Confirmed by London Reconnections and LOTS:
Now that all but a handful of the new Gemini 2DL (62x DW class) and E400 (18x T class) buses for Arriva London’s route 38 have been delivered, the date for conversion from Citaro artics can at last be confirmed as 14th November. The night route N38 will also convert to these buses as well.
As this is the first ‘proper’ debendification, it’s much more representative than the two Red Arrow routes converted in July and August (and which are still causing complaints about bunching and lack of seats, incidentally). The new 38 will have more seats, but all upstairs, plus the first ever attempt to operate the peak weekday 38 service with a normal double decker. I’m sure TfL and Arriva will have done their best again, though, one characteristic of the whole fiasco is that a bad policy is being implemented professionally by people who know what they’re doing.
Next for the chop would appear to be the 18:
Route Tender 5 5+ Old PVR New PVR Revised End Date
18 23-Aug-2003 23-Aug-2008 23-Aug-2010 32 49 23-Aug-2010
Now the 38 took about four months to convert after the contract change, which would put the next debendification nearly into 2011 unless they get their act together. Basically unless we start seeing contract renegotiations mid-term this is the last debendification for at least a year, I reckon, which gives us plenty of time to judge how the 38 is faring in its brave new Borisworld.
Tags: 6 Comments
6 responses so far ↓
About bloody time too if you ask me.
Those bendies are slow, uncomfortable, cause congestion, encourage fare evasion, ugly and dangerous*.
I for one welcome the decision. In fact, I couldn’t give a toss about the cost of it all. If they doubled the fares to get rid I’d be more than happy.
* yes they are dangerous, despite what people think. The combination or retarded cyclists with no notion of a highway code and these bendy monstrosities causes several near misses I witness daily
There’ve been brochures in the 38 this week advising of the change on Saturday. Yesterday a couple of kids were sitting behind me saying ‘Why are they changing it, that’s stupid!’.
I take the 38 to and from work every day Hackney boy and haven’t seen all of these near misses. I suspect not many passengers would relish a doubling of fares either…. (I do think they should come and check the tickets more often though)
More than 50% increase in Peak Vehicle Requirement on route 18: is that right?
“is that right?”
Probably ought to have pointed out that It’s an estimate based on the first 38 replacement rate information back in the day, the route’s not been retendered yet. The real PVR depends on if they do things like changing the route termini, frequency etc. Apologies, took it out of context from the bendy replacement model as of July.
Hackney boy
“I for one welcome the decision. In fact, I couldn’t give a toss about the cost of it all. If they doubled the fares to get rid I’d be more than happy.”
Oh really – well we’ll see about that when the fare rises come in to pay for it all. I’m sure you won’t be so adamant about not caring about the cost then
It’s strange they are so dangerous in London when they do not cause a problem in Paris, Rome, Madrid etc. – maybe it’s down to lack of training for the driver?
In your experience of ‘near misses’ is it only bendy buses you see? Just this morning I saw 1 accident and 4 near misses – none of which involved cyclists or Bendy buses. Maybe you’re a little blinkered.
Still, I suppose if the worst thing going around London – that requires the mayors full attention – is a bendy bus – then we should be grateful.
I must say you seem to be easily pleased.
I ended up getting one of the de-bendined N38s last night, but completely failed to realise this until my girlfriend pointed out “This has a new bus smell…” – probably won’t last for too long.
On another note… the fact that getting rid of bendies doesn’t stop free rider was kindly demonstrated by the 10 people who climbed on through the back door on the N87.