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Borrowed time: the Mayor plans on phasing out bendy buses

Boris: Bendy buses are on borrowed time

Katharine Barney, City Hall Reporter
28.07.09

When the last number 507 of the day slips into the forecourt of Waterloo Station at 32 minutes past midnight, it will mark the beginning of the end of the bendy bus.

Route 507 will become the first bendy bus route to return to normal operation as the 18-metre vehicles are phased out by 2011.

When their Routemaster predecessors were withdrawn route by route, hundreds of bus enthusiasts turned out to witness their demise. But transport officials doubt there will be similar scenes greeting the last bendy. "We're not expecting anyone," one said.

Tomorrow the nine buses on the route between Victoria and Waterloo will travel up the M1 to an airfield in Leicestershire where they will be readied for sale.

It leaves 387 bendies on the streets. By the end of the year the 521 route from Waterloo to London Bridge and the 38 from Clapton Pond to Victoria will also be bendy-free and the remaining nine - numbers 12, 18, 25, 29, 73, 149, 207, 436 and 453 - will have the buses removed by the end of 2011.

Mayor Boris Johnson said: "These writhing whales of the road have swung their hefty rear ends round our corners for the final time. Pedestrians that leapt, cyclists that skidded and drivers that dodged from the path of the 507 will breathe easier this weekend.

"Bendy buses on other routes are on borrowed time."

The 507 route will have 15 12-metre single-deckers that hold up to 96 people. On weekdays the frequency will be increased from every five minutes to every three to four minutes at peak times.

The new-generation Routemaster Mr Johnson pledged in his election campaign will go on trial by the end of 2011 but the new model is not expected to run on all the bendy bus routes. Bendies were introduced by Ken Livingstone in 2001 and touted as an answer to congestion.

In 2005 they were temporarily taken out of service when three caught fire. Their opponents say they are more dangerous to pedestrians and cyclists than normal buses.

Critics said the removal of the bendy was a waste of money that will create more pollution because of an increased number of buses. Sharon Grant, chairwoman of London TravelWatch, said: "We have yet to hear a credible reason for scrapping bendy buses.

"We do not believe it represents value for money for London's travelling public, especially at a time when Transport for London is short of funds."

Val Shawcross, a Labour London Assembly member and the deputy transport committee chairwoman, said: "Londoners who - unlike Boris - get the bus every day face longer journeys, longer waiting times and more over-crowding, not to mention more pollution."

Reader views (38)

 Add your view

I can find a very good job for them and would very much like to buy then yes all of them.

- Boggy, woking

Sharon Grant, chairwoman of London TravelWatch, said: "We have yet to hear a credible reason for scrapping bendy buses.

"We do not believe it represents value for money for London's travelling public"

Okay, Firt Reason: Sharon, I bet you don't cycle to work or cycle at all. How many cyclists are killed by these buses. They leave no space for cycles to get by. If you do manage to squeeze passed them whey they're stationary, you don't know if the driver has seen you before you run the gauntlet of getting pasted such a long vehicle. It really is nerve-racking for a cyclist. Second reason: how can such long buses reduce conjestion on the roads? I live between Upper Street and Essex Rd in Islington, the amount of conjestion I've seen since their introduction completely cloggs up the Angel (islington). Finally, I have on many occasions, whilst being on a 38 or 73 bus witnessed people who don't swip their oyster cards. Granted some may have travel cards, but all; hardly.
Sharon, is this sufficient reason to get rid of them? Put that in your pipe and smoke it!!!

- Dominique Marion, london

And now route 521 passengers have gone back to cattle truck standee buses similar to those that failed to cope with the passenger demand before artcs were introduced.

I noticed the notice on the TFL website still quotes 2011 as the end of artic buses even though Boris has already conceeded that is wrong. Goes to show how incompetent Boris advisors are at running anything.

Another point is 3 million pounds is already being wasted on 3 routes so how many millions will complete withdrawel cost?

- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex

Bring back the bendies immediately - and convert more routes! Hopefully when Boris gets voted out in 2012 this will happen.

- Steve, London, UK

Get those trams back! They would make London a quiter and more attractive place. However, bendy buses work well in Italian cities, why not in London?

- Mark, Venice, Italy

Ban all buses not just bendy ones in London. They hold up traffic, cost us all fortunes and are used only by the lazy and unemployed.

- Nick, London

I will miss the bendy 507. It was comfy, efficient and fast. I always took it in preference to the 211 double decker that also runs from Victoria to Waterloo.I can see the objection to bendy buses on narrow difficult roads but the route between Waterloo and Victoria was ideal for a bendy bus. What a waste of money to scrap a whole feet of buses that were perfectly efficient.

- Pam, Richmond

I can recall travelling on the route 18 from Euston Station to Harlesden. By the time we reached Edgware road the bendy-bus was passing stops , with over 150 people on board! Has Boris really thought about what to replace the bendy-bus with! I doubt if he regularly travels on one. It would appear that he let his dislike for the bus affect his rationale. If anything, buses need the conductor broughtt back to check fares

- Roy,, Acton, London, UK

Re the 'bendy buses are so good for wheelchairs' argument. In all the years they've been around, I've only seen 1 wheelchair-user using a bendy bus. The designated wheelchair space is usually full of buggies (has anyone ever told these women that pushchairs are meant to fold down?) or otherwise crowded with non-wheelchair users (many of whom one suspects haven't paid to be there). Also wheelchairs can only get on if the door is correctly placed at the kerb: for many reasons--insufficient room due to another bus already at the stop, car blocking bus stop, driver can't be bothered to pull in properly--this doesn't happen. If the ramp/low floor is 6' into the road off a high kerb, it might as well be a flight of stairs.

- Liz, London, UK

I don't understand everyone moaning about three million pounds being wasted. If the previous mayor hadn't brought these awful buses into service Boris would not have to be getting rid of them at further cost now.Yes they are comfy, yes they are cooler but anyone who has watched these things flounder at Margaret st/Regent St or on Harrow Road at various points cannot seriously think this is a bad idea. Besides, the new double deckers are a vast improvement. Now if we could change the people who use the buses for a more improved less exasperating version we'd really be getting somewhere.

- Matt, Perivale

Ethan - Tell me Melvyn does your extensive knowledge of London bus routes stem from their running in Canvey Island (cos I haven't seen any)? or are you a bus spotter in your spare time?

My extensive knowledge comes from having been born in London in 1952 (just after the last trams left!) and when Trolley-buses were the main means of transport in North London. I only moved to Canvey a few years ago so have half a centurys experience of London Transport.

The fact is Most Artic buses are used on routes decended from Londons once extensive tram network and for which double deck buses simply could no longer cope.

Trams are the only real long term replacement for bendy buses but we already know Boris has cancelled the projects that Ken had already planned and the reality is without trams we will return to bus jams.

As for users of the 507 I reckon they should switch to using the 211 which starts empty at Waterloo and at least has a reasonable number of seats.

My earlier comment on how much and how many buses full withdrawel of artics would be still has not been answered.

- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex

What Boris has not told you all is how many more buses are replacing the bendy buses. The route 38 for example is being replaced with 72 double deckers. They will line up the road from Clapton to Victoria causing even much more congestion. So all you "anti-bendies" its going to get worse not better.

- Kwik, London

Happy to see that Red Ken idle project go. Well done Boris! Now fix the rest of central London transport and focus on fixing what we have and not that unnecessary crossrail extension please.

- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London

I take the 38 & 149 bendy buses regularly. With the old route master you could never get on them past Piccadilly circus as they are usually full. Quite often I walk back to Green Park to ensure that I get on. You currently have the same problem with non-bendy buses (67 & 76) going towards Liverpool Street in the mornings. If the 149 bendy bus is scrapped then the morning commute is going to get more stressful and longer.

- Lakshman, Dalston. London, UK

The only value for money on the bendy buses was enjoyed by those who used to hop on and off without paying.

Well done Boris for stopping these scumbags ripping the rest of us off.

- Andy, Kentish Town

Bendy buses are a major cause of congestion in London constantly blocking junctions and corners. They are totally unsuitable for london roads and the sooner they go the better. The only poeple mourning their demise are those that used them for free travel.

- Dr Whooligan,, London

Boris is the best thing to happen to London in decades. Finally we have someone in charge who listens to the majority of people and does what needs to be done regardless. People who are against him are simply against democracy.

- Stephanie, London

Well done Boris!

Finally and election pledge made good. I cannot wait for these ugly, belching hazards of the road to disappear for ever.

- Gary Bennett, London, UK

Tell me Melvyn does your extensive knowledge of London bus routes stem from their running in Canvey Island (cos I haven't seen any)? or are you a bus spotter in your spare time?

Democracy has spoken. Boris promised to rid us of these busses and he's delivered. All Ken delivered was tax rises and bungs to cronies, along with daft gesture politicing over the globe. That and stealing money from motorists.
Yes democracy has spoken and I see that Nu Liebour peeps like yourself are dead against it. Viva Boris!
Enjoy the coming storm..may I just take this opportunity to gloat over Norwich North? See how much people want yours (and Vals) brand of dogma.

- Ethan, UK

Please don't replace the 38 bendy buses - I remember the routemaster - regularly full (and not stopping) sometimes taking half an hour to get one to stop and then overcrowded, always late because it took longer for everyone to get on and off. I appreciate that the modern double deckers allow for speedier on/off than routemasters but it will still be slower than the bendy bus. My guess is that there will be a nightmare return to full/non stopping buses.

- Andy, London

Capacity! It's all about capacity, bendies take 120 passangers, new ones take 96. So, more buses mean more congestion, more pollution, more time for us waiting at bus stops. Ken haters, see through the mist of hate that obscures your vision and accpet that perfection is a concept human's created, not a tangiable thing, so it can't always be achieved. Surely the pros of reducing pollution, congestion and the numbners of buses on our street are so good you should stop hating inanimate objects such as the bendies?

- Dave Angel, Wood Green

Good for Boris.

The worst problem was when the proverbial three bendy-buses turned up at once. Run 50m lest the furthest drives away without picking up, or run 100m there and back, if it does move up to the stop.

You couldn't even see what number a bus was when second in line, let alone third or further.

I'm sick to death of bendy-buses getting jammed up on corners ( not always their fault, but they have little options when stuck ). A nightmare for passengers and other road users.

Good riddance.

- Jason Bloomberg, Luton, UK

Hurrah. The sooner they disappear the better. Two weeks ago I watched a cyclist caught between a bendy bus turning a corner and a railing very nearly being injured.

These buses are typical of Ken's arrogance.

- Heather, London

This exercise to remove Artic buses from a route along with the 521 wchich is ideal for these buses shows how incompetent Boris is compared to Ken when it comes to value for money.

The fact is these routes used to use long single deck rigid buses the only problem was not only could they not cope with the demand they also had a tendency to get stuck turning corners in narrow side streets. (As Carver said in The World is Not Enough - "Let the mayem begin!!!")

The fact is operating the three routes being converted (38, 507 and 521) is going to cost an EXTRA £3 million pounds and in fact a brand new fleet of artics would still have come in at over £1 million pounds less.

Nice to know that those who voted for Boris actually voted for someone who just wastes money well with his wealth and a quarter of a million for an hours works what would he know about VFM!

Oh as for the remaining routes Boris is still giving the 2 year extensions on these contracts and in fact some of these routes now use more buses than before Boris was elected.

The real question no one is prepared to answer is if it costs £3 million extra to run these routes (remembering the 38 will go from 47 to 72 buses - having had 50 RMs) How much extra and how many more buses would complete removal really cost??

Finally, the reality is this is like someone saying they will bring back horse buses when petrol buses were first introduced. Without trams artic buses are all that can cope with Londons crowds!

- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex

Pauline, don't you know that most of the things you mention were initiated under the Ken Livingstone administration? (Crossrail, before!). Major public transport initiatives take years, sometimes decades, from planning to delivery. The contracts for the Overground were all signed by Ken's administration. Boris is just taking delivery (and credit? BTW the new trains are late!) Replacing Met and District line trains was always going to be next. It shouldn't have been controversial and it wasn't. Boris just went with the perfectly sensible flow. (My guess is that they'll be delayed somewhat because of the recession, unless the current trains are actually becoming dangerous).

We won't be in a position to judge Boris's contributions until the end of his term at the earliest, and whoever gets in at the next change of administration will likewise start with a bunch of projects that are too far advanced to sensibly cancel, whether they approve of them or not.

The only all-Boris contribution so far is getting rid of bendy busses (and even for something simple like that, so far it's only one route that's gone with the rest taking another two years - just about in time for the next mayoral election).

- Nigel, London

Good riddance, horrible things and a total menace to anyone on a bike.

- Derek, London

I wonder if they have factored in the saving from the loss of revenue these buses produce. I travel on one each day and estimate that at times, up to a third of the passengers do not swipe their cards when boarding. Only on 2 occasions have inspectors boarded the bus and a mad stampede for the exit took place on each occasion.

- Tom Waits, Southwark, UK

Taking 400 perfectly good buses off the road at a time of increased congestion and strained public finances is a complete joke. People can get on and off quickly (resulting in a faster trip) and there's lots of standing room and places for buggies and wheelchairs. Why not just redeploy them to routes where there are fewer cyclists if that's the problem?

I for one will be sad to see the last articulated 507.
Save the bendy bus!!

- Phil, London, UK

Kimberly London:
Judging by your comments you should continue saving for that all important ‘reversal lobotomy’, good luck

- Ade, London

Like red ken....good riddance to something Londoners don't want or need.

- P Staker, London

Bendy buses are quick, efficient and the most comfortable suspension I’ve experienced. There maybe an argument for not deploying them on narrow ancient central London roads but here in south London, tubelines are limited, trains infrequent and the buses cramped and crowded. Redeploying the bendy buses would have been welcome but with an amateur third rate populist like Boris Johnson for Mayor, I doubt if this was even considered as an option.

- Ian, London

Boris has done more for public transport in one year than Red Ken did in eight. New stations, new trains with air conditioning, PAYG Oyster on mainline trains, new cycle routes, Crossrail finally starting and now the removal of these hideous boxes on wheels from our streets. I hope he is Mayor for the foreseeable future and London will be eternally better off because of him.

- Pauline, London

They shouldn't be replaced with anything! Buses are an excuse used by the poor to justify their lazy lifestyle.

- Kimberley, London

Well done Boris

- Gary, Brentwood

Good riddance,the fare dodgers sitting at the back won't seem that far away now.

- Steve, London

About time too, these menaces have been causing chaos for all road users on most of London's roads. These were only suitable for large straight multi-lane roads, not the twisty narrow roads of inner London. I suppose that the other people who will be upset are those that know these buses as the 'free bus'!

- Jim, London

What a stupid waste of money! If you apply the same logic you should ban artics from the streets of London as well. People that use them regularly are more than happy with them. The money would be better spent on Cycling Proficency courses.

- Man U Fan, London

Instead of more short buses, why not replace the bendy buses with electric trams instead?

- Dave, Croydon, UK


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