http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/8165471.stm

Bendy buses taken out of service

A group of bendy buses is being taken out of commission in London by
mayor Boris Johnson.

The nine vehicles, operating on Route 507, will be replaced by new buses
after their final day of service.

He pledged to scrap the "much-loathed" buses last year, saying they were
dangerous and enabled fare evasion.

But passenger group London TravelWatch and the London Assembly's Labour
group said there was no evidence bendy buses caused more accidents.

Removing bendy buses was one of Mr Johnson's key pledges during last
year's mayoral election, and he plans to phase them all out by 2011.

Buses on Route 507, which travels between Waterloo and Victoria, will be
replaced by a new, more frequent single-decker bus on Saturday.

Mr Johnson said: "These writhing whales of the road have swung their
hefty rear ends round our corners for the final time."

He said the new buses will emit less CO2 than the bendy buses, which
will be sent back "to their spiritual home, an airfield in the Midlands"
next week.

Transport for London (TfL) said it would cost an extra £12m per year to
replace the vehicles.

However, a spokeswoman said: "We would expect to see an increase in
revenue of about £5m per annum thanks to a reduction in fare evasion on
these routes."
continues

On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:02:28 +0100
"Recliner" wrote:
Mr Johnson said: "These writhing whales of the road have swung their
hefty rear ends round our corners for the final time."

Yes, because the obvious enviromental way to go is replace N bendy buses
with N*2 normal buses to maintain the same service. Twice as many engines,
not to mention twice as many drivers required, less easy to access for
pushchairs and disabled people and assuming the single deckers he's mentioned
replacing them with are the single door at the front variety it take a shed
load longer for people to board.

Genius decision Boris. Perhaps we should go back to steam trains on the
underground while you're at it?

He said the new buses will emit less CO2 than the bendy buses, which

Less per bus, but I suspect when you add up the total service it'll be
somewhat more.

will be sent back "to their spiritual home, an airfield in the Midlands"
next week.

Ie perfectly servicable vehicles are about to be mothballed for no good
reason other than a bunch of whining idiot cyclists and a grandstanding
politician.

Transport for London (TfL) said it would cost an extra £12m per year to
replace the vehicles.

However, a spokeswoman said: "We would expect to see an increase in
revenue of about £5m per annum thanks to a reduction in fare evasion on
these routes."

Yeah , right. At a quid a pop on the buses are they serious suggesting there
were 5 million fare evasions on bendy bus routes along every year?? What a
load of horse****.

B2003

On Jul 24, 3:34*pm, wrote:
[accurate and correct things]

Bloody hell, that's a Boltar post that I completely, 100% agree with.
Must be the end times...

--
John Band
john at johnband dot org
www.johnband.org

On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:02:28 +0100, Recliner wrote:

Buses on Route 507, which travels between Waterloo and Victoria, will be
replaced by a new, more frequent single-decker bus on Saturday.

Why not double-deckers?

--
jhk

In message , at 18:36:43 on
Fri, 24 Jul 2009, Paul Corfield remarked:

{bad form following up on my own post}

Why?
--
Roland Perry

On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:34:11 +0000 (UTC),
wrote:

On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:02:28 +0100
"Recliner" wrote:
Mr Johnson said: "These writhing whales of the road have swung their
hefty rear ends round our corners for the final time."

Yes, because the obvious enviromental way to go is replace N bendy buses
with N*2 normal buses to maintain the same service.

I feel unusually annoyed about this... They are some of the best buses
ever to be used in London or anywhere else, in my controversial
opinion.

Genius decision Boris. Perhaps we should go back to steam trains on the
underground while you're at it?

He said the new buses will emit less CO2 than the bendy buses, which

Less per bus, but I suspect when you add up the total service it'll be
somewhat more.

Absolutely... see how the PVR has gone up - but will it be enough?

will be sent back "to their spiritual home, an airfield in the Midlands"
next week.

Ie perfectly servicable vehicles are about to be mothballed for no good
reason other than a bunch of whining idiot cyclists and a grandstanding
politician.

Well, it was in his campaign and manifesto... So TfL (=we) will pay
for this electioneering bolx and will pay again for his very own Grand
Projet, the BorisBus.

Richard.

Jarle H Knudsen wrote:
On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:02:28 +0100, Recliner wrote:

Buses on Route 507, which travels between Waterloo and Victoria, will be
replaced by a new, more frequent single-decker bus on Saturday.

Why not double-deckers?



Because the roof at Waterloo is too low?

--
John Ray

John Ray wrote:
Jarle H Knudsen wrote:
On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 13:02:28 +0100, Recliner wrote:

Buses on Route 507, which travels between Waterloo and Victoria, will be
replaced by a new, more frequent single-decker bus on Saturday.

Why not double-deckers?



Because the roof at Waterloo is too low?


Because double deckers are unsuitable for Red Arrow routes, which have
always (since being introduced in the 1960s) operated as high-volume
standee single decker buses). On the 521, of course, the Aldwych subway
forces single deck use anyway, but there are operational reasons too.

Tom

Paul Corfield wrote:
On Fri, 24 Jul 2009 08:39:55 -0700 (PDT), John B
wrote:

On Jul 24, 3:34 pm, wrote:
[accurate and correct things]

Bloody hell, that's a Boltar post that I completely, 100% agree with.
Must be the end times...

Ditto. I feel worried.

The Red Arrow bendies do get very full but 50 people get a seat. Come
Monday they'll be lucky if about 20 people get a seat given most of the
area will be standee only like the old GLS / LS types that the bendies
replaced.

What's the seating/standing ratio on the 12m Citaros ordered for the
507/521? 2:1 on the bendies, of course, so I'm assuming it's about 23
seats/46 standing? I note that the 1960s Red Arrow Merlins had 25
seats/48 standing, so there's progress for you.

Tom

On 24 July, 23:41, Richard

I feel unusually annoyed about this... They are some of the best buses
ever to be used in London or anywhere else, in my controversial
opinion.

I agree entirely. I think it is odd and very wrong that one man's
fatwa could get rid of them.