Bendy bus not suitable for our streets
I CAN understand Darren Johnson's concerns about the costs and wisdom of debendifying route 38 ("Ditching bendy bus defies logic", Gazette, November 19) but there are other factors to consider.
I admit that TfL's decision seems a bit hasty, and the motives are questionable, but for my part I am interested in the outcome of the decision rather than its political background.
Let's face it, the bendy bus is a complete misfit in our long-established collection of narrow streets and it has turned Essex Road into a no-go zone for cyclists. I've been horrified to witness pavements and parking spaces torn up just to make way for these oversized vehicles. This madness has spread from London to other cities such as Swansea and it defies the laws of evolution. Normally a species must adapt to suit its environment, but in the case of the bendy bus the urban environment must be re-engineered to accommodate the species!
Ignoring the financial costs of the change, the return of double-deckers seems positive. It will cause less havoc at box junctions, offer more seats, with better views, and pedestrians will see more daylight when waiting to cross the road.
The 40 per cent increase in frequency is commensurate with the reduction in passenger volume per vehicle, but I don't see how this necessarily translates into an increase in congestion. Surely vehicle length is a bigger cause of congestion than vehicle frequency, so things might actually improve. I'm also expecting a reduction in peak-time passenger volumes as fare dodgers and pickpockets seek alternative venues.
It has been an interesting experience learning to live alongside the bendy bus and I wish it a long and happy retirement in a less congested part of the world. - Ian Shacklock, Monsell Road, N4.
* I MUST take issue with the letter from Darren Johnson regarding the replacement of the "Bendy Buses" with double deckers on the route 38 (Gazette, November 19).
Anybody with any common sense who has lived in London for five minutes would know that the city is totally unsuitable for articulated buses.
That's why we invented double decker buses in the first place. The bendy buses, frequently three in a row, cause massive traffic jams. I appreciate the cost factor and us having to pay for others mistakes - so what's new - but in the long term, the decision to phase in double deckers is, in my opinion, the right one. - Peter Knight, Southgate Road, N1.
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