please empty your brain below
The "no longer as tidy" trip along the A5 to Edgware will be via the 98 and 32 buses instead of 16 and 32, so I suggest the reduced tidiness is primarily arithmetical provided that you remember to get off the 98 in Kilburn.

Ian | 13.04.23 - 8:17 a.m. | #

The more I see pictures of the "Boris" bus the more I dislike it

John | 13.04.23 - 8:24 a.m. | #

TfL renumbering the N16 to N32 - while keeping the exact same route - has totally passed me by; seems a strange one to make a number higher like that.

Out of interest, and I suspect this has happened more recently that I remember given the high number of route changes in the past decade, but have any other routes changed number while keeping an identical route?

dg writes: 82 → 13 (see post).

BP | 13.04.23 - 8:26 a.m. | #

Apart from the terminal point in Peckham one local route to Nunhead and Newlands had four numbers. 621>243>173>P3.
The 621 was the number allocated by The Metropolitan Police, 243 by London Transport as in 1934 all single-deck buses were numbered in the 2nn series. Then 173 when it was converted to double-deck and then P3 when it became one man operated with a flat fare.

Alan JS | 13.04.23 - 9:06 a.m. | #

The removal of the 16 as the Cricklewood to Victoria route is a farce. As a regular user of the route at all hours of the day it is usually very busy although admittedly a mid morning ride northbound would be quiet. Try the evening at 5pm and you would see there's no way the 98,6, or renamed 332 would cope. Really if any route was to be withdrawn it would be the 6 as that route is far quieter but Tfl likely preferred the 16 to be removed with it being a garage terminator allowing the operator metroline to charge a premium for the tender, as competition is usually non existent on routes with a garage terminus, as can be seen with the AC Willesden routes which have remained there for decades. Either way it's a farce and I'll likely not be able to get on the bus along Edgware Road in the future so congrats Tfl accessibility and that

bussimist | 13.04.23 - 9:29 a.m. | #

In my view the best thing would've been for Tfl to genuinely withdraw the 332 and then extend the 32 from Kilburn Park to Paddington via the 332 and extend the 16 from Cricklewood garage to Brent Park superstores thus allowing overcapacity to be cut between Cricklewood and Kilburn where 5 routes is superfluous but allowing capacity to be maintained on the extremely busy Edgware road to Kilburn section. Alas tfl is not so smart as I.

Also dg have you covered the recent cut of the 427 to Southall such that it no longer runs to Acton?

dg writes: yes.

bussimist | 13.04.23 - 9:39 a.m. | #

I think its hard to tell what the baseline passenger loadings are, on top of recent events the 16 corridor has been subject to roadworks in Cricklewood and Kilburn and Victoria has only just returned to normal.

Other stuff in the mix - Victoria tube station may be more attractive than it was before the rebuild, Thameslink Cricklewood is a quicker alternative into London than getting a bus to the tube at Kilburn, and Paddington has now become significantly more useful.

Plus as you mentioned, TfL are stripping out capacity they added in 2007.

Still Anon | 13.04.23 - 9:46 a.m. | #

I immediately also thought about the renaming of the 82 to 13, which was the "pioneer" of TfL pretending to listen to negative feedback, and saving route numbers to make it look like a route had been saved.

Mikey C | 13.04.23 - 10:31 a.m. | #

Paddington has indeed become more useful, with the southbound Eastbourne Terrace stop (2nd call for northbound 332) an exemplary interchange, particularly handy for the Elizabeth line - right next to the lifts, so great for those coming from Heathrow (etc). In my experience the 332 also picks up quite a few on Praed Street / St Mary's Hospital.

So much as I lament the demise of the vintage through service from Cricklewood to Victoria, I'm pleased that the Paddington connection has been retained. I do believe however there'll be a capacity problem at peaks, particularly on Maida Vale - halved from when the 332 was introduced.

Strabismus | 13.04.23 - 12:21 p.m. | #

The NW8 postcode area (and adjacent areas to the west) have had multiple bus cuts, beyond the 82, 16.

For example, the 274 has been reduced in frequency (although a double decker is now scheduled), and the 46 also had some frequency change and end point tweaks, and some changes on the 189/139 corridor too.

And we are supposed to be thankful that the wider cuts (much worse) were withdrawn

MilesT | 13.04.23 - 12:31 p.m. | #

As the 332 already uses them, there will be some Borismasters looking for a new home soon. (Those on the 111 are also being phased out, to be replaced by modern electric buses). On which route will they be inflicted next?

The oldest LTs are now more than 11 years old - many London buses are retired to less arduous duties elsewhere in the country by that age, but TfL own these and are stuck with them.

timbo | 13.04.23 - 3:39 p.m. | #

The original Central London Bus consultation which was greatly scaled back was designed with plenty of opportunities to 'save' routes following the consultation. The 507 would've likely become the 11 (which was 'saved', the planned 507 simply being what the 11 will be from the end of April) and the 414 could've easily been renumbered 14 as just a few examples of this.

Matthieu | 13.04.23 - 5:50 p.m. | #

You can see the Cricklewood Crown as it used to be in the video for Dexys Midnight Runners single, The Celtic Soul Brothers.

Matt | 14.04.23 - 11:35 a.m. | #

Matt, Dexys tickets on sale TODAY!

Cottonsocks | 14.04.23 - 6:17 p.m. | #











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