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Johnson wants express buses to rival rail in south London
Ross Lydall, City Hall Editor25.02.08
Plans for express buses to link suburban town centres have been unveiled by Boris Johnson.
The Tory candidate for Mayor wants to establish a "London Orb" - a network of direct services as an alternative to rail travel.
He said that at present a passenger wanting to get to Richmond has to travel first into Waterloo East by train, then walk to Waterloo and catch another train out to Richmond.
If elected in May, he would instigate a trial of express buses - with only two or three stops per journey at key locations or transport interchanges. Fares would be held at the current 90p Oyster fare or £2 cash.
He said this would be particularly beneficial across south and south-east London that has no Tube connections and where passengers have to rely on overground trains. Mr Johnson was braving a rush-hour train this morning from Crayford, in Bexley, to Charing Cross to demonstrate the "grim experience" faced by many commuters.
He said: "It is no secret that south London suffers from unacceptable levels of overcrowding. The current Mayor has said it is inadequate.
"Faced with rising fares and no chance of a seat, London's commuters get a raw deal. No wonder we are not persuaded to get out of our cars - there simply isn't a better alternative."
By comparison, Ken Livingstone has used the 2012 Olympics to secure the long-delayed £1billion extension of the East London Tube line, which he hopes eventually to turn into an "outer Circle line".
Mr Livingstone called Mr Johnson's proposal a stunt. A spokesman for the Mayor's campaign said: "Boris Johnson can't even remember the last time he used a bus. Over the last eight years Mr Livingstone has pushed through the biggest expansion of bus services since the Second World War with the Tories opposing the budget to deliver this every year." Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate Brian Paddick has promised to use revenues from a £10 congestion charge - that he would levy on all non-Londoners entering the capital - to fund more frequent suburban train services.
Reader views (10)
It seems Ken has said either "Stunt or Gimmick " to everyone of Boris's policy's. At least Boris and his team are suggesting ideas that affect real Londoners. People that work, have family's and that actually live in London. Can Ken please suggest something useful for a change or just change tact on the Stunt or Gimmick response. God I'm so fed up with Ken - are people still blinkered to him, or am I in the minority?
- Mark Coster, Barnet
""Boris Johnson can't even remember the last time he used a bus"
No? Might be because he cycles everywhere (unless his bike gets nicked for the lack of somewhere secure to lock it).
- M. Burbidge, London
Could it be possible that Paul from Sidcup is part of the Ken Livingston team? Last week I got a newspaper through my letter box called something like The Londoner. The headlines were that that crime had fallen dramatically and on further inspection every page announced some other piece of amazing news for Londoners. Is it possible that this propaganda rag is being sent out by Ken at our expense?
- Charlie, London
What's the point of express buses when the average speed of London`s traffic is a mere 9MPH ? A dead-loss idea. Forget it Boris.
- Stuart, London, UK
Good idea. We cannot continue along the useless Red Ken lines of tax-the-London-working-class-and-give-all-the-rest-and-the-other-social-cases-free-tickets. We need new and cheap and ready solutions like what Boris is coming up with!
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
For a start - make overground trains accept oyster cards!
- Henry, London, UK
This seems like an excellent idea. Yes, it's probably not the long-term solution but it's ready to go and I am convinced many more people would benefit from it than not. What I find continuously disappointing is that instead of saying "Hey, that's a good idea, let's take a closer look and see if it really could work", Ken's gang and his supporters can only offer churlish ripostes which serve nobody's interests but their own. How typical of Ken's regime that their response to this proposal should be so childish and pointless. I'm sick of Ken and his supporters regarding Londoners as playthings; here not to be served but instead to serve their own egos.
- St, London
I don't what transport Paul from Sidcup uses in North London but I can assure him that the Tube map proves that area is MUCH more interconnected than South London! This express plan from Boris looks very interesting, not least because it is EXPRESS, i.e. not an "endless start and stop 2 hour journey".
This is the sort of innovative thinking Londoners hope for from new blood in City Hall, not the tired old nostrums of Livingstone's buddies. The present incumbent told us he'd only serve 2 terms - I do wish he were a man of his word.
- George, Wandsworth, London
Can't any of our media-obsessed candidates come up with any practical and cost-effective policies? This is more macho media fluff as each candidate tries to outboast and out-spend each other.
Can't one of them have the guts to cut down on waste, can the endless TFL advertising and buy a load of new tube carriages and train carriages?
- Marc, Hammersmith
Such a pointless, naive solution only serves to highlight why London cannot have Johnson as it's Mayor. South London has a maze of the most congested urban roads in Europe (e.g. South Circular). To suggest that express buses could use these roads to 'rival' rail is folly. Firstly the express buses would not be 'express' in that they would suffer the same chronic traffic that existing buses and cars suffer (a Crayford to Richmond car journey can take up to 2 hours as opposed to 70-80 mins by rail). Secondly the express buses would only make the said congestion and pollution worse. People can bear a 30 minute peak London bus journey, but not the endless start & stop of a 2 hour journey. To suggest this problem is limited to South London is wrong too, orbital journeys are just as important in North London and they have no tube equivalent (have a look at the tube map Boris!). The best cost-effective answer has to be to increase the capacity of the existing rail and tube networks. This can most sensibly be done by lengthening commuter trains (like those that serve Crayford to 12 coaches) to provide up to 50% more seats, plus investing in grade separated junctions & better signalling to increase the number of trains that can be run. Indeed if Boris had any knowledge of London's transport he would help South East London by pushing for the re-instatement of the Crossrail line from Abbey Wood to Ebbsfleet International to relieve the overcrowding !
- Paul, Sidcup, London
