Bendy Update

From the London Evening Standard 23rd September 2008

Boris: Bendy buses will be gone from streets by 2015
Martin Bentham, Home Affairs Editor



The Mayor today hit back at critics of his plan to scrap bendy buses by vowing to implement a "timetable of doom" that will see the last one disappear from London's streets by 2015.

On a BBC Radio London phonein, Boris Johnson said the first bendy buses would be removed next year.

His pledge follows a warning by some London Assembly members that the change could lead to passengers facing more crowded and slower journeys, higher costs and increased carbon emissions.

Mr Johnson has already rejected such claims and said he was only staggering the abolition to ensure taxpayers were not "ripped off" by suppliers if replacement vehicles had to be ordered too quickly. "There is a timetable of doom up in my office," he added.

A consultation on bendy buses on three routes - the 38 from Victoria to Clapton, 507 from Victoria to Waterloo, and 521 from Waterloo to London Bridge - has begun and new vehicles are to be introduced on the routes.

The Mayor is expected to announce the winning design for a new generation of Routemaster buses in November.

NOTE: THE MAYOR's TERM OF OFFICE ENDS IN 2012

See also;

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2008/09/long-long-ago-ok-it-was-only-this-time.html

http://daithaic.blogspot.com/2008/04/free-london.html

London Congestion Charge

Still Cruising Very Slowly Buses backed up in London traffic

The city's roads are as clogged as ever after five years of former mayor "Red Ken" Livingstone's congestion charge. London is still just as congested as it was before the introduction of the congestion charge according to a new survey, but not just because of traffic volume. The blame is now on road-works and measures to give priority to pedestrians, buses and cyclists.

Transport for London, which runs the city's transport system, said traffic volume had shrunk significantly since the charge was introduced in January 2003. About 70 000 fewer cars entered the charge zone every day than in 2003, a drop of 21 percent, but traffic still crawled because of phased traffic lights, pedestrian measures and road-works “The charge has cut traffic but hasn't solved the problem”.

London's new mayor, Boris Johnson, said: "I've always thought the congestion charge was a blunt instrument. It's cut traffic coming into London but hasn't solved the congestion." All road users, with a few exceptions such as taxis and motorcycles, must pay £8 to drive through central London but the charge has always been controversial with businesses citing lost trade.

The London Chamber of Commerce and Industry called for a review of the charge in light of the report, saying drivers were paying for no benefit. A spokesman said: "The congestion charge has increased costs and driven away trade from many firms. They will now be asking - with good reason - why their businesses are suffering."

London congestion map

What has happened to congestion in Central London has contradicted TfL’s assertions when the Congestion Charge Zone was extended Westwards on the 19th February 2007. According to TfL then, traffic in the original central congestion charge zone had fallen 20% since the scheme began in 2003 and it expected a further fall of 15% when the new charge kicked in. It also said the toll has helped fight pollution, reduce road injuries, increased the number of cyclists and caused more people to turn to public transport.

Part of the reason for increased congestion stems from the westward expansion of the Zone in 2007 as it had the effect of increasing greatly the number of residents cars which get a 90% discount on the Congestion Charge. Whereas there were not many cars in the original zone (a combination of lack of residential use and parking spaces in Central London) West London is very much a family area with high car ownership levels and as these owners have to pay the charge anyway they will use the opportunity to drive in the central area.


So this is the conundrum. If a “Congestion Charge” has not actually reduced congestion is it not then just another tax on motoring? This is certainly the view of the United States Government as the US Embassy in London now “owes” £1.5 m (that is $3.0 million) in unpaid congestion charges and fines, making the USA by far the worst offender in terms of unpaid charges and penalties. Since the US government unilaterally decided to stop paying the congestion charge in July 2005 their debts have rapidly risen. The US claimed that it did not have to pay the congestion charge because they claimed it was a tax from which diplomats are exempt.

There is the further point that very little of the “Congestion Charge” is actually going towards improving transport. The costs of the scheme eat up over 70% of the revenue (which includes a disproportionate element of penalties) on paying Capita and running the infrastructure for the charge – and that is before TfL’s own overhead is taken into account. This is a very poor way to raise money (although not for Capita). If it wasn’t for the large number of fines, the Congestion Charge would be something unique - a tax that loses money. The cost to London and Londoners is over a £1.1 billion. It was £930 million up to the end of March 2007, the annual run rate is about £250 million a year.By law all profits from the congestion charge have to be put into public transport projects. According to one set of TfL accounts, it reinvested just £280m since 2003. This omits the £265 million set up costs of the original scheme and the Western Extension. So that leaves a net benefit of about £15 million. So by any estimate the cost of the charge to the London economy has been hugely disproportionate even to the claimed benefit, let alone to the actual benefits. Here is the Audit Commision's take on the numbers.




So zero effect on congestion and very little contribution towards transport. So where does that leave the rest of us? Are we paying a Congestion Charge or merely an additional tax on motoring in the congested centre of London?

Free London!

Bendy the Free Bus

The Bendy Buses in London have sparked heated debates. These are the 18 meter (60 feet) long articulated buses which have replaced the older double deckers on many routes. There are two arguments in their favour; a greater passenger capacity as they can carry 149 as opposed to 79 on traditional double deck buses so they can offer greater capacity on routes in the central area, particularly at peak periods, and they are easier for access having level floors and low thresholds. I have an open mind on Bendy Buses in London as they answer the real problem of making buses available to people with mobility impairments. These are 10% of the general population but are probably a higher proportion of Central London bus users due to the implausibility of using and parking cars in Central London and the restricted access on the Underground. However there is a general consensus emerging that with three sets of doors and (like all London buses) no cash fares a lot of people ride for free.

Figures recently released under the Freedom of Information Act and reported in the media in mid-March 2008 show bus fare evasion costs London more than £50 million a year. The figures show a rise of more than £5 million from the previous year and have almost doubled since 2005/2006. The problem is worst on bendy buses, where an estimated one in 10 passengers do not pay, costing £6.4 million this financial year. On other buses, 3.4 per cent do not pay, costing Transport for London £45.9 million a year.


Imagine my surprise then today getting on the No. 18 bus at Euston towards Baker Street and Sudbury Town. Some suggest that there are a lot of empty bus seats going around London but this was one crowded bus with passengers standing and passengers with push chairs and luggage so not much room to move around. Both Oyster ticket readers on the rear section of the bus were out of order so cards could not be read which meant everybody on that section (even those who wanted to pay) was in fact travelling for free. Was there a stream of passengers going through the connecting turntable to the front two doors to use the ticket readers there? Well, on a crowded bus, surprisingly no! But even if they had done so they would have found that these two readers were also out of action. So on this crowded bus full to capacity the only fare income was the people who got on by the front door and used the ticket reader by the driver’s position, as 4 out of the 5 ticket readers on this bus were out of action meaning most people were enjoying this scenic tour of the beautiful Euston Road for free.

So on behalf of the “Free London Campaign” take a bow route No. 18, the operator FirstBus and the star of this piece; Bendy Bus EA11026. Tourists and Natives alike applaud your generosity!