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The bendy bus blues
• LAST weekend’s withdrawal of bendy buses on route 38 can have serious consequences for Islington’s roads and commuters. With 72 double-deck buses replacing the 44 bendies, roads are certain to become more clogged. Also, with everyone cramming through one door, commuter journeys are likely to be longer and parents with prams will struggle to get on.
Taking bendies off route 38 is estimated to be costing £2.8million a year. This waste of money shows a lack of cost-effective policies by a mayor who doesn’t even use the bus and who just announced fare rises of up to 20 per cent for bus users.
The “debendification” of short commuter routes 507 and 521 earlier this year led to chaotic scenes at bus stops, with unhappy passengers struggling to get onto cramped buses. Considering the 38 is the first “full-length route” to be “debendified”, it will be interesting to see what the effects are.
I for one will be monitoring the service on route 38 closely and invite everyone who has experienced a deterioration of the service to inform me via jennette.arnold@london.gov.uk so I can take it up with the Mayor and Transport for London.
Jennette Arnold
London Assembly Labour member for North East London |
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