please empty your brain below
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Shambles !
Well that's certainly the impression that I pick up from your research.
Petras409 | 06.08.19 - 8:14 a.m. | #
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Although the guerrilla posters say the 209 has brand new buses, your photo shows a bus with a 2009 registration.
timbo | 06.08.19 - 8:31 a.m. | #
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I haven't seen a 15H in many months now.... Are you absolutely sure it's still running?
Southern Heights (Light Railway) | 06.08.19 - 8:55 a.m. | #
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15H still runs, but only at summer weekends.
Traveller | 06.08.19 - 8:58 a.m. | #
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The 209/378 are to be taken over by Go-Ahead from 17th August, so not much point in fitting new blinds, although in the past blinds were fitted for routes that just operated on Boxing Day.
The contract change also presents another problem - new buses would have already been ordered before the bridge closure, and also how to organise the transfer of drivers who wanted to move to the new operator, perhaps drivers will leave due to natural wastage, then at some point they'll be a cut to match usage, but with the uncertainty about the reopening do you make a permanent change or not.
Still Anon | 06.08.19 - 9:23 a.m. | #
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The 209 bus in the photo may indeed be old (by London Buses standards) but at least the driver seems to have the benefit of a/c, judging by the unit on the roof.
OnTheBus | 06.08.19 - 10:54 a.m. | #
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One of the benefits of modern bus displays is the ability to display any route number or place or message. However, it may be just as well that TfL sticks with 1930s technology, as I suspect the required skills, common sense and competence are rare in the bus organising department, which is probably also woefully underfunded.
Malcolm | 06.08.19 - 11:47 a.m. | #
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I wish TFL would put on a very short bus route from Barnes station to Hammersmith Bridge. The only bus that does that route is the 33 which is already full when it gets to Barnes - and it the rush hour there's nearly a bus full waiting to get on. A sort of shuttle would make a big difference to those having to use this route.
Cornish Monkey | 06.08.19 - 11:48 a.m. | #
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Off topic, but I've noticed on several routes in the last couple of weeks that buses have stopped telling you where they are. (Both visual and audio dipslays have stopped working). This may be a network-wide thing or peculiar to London United (who operate all five routes I have used in that period)
timbo | 06.08.19 - 11:54 a.m. | #
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I think that the way that the whole Hammersmith Bridge situation has been dealt with is horrendous. TfL need to rethink their customer information department...
F | 06.08.19 - 12:11 p.m. | #
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The numbering is odd, why 378?, if its a temporary route like the 533 why not a 5xx number like 509? There are also vacant xx9 numbers like the 239 and 369.
Still Anon | 06.08.19 - 12:26 p.m. | #
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I don't like defending TfL nor 'incompetence' but in this case their lack of reality may also be a lack of finance.
The bloke who apparently edits the Evening News has conveniently forgotten that in his previous role he ended TfL's capital grant. Maybe the money wouldn't make a difference in some parts of TfL, but staff morale there is rock-bottom. With more job cuts looming they're just doing what they have to to stay employed.
TfL also now assumes everyone has the internet, regardless of the quality of its content. Those without the web (older or disabled people, and some of those visiting London) are just as baffled as those of us who try to keep up with route changes. Not just me helping confused others at bus stops...
Joel | 06.08.19 - 1:54 p.m. | #
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Of course, this means that the 129 has been pushed out of the top 10 shortest London bus routes.
X-Plaistow | 06.08.19 - 2:23 p.m. | #
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I think the problem with the new route to Putney Bridge Station is not serving Barnes Red Lion, where they're could be a fair bit of passenger usage, and instead operating via Mill Hill Road, which is essentially rural countryside.
The TFL consultation recons roadworks are needed for the Red Lion to be served, which I don't understand if the N22 already serves the area.
RL | 06.08.19 - 3:55 p.m. | #
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I do like the new map the TfL team have produced showing all the bus routes in Barnes and how they fit together as a whole.
It's a shame it's taken months to produce, and is only available if you think to look on a consultation webpage rather than being more widely available in real life.
diamond geezer | Homepage | 06.08.19 - 5:15 p.m. | #
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The map is very pretty and colourful, but the word "Castelnau", which is on bus blinds, at least of the 533, does not appear anywhere on the map. The terminus has mysteriously had the name "Barnes" attached to it instead. If they had to rename it, "Hammersmith Bridge South Side" might have been a better choice.
Malcolm | 06.08.19 - 9:50 p.m. | #
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All TfL’s blinds are made by McKenna Bros of Middleton Lancashire, the only company that still makes old-fashioned blinds. They are highly efficient and progressive, making LED blinds and all sorts of ancillary signs. TfL insists, in my view quite correctly, on keeping roller blinds. I have a photo of 2 Glasgow buses fitted out by McKenna, with the two types of blind. The roller is infinitely clearer.
BRUCE PERKINS | 07.08.19 - 1:12 a.m. | #
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The 209 & 378 both under the 209 contract.On the 17th of August,the contract for the 209 passes from Metroline to Go-Ahead London (London General).So the 378 will only be operated by Metroline for 2 weeks.The 209 & 378 will be the first routes to be operated by new vehicles which have the new TFL spec.These buses will have no wing mirrors.These are being replaced by cameras and screens on the dashboard,like the Staedtler Variobahn trams in Croydon.All seats will have USB ports.The 1st double deck route to get new spec vehicles will be the 197 at the end of this month,when that passes from Arriva London to Go-Ahead london (Metrobus).
Kevin Lucioni | 07.08.19 - 12:47 p.m. | #
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Don't be too harsh on the people on the ground at TfL. As has already been mentioned there's a chronic lack of resources and morale is rock-bottom. There's been no real pay rise for years and no prospect of one, while continual job cuts mean that existing staff have to do more and more work for no more reward while being threatened with "performance improvement plans".
Regarding blinds v LEDs, the change is only being stopped by one or two senior people. Roller blinds have had their day. High definition white LEDS are clearer in most lighting conditions, especially those dull cloudy days which we have rather a lot of in this country, as well as being cheaper over the whole life of a vehicle.
Steve | 20.08.19 - 11:01 a.m. | #
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And here in 2023 I note that the 209 now has a mere half-hour frequency rather than every eight minutes. The 378 has also been pared back but only to every 15.
Alfie | 18.10.23 - 7:46 p.m. | #
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