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Focus Summer 2001 - Menu - Index - Previous
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The London Bus initiative Conference held
at GLA HQ 24 March 2001.
This was a very successful, well attended,
(80) and very interesting conference. A large contingent from
the London Transport Users' Council and many local societies
were represented, with three members representing The Croydon
Society. There were two talks in the morning, firstly from the
Director, London Bus and River Services TfL, then the Programme
Director, London Bus Initiative which aims to revolutionise bus
services over the next 3 years. Among many items raised were
the acquisition of bus garages and recycling the Routemaster;
strict enforcement of no parking regulations at bus stops and
in bus lanes. Carnets of tickets will be issued from May 2001
and the aim is to work towards cashless travel though this is
hampered by a shortage of pass offices.
I went to two workshops, the first on fares
and tickets (including smart cards). At present part-time, shift
and emergency workers are not adequately catered for by the existing
range of tickets, and young people are not attracted to bus travel.
The second workshop on bus design and staffing was extremely
lively. The corporate responsibility on bus companies to set
standards for driver recruitment and training was emphasised,
and an improvement of pay and conditions for bus drivers was
advocated to stop the high turn over of staff.
On design, the ease of access, priority seats
and pushchair spaces was thought to make the journey more attractive
and speed up journey times. The return of conductors to make
buses safer and more pleasant and relieve the stress on the driver
was suggested. The driver should only be driving the bus and
not have to pay attention to all the other things happening on
a bus.
Kath Clayton
I also attended the afternoon workshop on
bus design and staffing. I pressed for training for staff on
how to be more affable to the public and to have good relations
with them. I also wished for the return of the conductor only
to be told by some people that the conductors were of no help
at all on the bus. This again is because they have not received
any training on the job. Whilst to-day's vehicle is expected
to be all things to all persons using it - shoppers, families
with push chairs; elderly people and others with disabilities
- a moving vehicle is not easy to supervise. Some asked to have
all buses single decker, like our trams, which might lead to
articulated buses, but garages could not take them nor can our
crowded roads.
Philip Hendy and Mr Kiley attended these sessions
and went away to run these through the computer and come up with
an idea or two. Yes it may be the revival of the Routemaster!
I thought that disabled people now have access to mobility, Dial
a Ride, taxi cards and some have clubs who have their own mini
buses and might well be able to do without the bigger buses,
especially if they have shopping delivered.
May Johnson.
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