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Stephen Glaister was the fool who single handedly inflicted the ridiculous bendy buses on Londoners when he worked for Livingstone. So it really isn't news that he is still trying to defend them and thereby defend his damaged reputation.

Boris Johnson needs to sort TfL out and Glaister is right that the continuing TfL obsession with cycling and buses is wrong and needs to be reversed. Sadly it would seem that BJ is just as in thrall to the anti car loonies that dominate TfL as Livingston ever was, what a shame.

- Matthew, London

Is axing the South London Line what BoJo means when he talks of building a better public transport infrastructure? he should be standing up for London not getting rid of vital public transport links!

- Stephen Govier, South Camberwell

Merrie, London are you a consultant to Boris on P.T? if not why not?

1. Cyclist nearly hit by a bus - must be bus' fault.
Those pesky buses with their pretty flashing orange lights, ah well at least with iPod on does make it feel like being in a club.

2. I would guess more fair evasion on bendies - as they do have more revenue on them. Although emergency switch works on all buses.

3. More buses mean more traffic, esp at pinch points. 38 frequency will increase congestion on pinch points on Route. "The bus drivers should be more responsible about how many passengers to take on" - they are. However some of their passengers, will spit at them if they do.

4. I do the same journey with an elderly person 7 days a week (38) and use the 436 often by myself. The bendies are far easier to get off/on, more comfortable and quicker. I can sit next to them without having to give my seat up for others.

5. Top deck is nicer, not if you have shopping as it can be difficult to get down. Many times double deckers are rammed downstairs yet spaces are available on top. All it takes is one passneger to not go upstairs and block teh stairs. Overall its a painfull experience having to move at every stop to let people on or off. Many times the back seats are empty on D.D as they are hot (engine there) only kids are small enough to sit facing each other.

There is nothing wrong with D.D. except their internal layout. Not sure if they could move stairs to end of bus

- Bob, london

I actually like the bendy bus; its fast and easy to get on and off etc.

If there is a problem at all; its the roads not the bendy bus etc.

Get rid of more cars, the untaxed and uninsured to start with; then designated the inside lane of all roads as bus lanes etc.

As I said; I like the bendy bus; but others may not?

- Mickinlondon, london

Darren Johnson should get himself down to Oxford Street and see the Bendy Buses blocking up junctions and jumping red lights...by the time they turn from Oxford Street into Regent street the lights are green again!!!!

But then Darren Johnson thinks Rickshaws and Pedicabs are the 'green' alternative....forget all the traffic stuck behind them!!!

- Mark, london uk

Bendy bus's are a danger to cyclist and pedestrians .
I bet all those that ' love' bendy bus's are those that hop on via the middle door and dont pay any fare, hopping of by same if they spot an inspector getting on.

- Clif, London

Since when has anyone connected with TFL (Traffic for London) now or in the past had a clue about transport in the capital. Boris if your listening ignore these buffoons who have ruined our transport infrastructure.
Set up a forum of people who use the system like taxi drivers, white van man, bus drivers, cyclists and maybe a pedestrian or two get there views and you may get close to clearing our gridlocked city.

- Mr S.Port, London

AS SOON AS BORIS BECAME MAYOR,
HE C A N C E L L E D THE CROSS-RIVER TRAM PROJECT!
This was TO LINK: The Main RAIL TERMINII EUSTON, KINGS CROSS, ST PANCRAS (INCLUDING THE NEW EUROSTAR TERMINUS)- running down Southampton Row, WATERLOO, ELEPHANT & CASTLE, to PECKHAM; with a Branch-Route to BRIXTON. Considerable Costs have already been incurred, for the major preparatory planning that HAS been carried-out.
I have received NO RESPONSE AT ALL, from Messrs JOHNSTON, KULVEER, Lambeth, TFL, etc, when enquiring how much this has all cost, and whether CROSS-RIVER TRAM PLANS, are only ON HOLD, OR NOT?
Could THE EVENING STANDARD 'TAKE-UP THE CUDGELS' for Londoners, and investigate on our behalf what has happened to Cross-River Tram? The Standard's decades-long campaigning for Cross-RAIL, DID SUCCEED !

- Roger Frank Bailey, GROVE PARK, SE London, UK

Baby Blue - Confirmation of Re-introduction of Double deck buses on Route 38 can found below:-

http://www.londonbusroutes.net/changes.htm

As for Peter Thurgoods 2nd comments he failed to read:-

Next month route 38 is to loose its artics and where it used to need 50 Routemasters and now uses 47 artics it will suddenly have 72 double deckers and having spent most of my life living near the Angel, Islington!!!

Fact is I was once held down as a kid in the mid 50's by a shopkeeper in Essex Road from whom I had pinched an apple after bunking off infant school and before bunking into the pictures - I was a right MEL BOY!!

With routes like the 38,38A 171 RT buses passing on either side.. together with 581 trolley-buses (now bring them back ....)

The fact is when I first used Artic buses late at night getting home from Vicoria I realised how warm and comfterble these new buses were compared to the old open platformed buses which were freezing cold with an ever present danger of falling off while one had to hold on for one's life.

Anyway, Boris promised to replace Artics with Routemasters with open platforms so another broken promise!!

- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex

London traffic is much improved since Boris became Mayor. It would help a great deal more if we can abolish Transport for London. Saved a lot of money too.

- Properganda, paris

As I stated before if you have Transport For London,Metropolitan Police Authority,Local Councils,Town Halls.
It beggars the question why do we need a Bureaucratic City Hall imposed upon us.
Boris Johnson is on an ego trip mission.
The recession ,so why are these departments being created at the Tax Payers,is it a legaslised mafia,with a respectable facade.

- Barry Deane, Richmond, United Kingdom

I think Peter Brown should face the reality that the Age of the Motor Car will soon be over. And electric cars won't solve the problem. The problem is not only emissions from petrol, but congestion.

Boris thinks that electric cars are the solution. Silly Boris.

- Merrie, London

What Kerry, of Purley does not seem to understand, is that most European cities were created long after London was, and so have much wider streets and roads than we do here in London. The bendy-bus monsters therefore work perfectly well in such modern cities, but to put these monstrosities into our narrow and quaint streets is just plain ridiculous, it is akin to putting them onto the streets of Venice, which I am sure the idiotic Red Ken would, were he in charge of that City.

Even contemplating the return of Red Ken to our fair city, would be like assisted suicide.

- Peter Thurgood, London, UK

I usually cycle, but occasionally take the bus, including the bendy buses:

1. I was cycling along Holborn Viaduct when a bendy bus stopped in front of me at a bus stop. I was caught between it and the pavement barriers. Had I been any closer to the front of the busI would have been crushed. I reversed out and gave the driver a bollocking, though in retrospect I should have taken the bus number and complained.

2. I was on a fairly crowded bendy bus when two inspectors got on to check tickets. One passenger opened the closed doors using the emergency exit lock, and more than half the passengers got off and ran away. The inspectors told me this was typical. The bendy buses are costing TfL a fortune in lost ticket sales.

3. There is a need for more buses - double deckers - because they are often very crowded especially on weekends when the tube lines are down. I have been on buses which have been so crowded people are standing on the top deck and the stairs. Not only does it make it difficult to get off the bus, isn't this illegal? The bus drivers should be more responsible about how many passengers to take on.

4. I have been on bendy buses just as crowded and with a similar difficulty in getting off.

5. I like to be on the top deck because it is usually more peaceful than the lower, and you can see more.

6. However, cycling is best. If there are road blockages usually can get around them, sometimes by getting off and walking on the footpath.

- Merrie, London

Kerry from Purley sounds like just the sort of clear thinking person we need in city hall.

No nonsense, and obviously a high calibre executive as her travel record indicates

- Keith Price, Luton, England

If a TFL moron says he is wrong, we can now be reassured that Boris is getting things right!

- Steve, Gravesend UK

Boris? the foresight of an ostrich and the brain to match.

Intresting to see how his devoted followers are starting to ebb away. Lets face it, the Buffoon hasn't got a clue. They real idiots are the people on here who regardless of his many mistakes still think the sun shines out of his backside. All you oddities desreve each other.

- James, Manchester England

I travel quite extensively for my job, which includes visiting many major European cities. Most of them have subsidised intergrated transport systems that seem to work very well indeed. Strangely, many of them have bendy buses. these seem to be totally acceptable to most passangers. Of course this will mean nothing to the foam flecked ravings of the Tory/Boris supporting cretins who comment here. Boris is not just a buffoon, but a very dangerous individual, be warned.

- Kerry, Purley

...and this guy has a totally unbiased point of view, of course? I somehow don't think Professor Stephen Glaister's opinion has changed since BEFORE the advent of Boris.

Which kinda puts his comments in perspective.

- Rogan, Irving

If double deckers really are being re-introduced on the 38 route next month it will be interesting to see if passenger continue to stand downstairs on top of each other as they do on many of the existing double decker routes.

- Blue Baby, London

There appears to be a lot of politically motivated comments on this story.

The Boris-bashers, who seem to include the regular Livingstone/Labour fan club, bemoan that London has no proper transport strategy.

I'm not a great fan of Boris, but I think it's fair to point out that he inherited Mayor Livingstone's transport strategy and he has been working broadly to it. He has to follow procedures to update it, but there was recently a consultation on his ideas in the Way To Go document.

A revised strategy should be out this month. Let's see what he actually proposes.

- Brian, London

They should just give the london mayoralty to Gordon too, he's done such a great job of running Britain and saving us all from financial disaster that surely he can manage this too."
Great idea. It is seldom you hear a Tory saying that about our PM

- Keith Price, Luton England

The bendy buses are fine for wheelchair users. Not for all other disabled people however. There are very few seats as the buses are made for a lot of standing passengers. I use a walking stick, and they are a nightmare. You get squashed in among so many standing if there are no seats left, so if anyone is inclined to offer a seat, they can't see you. Often I'm left precariously swaying while trying to hang on to the very high straps and steady myself with the walking stick. Nightmare journeys! The routemasters have plenty of seats available. The young and agile head for the upper deck, leaving the downstairs for women with children and the less swift.

- Bill, London

What else do you expect from a Tory buffoon.You made the bed so now,lie on it.
T H Leeds

- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK

They should just give the london mayoralty to Gordon too, he's done such a great job of running Britain and saving us all from financial disaster that surely he can manage this too.

- Keith Price, Luton

Here goes Canvey Island Mel again. What is it with these suburbanites that they think they the right to delve into our politics, here in London? Has the Southend Kurzal closed down for the season, or have Canvey Island run out of rock?

I told you before Mel, dig your bus-pass out and take a day out in the big city, and find out the real truth about your precious bendy busses.

Take a trip to Lewisham centre on a Saturday morning, when you cannot even cross the road for the never ending line of bendy-monsters, nose to tail, that fill the road. And before you say they are doing a good job, NO, they are not, because they are nearly all empty, or at the very best have 2 or 3 passengers on board.

Red Ken made us Londoners pay for these unloved and unworkable monsters, and we are still paying for them until our now sensible Mayor, Boris Johnson, finally gets them off our roads and frees up the congestion and pollution that they are causing.

- Peter Thurgood, London, UK

I travel on a bendy bus into work every morning. Before this route was a bendy bus, it was an old fashioned double decker. And I had to stand at the stop while bus and bus went by, unable to pick passengers up because it was full to the gills. I couldn't believe how much my journey was speeded up and made one hundred per cent more comfortable when bendy buses arrived. Is it really progress to go back to the days when you couldn't actually get on the bus? WHY is having to have double the number of buses to carry the sams passengers an advantage of any way? the prospect of having my commute returned to the bad old days make me furious. Thanks, buffoon Boris.

- Sue, London

Crocodile tears from Darren Johnson AM. Has he ever experienced the blocked roads that the bendy buses inflict, slowing down all road users. They aren't welcomed by cyclists from my experience.

The meaningless 'World Squares' project that Mr Johnson shouted for inflicted the pedestrianisation of Trafalgar Square. Result - road space wilfully removed, and tailbacks for miles around.

It's amazing how much money Transport for London is able to waste - shame it comes from Londoners' pockets.

- Jools, London

"Getting rid of Bendy Buses defies common sense"
You are of course entitled to your opinion, but hey, how about paying some respect to the million+ voters who sent a message saying we want rid of them when we voted Boris in? What makes you better able to tell Londoners what we need? Nothing, is the answer. Just accept that Livingstone lost and start helping the mayor make London better.

- St, London

As one driver in eight in London is not insured, there is a very simple solution to reducing the amount of traffic on the roads. Seize all untaxed vehicles.

- Jon, London

As much as everyone hates the Bendy Bus, they are a massive step forward for disabled access to public transport. As much as everyone loved the old Routemaster, they were just not accessible to wheelchairs.

- Nolan, Londonist

Could we start by fixing the bloody northern line?

- David, London

And Boris the buffoon has ambitions of being PM one day. Lets hope it is in some banana republic and not any country in Europe

- Keith Price, Luton England

This is just a get back at Boris Ken introduced the bus lanes pavement widening pedestian lights ect all of which as slowed london down.The bendy bus was another of ken's ideas it was a danger to cyclist as our roads are not wide enough for them.

- David Smith, Croydon

Darren Johnson is spot on and anyone who has seen the largely empty cattle trucks that Boris has re-introduced onto the 2 routes that are the most appropriate for Artic buses will know this. For apart from rush hours these buses now run nearly empty with passengers switching to alternative routes and £3 million being wasted.

Next month route 38 is to loose its artics and where it used to need 50 Routemasters and now uses 47 artics it will suddenly have 72 double deckers and having spent most of my life living near the Angel, Islanigton I know this will simply cause chaos which no doubt the artics on the 73 will get blaimed for! However, routes 38 AND 73 both have Artics and there is no chaos!!!

The fact is the change on route 38 will cause chaos throughout its route as bus jams return to the west end then holborn then the Angel, Islington as for Essex Road there will be a need to look at making this a RED ROUTE with ALL parking banned.

The irony is while Boris gives an illusion of removing Artics the reality is former Red Arrow artics (notice how Boris dared not retain this title on his cattle trucks!) can now be seen on route 12 doing what this type of bus does best carry the most passengers while using the least roadspace - People tend to forget the safe driving distance needed and from next month the 38 will need this for 72 instead of 47 buses.

Anyway why has Boris not published a detailed costing of removing these buses as Ken would have done?

- Melvyn Windebank, Canvey Island, Essex

how bout a congestion zone in and around rotherhithe a place that actually needs it ..its a one way road to hell due to this governments over-populating of this country ...this isnt the States we simply dont have the physical space to deal with the volume of people and the effect on our infra-structure ....more hair-brained policy that cannot be reversed

- Nick, London

Tfl under Boris seems to be no different than under Ken. Same blinkered anti motorist thinking - narrowing roads, putting in chicanes, doing everything possible to reduce capacity and reduce speeds on the roads to make journeys as long as possible for the car driver. What is required is proper strategic thinking - we are never going to be like Europe and the geography of London is not that of a continental city. The only way to truly combat congestion is to build more capacity but no one has the guts to do it.

- Huw Morgan, London

Cycle into work today - 5 sets of road works, non working temporary traffic lights causing 100s of cars and cyclists to be not moving, diversion signs pointing nowhere, work men, managers standing around doing not very much and their company vans and cars littering the surrounding streets and nothing being done by anyboy. Is it any wonder people get road rage or just do not bother trying to move about? VED and petrol tax obviously much too low as people still insist on driving short distances due to utter laziness and selfishness.

- Nelly, East London

We're belatedly finding out now that Boris's bluff enthusiastic persona of the amateur really IS the amateur. Not just an act after all. His judgment and track-record in choosing staff and people for key positions is way off beam. What you see is what you get. A hopeless incompetent amateur.

- Richard, London

Are we supposed to be surprised that an organisation that exists to promote driving is...erm...promoting driving? What exactly is news here?

- Trickcyclist, London

I was in despair when Boris was voted in. His plans have good intentions, but no thought has gone in to them at all. Its like a child running the capital.

Ken understood that to make transport work, he'd have to annoy a few groups, but went ahead and made these sensible decisions anyway.

bendy busses aren't perfect - but theres no better solution. They carry 2-3 times as many people as other busses.

Congestion charging is annoying but fuel duty and VED weren't enough to curb the number of people that wanted to drive in london, resulting in gridlock, slowing down people who weren't in cars, such as cyclists, motorbikes and bus users.

- Cyclist, london

Getting rid of Bendy Buses defies common sense and the RAC Foundation report confirms this. Londoners are paying more money to fund the changes, but on some routes they are getting smaller buses with less seats. It doesn't lead to less congestion as on some routes you have to run the smaller buses every two minutes in peak time to keep up with demand. The Mayor should admit that he got it wrong during the election and that the Transport for London budget can't afford to fund ill informed promises.”

- Darren Johnson Assembly Member, London

In the all the pro/con discussion of the WEZ, no-one ever mentions the chaos it has brought to the roads surrounding the north west corner around Harlesden/Harrow Road/Kensal Green. Traffic has been forced around the WEZ into this area, which contains a mosaic of rail and canal bridges that narrow the road options. Of course no thought has been put to easing traffic flow here. This effect was instantly noticeable the day the WEZ started. Far from cutting back on overall journeys the WEZ just forced them elsewhere and created more misery on surrounding roads. It has also adversely affected businesses inside the WEZ by deterring nearby shoppers from crossing the boundary. Sainsbury's knew this when they negotiated a derogation for access to their store on the Great Union canal. Good riddance to the WEZ, which should be re-named WEDGE, because of the divide it has introduced between north and south NW10.

- Tony, London

The introduction of the bendy bus was one of the worst transport ideas ever undertaken in London. Complete disaster from the start with engine fires and pedestrian fatalities. Boris is right to reverse this crazy decision. When I commuted in London by motorbike these bendy buses were blocking every junction because they are too long for London's roads - that was the reason that Routemaster's are double deckers. Updating the Routemaster design for current needs (I believe the original design was done in the 1950's) is the most effective solution, just a shame that old Ken ignored it during his time in power.

- Dannyp, Egham

Congratulations to Ken Livingston on the phenominal success of reintroducing regular services on the West London Line beteen Willesdon Junction and Clapham Junction. Used it yesterday for the first time since it restarted about 15 years ago and the new trains were packed out. Shows what can be done with forethought.

- Paul B, London

In my local borough, a busy road (that is lined with shops and a bus route) has recently been narrowed and had the pavement extended. When complaints were made to local councilors, leaflets were distributed locally indicating that this scheme was down to the mayors office and outside their control.

It does make you wonder about people's sanity!

- H, London

From the Oxford perspective, bikes and buses (and lorries) do NOT go together. There have been several deaths recently - and the reasons are simple, the bus drivers cannot see cyclists, and cyclists tend to try to under or overtake buses, rather than remain safely behind the bus.

The real solution to all this is completely separate bike lanes that take cyclists away from any traffic. Motorists and cyclists hate each other (even in opposite roles!). The problem is old cities like London and Oxford were designed for horse and cart, so the problem is hard to solve due to lack of free space.

Feet are the best way forward really!

- Oflife, Oxford & London

london was crazy to vote ken out.

- C May, biggin hill

It is disappointing that this report believes that cycling can only remain a minority transport mode of c5% in London. In Copenhagen a third of their citizens already cycle to work, school or university, and by 2015 they are planning - in the active sense - to raise that to 50%.

The more people that cycle (or walk or use public transport), the less congestion there will be on our roads.

In that respect, the report's cautious call for the civilisation of our streets, using 20mph wireless average-speed cameras, is to be welcomed.

Rather than sit back and let the RAC and TfL trade insults disguised as policy positions, Boris should get these organisations and other stakeholder groups such as London Cycling Campaign and Living Streets together to identify and work towards common goals.

- Austen, London

Unlike Kulveer Ranger, an ex management consultant with the right words but little or no strategic experience, Peter Brown is a very experienced, senior authority on Transport in London having held a senior role for many years before retiring.

Only the UK would allow someone with a non-scientific or engineering background have political and organisational control over a world capital city's transport system... and people wonder why French and German transport systems or so far ahead of ours?

- Mike, London

Boris and Blair operate in the same way. Idea floats into the head, they grab it and run with it. No wasting time on experts/commissions. The Barnum twins! "It's a Barnum and Bailey world... la,la,la..." showmen first and last.

- Celine, London

It is crazy having this buffoon called Boris making decisions about transport, traffic and roads in London, when he freely admits to frequently runnung red lights and cycling on the pavements of our capital. He is the problem

- Keith Price, Luton England

I may be missing something here but how does an extra 900,000 jobs translate onto 4 million extra journeys. even if all 900,000 jobs were filled by people using public transport the majority would only make 2 journeys per day which I calculate as 1.8 million journeys ( a lot I know but half the 4 million quoted) As for the 8700,000 extra people in the capital, some of those will fill the extra jobs and others will not need public transport on a daily basis but even adding them all in we still don't get 4 million. Or has basic maths changes under New labour!

- Bob, London

Oh boy, is someone out to topple Boris or what?

An "ex" TFL man says Boris is causing chaos in London through his traffic schemes, one of which is getting rid of the ghastly bendy busses.

So we are now to believe an "ex" TFL man, over the Mayor of London are we?
But maybe it isn't just the "ex" official who is stirring up the trouble, maybe it goes somewhat deeper than that?

For the past year or so there has been a poll on this site, asking "Should Ken Livingstone stand for re-election as London Mayor?"

Until a few months ago, this poll showed the true reflection of the people of London's wishes on this ridiculous question. Of course this cursed little man should never be let anywhere near City Hall ever again, to ruin our transport system, invite terrorists to our Capitol, and tax us all until the pips squeak. So the poll showed an average of approximately 13% of Red Ken's allies answering yes.

Now suddenly the poll has jumped to a massive 83% saying yes, Red Ken should stand again.

I know the Thames is a lot cleaner now, but there is a decidedly fishy smell suddenly arising up from it, especially from close to the shores of City Hall.

- Peter Thurgood, London, UK

Typical Boris - lots of promises, abysmal delivery....

- Nick, Battersea

This is mainly due to the Transport Czar Kulveer Ranger - the back tracking of the west end congestion charge! The idea of cycling the wrong way up one way schemes and concentrating on more bicycle stands - abserd ideas from one who is also on the A list of the conservative candidate list!

- Raminder Bhalla, Northolt

When London taxis have a requirement that they're able to do fancy turns only an utter twonk would think bendy buses are a good idea for London.

- Threaded, Roskilde, Denmark

And Ken Livingstone was not obsessed ?

Boris is only just managing to assess the needs from the mess that Ken’s reign left behind. You condemn far too quickly, it will take decades to clear up the current governments social, financial and commercial disasters !

- Julie, London

Boris sacked Stephen Glaister last year, in fact, and the RACF are total dinosaurs, so what he's doing there beats me - cars aren't the solution in cities. Mind you, Kulveer Ranger does himself no favours here, since he keeps contradicting himself between pleasing selfish drivers ('no hierarchy of road users', the 'post-modal-shift era') and running a proper transport policy, as this newspaper found out last week. Glaister's right that there's no direction, but that's not especially surprising given the quality of talent available.

- Tom, London, UK

How is a policy to get rid of them misdirected when a majority of Londoners want to see the end of the bendy buses? I'd opine that telling us Londoners that we are all wrong is misdirected.

- St, London

>> What might solve it is a London-wide road charging scheme. Not one just focused on the centre

We already have this. It's called Vehicle Excise Duty and Petrol Tax. The more you drive, the more petrol you use and the more you pay. Simples.

- Peter, Harrow, UK

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