On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 11:51:24 +0000, Ian Jelf
wrote:

Although I have some sympathy with such a system, London is so large and
complex (and busy), that charging a supplement for Underground travel
(which is effectively what happens when compared to buses) is I feel
justified in return for the faster journey. (Hamburg has - or had -
something similar for its express buses).

It does, but not for that reason. The reason for the
Schnellbus-Zuschlag is not that the express buses are particularly
quick (they're not - most of the routes are surprisingly circuitous),
but because they provide a "value added" function of direct journeys
into the city centre without having to change. IOW, they're an
additional service on top of the normal service map.

That contrasts somewhat from the fact that the normal "integrated"
service map in London (which I'd say does, or should, consist of the
Tube, the city buses and the inner-suburban NR lines, especially in
South London) has different fares across all modes, with the
Travelcard being the only thing bringing them together.

Your point about a "Tube supplement" being a sensible add-on due to
the chronic overcrowding. especially in Zone 1, is a valid one.
However, the current system doesn't only provide that, it provides a
harsh penalty for someone making a single journey involving two buses,
or bus-Tube-bus, which is precisely the kind of journey you want to
encourage in that kind of system.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.