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Other bus routes have been observed and recommendations made but with little outward sign of success. Notable amongst these has been their continued refusal to listen to the Wood Green residents in North Ealing. It does seem that London Buses have returned to the bad ways of London Transport who seemed to adopt the stance that ”You cannot tell us how to run a bus service, we are the experts, we know all the answers”.
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Passengers have been using EPTUG’s hotline, 020 8998
0999, to report instances of buses suddenly terminating short of their
terminus and passengers being ordered off the bus so that it can be turned
round. Recent instances include being unceremoniously dumped off a 297 at
Scotch Corner. The message line has also been used by passengers to report
single deck vehicles operating on the H32 peak service and from passengers
being unable to board overcrowded 120 services. Each of the cases has been
taken up with the service operators.
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A new route, the 228, could soon link Central Middlesex
Hospital and the new White City Shopping Centre. If approved it would proceed
via Willesden Junction, Old Oak Common Lane and crossing the A40 at Savoy
Circus. Finance for the route is being provided by the White City developers.
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Travellers on route 65 are also going to face disruption
to their journeys whilst essential public utilities work is carried out
necessitating a diversion of the route between South Ealing and the Great West
Road. The work, due to start in the mid autumn is expected to last for up to
30 weeks.
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Buggies on buses has been an issue for some time and now
bugs on buses has come to the fore. It has been reported that public transport
seats especially in east London are riddled with bugs and, “passengers should
avoid sitting on them”. Not so in Ealing say the operators whose deep cleaning
and seat replacement programmes ensure that standards here will not be allowed
to fall to unacceptable levels. But should eating and drinking on buses and
short distance trains be banned in order to improve the hygiene and
cleanliness on board? If you have views on this then please write to the
Gazette or come along to Ealing Town Hall on the 24th and hear what
the bus companies have to say.
- Time was when the 207 bus route went east
of Shepherds Bush and this provided a well used service for many. It was
shortened to terminate at Shepherds Bush at a time when London Buses chose not
to consult about changes but now there are calls for it to be extended back
into central London. London Buses are however not convinced but a new terminus
at the White City Shopping Centre where other routes and a new station on the
London Overground is being built should take the pressure off using the
Central Line for onward connections. Let us know what you think.
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The bendy buses 75% more likely to be involved in
accidents as the conventional London bus admit TfL. But the pro bendy bus
lobby say each bendy reduces the total number of buses that would otherwise
be on the road and that once better driver training and cyclist’s awareness
improves the number of accidents involving bendy buses will fall. The European
Commission has promised to investigate. Will the Boris vs. Ken match next year
be decided by the Bendy Bus debate.
- We have carried out a survey of bus services 207 and 607 and the way the service performs around the time that QPR’s home matches finish, and this will be presented to TfL for their comments. We are also looking at the needs of residents travelling to Heathrow when Terminal 5 opens, something which will have a far greater, and far longer impact on Ealing than the Olympics will have on east London but which does not seem to merit the same attention, or capital spend, among the TFL corridors of power.
- EPTUG has recently undertaken a study into bus patterns after QPR home
games to see whether fans and Shepherds Bush shoppers are being well served.
- The Free Bus also known as the 207 or Bendy Bus has attracted bad
publicity due to the crime taking place on it. Is it because it is the Free
Bus. We would like to the the revenue figures for this.
- We support the idea of express buses such as the 607 and would like to see
a similar service on the 140 route acting as an express service to Heathrow.
However the new council want to scrap bus lanes on the A312.
- Bus Lanes are a great idea for bus users, but consistency in style and
rules would prevent motorists getting into trouble.
- We have lobbied about standards on Buses and are pleased that new bus
contracts have provided improved services in many parts of the Borough.
- Over the past few years we have seen improvements in the E routes and also with
new contracts we hope that the 92 improves from being our most complained
about bus route. Now the 120 ha taken that title.
- Acton is a bottleneck for all transport not just the Public Transport. We
would like to see better prioritisation and parking enforcement in the centre.
- Better bus links from Ealing to Harrow and the linking of North Greenford
to Ealing would be improved by a new service.
- Southall festivals are rich events with many buses not running and others
stopping well short of the events. If people are to use Public Transport then
events such as this need to have bus services co-ordinated.
- Buses are a success story in the Borough over the past few years but they
could still be a lot better.
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Ealing Passenger Transport User Group
