The 500-and somethings are two special commuter-friendly people-carriers operating out of Waterloo, and they'll be replaced by souped-up single deckers next June. As for the 38, the ultimate Hackney carriage, that'll be getting double-deckered in November. Alas the new 38s won't be Routemasters, not like they used to be, they'll just be ordinary red accessible boxes on wheels. Still, it's gotta be good hasn't it, getting rid of evilkillerbendybuses? So long as there's sufficient room inside their replacements for everyone to fit on board, that is. Boris has attempted to be reassuring...
The press release kindly includes full details of bus frequencies at different times of the week, which is helpful because it'll help me to check TfL's capacity argument.
Let's see whether the good people of Hackney are going to be able to cram into their 38s in the future, or not. Starting with the morning rush hour.
Route 38, weekday morning rush hour
Bendy buses Dec 2008
Double deckers Nov 2009
Buses per hour
20 bendy buses
28 double deckers
Gap between buses
3 minutes
2 min 10s
Seats per hour
980 seats
1820 seats
Capacity per hour
2980 people
2380 people
Equivalent service
35 double deckers
16 bendy buses
So, in the post-bendy morning peak there'll be more buses more often. Currently there's a three minute gap between buses, and in the future that'll be more like two. Which is excellent... so long as the buses aren't full. Looks promising, because there'll also be a lot more seats available. Each double decker has 16 more seats than each bendy, and that means almost twice as many places to sit down in the new Boris future. Hurrah!
But there is a downside. You can cram huge numbers of people onto a bendy, but you can't get many extras onto a double decker before the gangways clog. Standing on a crowded bendy bus may be really unpleasant, but at least you get to work. And it appears that Boris hasn't quite funded sufficient double deckers to match previous bendy capacity. Net result, this time next year 600 fewer people per hour will be able to ride the 38 from Clapton Pond into town. Boris's replacement double decker service is the equivalent of only 16 bendies per hour, not the existing 20. Rather than delivering 28 double deckers an hour, Boris ought to be promising 35.
Route 38, Sunday afternoon
Bendy buses Dec 2008
Double deckers Nov 2009
Buses per hour
10 bendy buses
12 double deckers
Gap between buses
6 minutes
5 minutes
Seats per hour
490 seats
780 seats
Capacity per hour
1490 people
1020 people
Equivalent service
17½ double deckers
7 bendy buses
On a Sunday afternoon, things are different. The 38 isn't usually packed, often barely half full, and that means the number of seats is more important than the amount of standing room. Good news, the buses will come more frequently, and you're much more likely to find somewhere to sit down. It's a "win win" on a Sunday afternoon, by the looks of it. At least until Monday morning comes round, when Boris's newly de-bendied 38 will leave hundreds of Hackney residents by the roadside. And all at a cost of £3m extra per year. Hmmm. But that's the price of fulfilling an election promise - for some, a worse service.
Straightening things out
Let's see whether the good people of Hackney are going to be able to cram into their 38s in the future, or not. Starting with the morning rush hour.
Straightening things out
Let's see whether the good people of Hackney are going to be able to cram into their 38s in the future, or not. Starting with the morning rush hour.