses in London Adam? well you missed me out - i love these buses. They are fast and quite comfy and not held up by people paying fares etc. And now TFL are cracking down on the dodgers more, its working well. Boris is just being (as per usual) - these buses hold twice as many as a double decker bus. He is only thinking of scrapping them because his predecessor introduced them.

- Kh, London UK, 22/09/2008 13:09
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the only ones going to mourn these useless things are all the fare dodgers who ride it free of charge.

- Squiz, Islington, 22/09/2008 13:05
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In my honest opinion, the Citaro 'bendy buses' are perfect for the Red Arrow 507 and 521 routes as they have the ability of moving large volumes of passengers quickly and easily.

The 38 on the other had is another matter. If you look at the route it takes from Hackeny to Victoria, it is almost perfect for Routemaster or Double deck operation, the 'bendys' are not suited to routes with tight corners and narrow gaps.

Let's also hope that the Route 73 will be included in a consultation because this route just keeps getting worse.

- Les Savine, Enfield, Middlesex, 22/09/2008 12:22
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Two double deckers and a bendy roll up along Grosvenor Place. Most commuters are heading for Marble Arch or Oxford Street. Nearly everyone heads for the Bendy Bus, including myself. Why? Easier to get on! Easier to get off! Great space for prams with less chance of them blocking the doorways. You don't almost break your neck flying downstairs as the bus suddenly breaks. And let's face it - not many people WANT to head for the upper deck full of chavs, yobs and pondlife with iPods blaring and insults flying. Yes, Bendy's take up more road space - it's motorists who whinge about that though. Commuters vote with their feet - I'll get on a bendy any day rather then brave an Upper Deck or cram in on a Lower Deck with everyone else who doesn't want to head upstairs.

- David, N10, 22/09/2008 12:09
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Perhaps Ms. Shawcross would let us know how often she travels on a bendy bus on the routes in question?

- Sarahn., London, UK, 22/09/2008 11:39
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We all love the old AEC Routemaster, but for goodness sake Boris, we are in the 21st Century now, and to re introduce an open platform bus, in todays world of sueing for any sign of negligence seems barmy. The Routemaster was specifically design for london, and in the 70's it was proved that buses design for elsewhere did not work in London. But today, when vehicle reliability is acceptable, and the price of buses is kept lower by mass production techniques, how stupid is it to design a bus suitable for only one city in the world, and therefore have high design costs resulting in a bus that will cost in the region of £350,000 each. Boris you have lost the plot

- Routemaster, London, England, 22/09/2008 11:26
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Nobody like the buses

- Adam, Vauxhall, 22/09/2008 10:50
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Cripes Boris, yet another key plank of policy falling at the first hurdle...

- Steve, London, 22/09/2008 10:49
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