wrote ...
I dont know if it is related to the economic situation but recently I
have found that a lot more buses are waiting time at bus stops. Is
this strictly speaking legal. They load up then wait for about a
minute before moving off delaying the traffic behind. Maybe there are
more buses running early as there is less traffic on the road but are
they allowed to just stop at a bus stop.
It would be better if they just kept on going. If they get to their
destination early then maybe the timetable needs changing rather than
hogging the road for no good reason.

With the new satellite surveillance, control can now more easily see gaps in
the service, and it''s certainly more frequecnt to be held to close a gap
than it ever was - although now we're told about it, it may just be that
we're more aware.

There is good reason; a lightly loaded bus romping home early can play havoc
with those following that then have longer queues and get steadily later.
It's not for nothing that drivers who are ahead of schedule risk more severe
discipline tha those who are untimely late.

It's not often about the timetable - late buses may be held too - it's about
traffic congestion.

But - while I stand by pretty much all I've said, it does need to be applied
more intelligently; they need to study each route and select key places
where buses can be held *without* being a menace to other road users
(dedicated laybys exist on most routes, but not at every stop).

A smaller issue is the lack of space for buses at the end of the line; for
months, for example, the 341 has 'officially' parked up in a bus lane on
the A23 Westminster Bridge Road (rather than continue 150 metres to the
first stop in Baylis Road where passengers would tap on the doors while the
driver took his breather). This was because building work at Westminster
Bridge (south end) had blocked their layby.

Loopy; I could name several more sensible places.


--

Andrew

"She plays the tuba.
It is the only instrument capable
of imitating a distress call."