Seeing Red: The Decline of London's Buses
19 January 2025
ABOVE: Transport for London (TfL) contracts all of its services out to private operators. Here, Transport UK London West 2559 (YX17 NVF), an ADL Enviro400H MMC, is substituting for a Wright New Routemaster on route H32 (Southall to Hounslow). The bus does not carry blinds for the H32, so a piece of paper with the route number has been stuck in the route number aperture. Unfortunately, no-one has thought to wind the destination blind to a blank panel, so it shows the destination for school bus 618. This is typical of the decline in standards from TfL that I am going to describe in this article. The bus is parked up on the stand in Cambridge Road, Southall on Saturday 30 November 2024, in the company of New Routemaster LT 153 (LTZ 1153, also working route H32), an ADL Enviro200 on route 95 (Southall to Shepherds Bush), and another New Routemaster at the back.
Have you ever been in the situation where a drunk person has cornered you and wants to put the world to rights? As you read this, imagine me playing the drunken bore (I'm teetotal, so it will be a stretch).
I'm very shorry about thishh, but I will buy you a drink afterwardshh.
ABOVE: Go-Ahead London Central SE 79, an ADL Enviro200, turns from Wilton Road into Gayton Road in Abbey Wood, South East London, on Sunday 13 October 2024. The picture is taken from the Harrow Manorway, which passes high above these roads.
I'm always amazed at the number of organisations that say they want a bus network like London's. It is true that we (I can say "we" as a Londoner born-and-bred) have a comprehensive and frequent network of buses, but we also have slow, crowded buses that often terminate short of their advertised destination. We have poor information, on-and-off bus, and things continue to decline.
The decline in standards under Transport for London (TfL) over the last few years has been startling. What is probably needed is the London Bus Network of about 20 years ago.
Admin First, Passengers Second (1)
Let's start with a puzzle. Imagine that you have two bus routes that you want to merge:
Here's a diagram which might help...!
- Route 1 (identities have been changed to protect the innocent) runs from point A, via point B to point C.
- Route 2 starts off a little way from point B (I have called it point B2). It then runs to point C via the same roads as route 1, before continuing to points D & E.
Here's a diagram which might help...!
So my question is this:
Which route number do you choose for the revised route, in order to confuse the fewest number of passengers?
Answer later. In the meantime, where is TfL going wrong?
ABOVE: Route 1 is another London route to have undergone major restructuring. This traditional Central / South East London route was extended on 30 September 2023 to absorb route 168 (Hampstead Heath to Old Kent Road) and thus introduced to a whole new swaythe of North London. It now operates from Hampstead Heath to Canada Water. Still looking a bit out of place in Haverstock Hill, Belsize Park, on Sunday 29 September 2024 (one day short of a year from when the change was introduced) is Go-Ahead London Central EH52 (YX16 OCH), an Enviro400H MMC.
All the resilience is being stripped out
No-one wants to see an empty bus, but nor does anyone other than a bean counter want a full one. Over the last few years frequencies have been reduced on a substantial number of routes. Whilst some of these have been to very frequent services (eg, an eight-minute frequency reduced to ten), any reduction makes the remaining buses more crowded and less appealing.
I appreciate that a 10-minute frequency is a luxury for many readers, who might be lucky to have, say, an hourly service. But this is London, and a gap or reduction in service like this might result in a full, crush-loaded bus arriving, which is welcomed by nobody.
Route 24 (Hampstead Heath to Pimlico) used to run every 5 minutes in peak hours - it's now half that. Route 148 (White City to Camberwell Green), which was a hugely busy service before the pandemic, has been successively cut from every 7.5 minutes to every 10, and more recently to every 12 minutes.
Cuts like this are happening everywhere, as everything is gradually cut back to the bare minimum, leading to more crowding and less-comfortable rides.
ABOVE: Scarcely altered route-wise in 100 years or more, route 24 has seen drastic frequency cuts in recent years. LT 168 (LTZ 1168), a Wright New Routemaster, stands at South End Green, the Hampstead Heath terminus, on Bank Holiday Monday 2 January 2023.
There have also been many cases where routes that parallel one another have been merged or axed. My local route 427 (now Uxbridge to Southall) lost its long common section between Southall and Acton in March 2023; a section it shared with route 207 (Hayes By-Pass to White City). This meant the loss of one third of the buses along this busy corridor overnight (down from 24 buses per hour to 16).
The result is that route 207 has gone up from being something like the ninth-busiest service in London to the fourth-busiest. And the buses are crowded at all times of the day and week.
And that's in normal service. If anything goes wrong, such as the Elizabeth Line failing (which it does, frequently), the 207 service becomes untenable. One day last summer I was setting off for London King's Cross on a 'research' trip when the Elizabeth Line had gone down. There were about two bus loads of people standing at the 207 bus stop for Ealing (the quickest route to another railway line). With my large suitcase, contemplating that journey was impossible for me. I had to go to King's Cross via Uxbridge.
Tube strikes, roadworks, rail service breakdowns, parades and demonstrations all cause delays and disruption, and there is far less resilience to pick the slack than there once was.
ABOVE: Two church spires dominate the landscape of Muswell Hill, North London, where Metroline Travel OME 2667 (YJ69 DFE), an Optare MetroDecker EV, works route 134 (North Fichley to Warren Street) on Sunday 3 November 2024. This service had its rush hour frequency reduced from every 6-7 to every 8 minutes in 2022.
Fare Evasion
This is the most serious issue. Fare evasion is rife across London's buses, and indeed the entire TfL network. On a regular basis I am 'tail-gated' through a ticket barrier, at my local station, Southall, and at Tottenham Court Road - the other end of my regular journey. This action is sometimes observed by staff, but they do not do intervene.
I understand the concerns that staff will have for their personal safety, but to fail to condemn or tackle this behaviour is to condone and encourage it. This is a company-wide problem so needs some top-level leadership in order to tackle it.
It's the same on the buses of course. Many people round my way have learnt that all they have to do is tell the driver that they have "lost their ticket", or that they're "only going two stops" and most drivers will just wave them on. Apparently there is a button on the ticket machine that drivers can press to record these instances, but I suspect most drivers don't do so for fear of repercussions when they get back to the depot.
I understand the concerns that staff will have for their personal safety, but to fail to condemn or tackle this behaviour is to condone and encourage it. This is a company-wide problem so needs some top-level leadership in order to tackle it.
It's the same on the buses of course. Many people round my way have learnt that all they have to do is tell the driver that they have "lost their ticket", or that they're "only going two stops" and most drivers will just wave them on. Apparently there is a button on the ticket machine that drivers can press to record these instances, but I suspect most drivers don't do so for fear of repercussions when they get back to the depot.
Bus Stop and Online Information
TfL runs 675 bus routes, but there are only a few maps available, and nothing comprehensive to cover the whole of London.
There are area-based "Spider Maps" which show the network based on one local traffic objective, but there are some omissions, such as Uxbridge, and some, like Romford Station, that are so complicated, with so many routes, as to be difficult to follow.
There are area-based "Spider Maps" which show the network based on one local traffic objective, but there are some omissions, such as Uxbridge, and some, like Romford Station, that are so complicated, with so many routes, as to be difficult to follow.
ABOVE: Route 86 (Romford to Stratford) is one of the busier services on the TfL network, requiring a peak of 30 buses. Stagecoach London 19753 (LX11 BCY), an ADL Enviro400, is seen in High Road, Chadwell Heath, on Saturday 23 March 2024.
The only other online map (and don't bother looking for a printed one, as TfL doesn't do them) is the "Key bus routes in central London" map. This shows 22 selected Central London bus routes, but omits several others that might also be considered 'key', such as the 26 (Victoria to Hackney Wick), the 29 (Trafalgar Square to Wood Green) or the 94 (Acton Green to Piccadilly Circus).
Route 26 took over part of route 11 in 2023 and could be considered to be quite an important tourist route, as it serves Westminster, Trafalgar Square, Aldwych, St Paul's and Liverpool Street. Route 29 parallels the 24 (which is included), all the way from Trafalgar Square to Camden Town (I shouldn't mention that - it's ripe for a cut in the current climate)!
I probably should not mention either that the 94 runs the length of Oxford Street, then all the way alongside the 148 to Notting Hill Gate (the western edge of the map) and on to Shepherds Bush. TfL already has its claws into the 94 in connection with reducing the number of buses along Oxford Street. The frequency has been cut, in two steps, from every six minutes to every 8-9, with a consequent cut in the number of buses required from 25 to 18.
With the 148 cuts as well, the number of buses per hour in the peaks between Shpeherds Bush and Mable Arch has fallen from 18 per hour to 12 over the last couple of years. If the Central Line fails, these are the routes people need instead - but there's no capacity.
ABOVE: RATP London BCE 47098 (LG71 DWP), a BYD D8UR-DD ADL Enviro400EV, loads at Shepeherds Bush Green at the start of the long route 148 to Camberwell Green, on Saturday 4 June 2022 (part of the four-day Golden Jubilee weekend). This route and the 94 share the same roads all the way to Marble Arch.
Meanwhile, many bus stops carry either out-of-date timetables or no timetables at all. All of the TLC has gone.
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ABOVE: Route 607 was replaced by "Superloop" SL8 in July 2023, but timetables for both routes are apparent in this shot, LEFT, from the Iron Bridge stop in Southall, on Sunday 4 February 2024. The latest iteration of route 10 (Hammersmith to King's Cross) was withdrawn in November 2018, but that didn't stop this timetable (CENTRE) being uncovered at a bus stop in Oxford Street, where it was photographed on Saturday 3 February 2024. The stop on the RIGHT, where Southbury Road meets Great Cambridge Road, between Enfield and Ponders End, just looks scruffy and unloved.
Information on the buses themselves
In the section below are photographs I have taken in the last few months showing buses in service with either the wrong information or no information at all. TfL's Contract Management has clearly not picked any of this up, or else the Contract Managers have decided to turn a blind eye.
I wrote to TfL about this, giving a long list of examples. They replied as follows:
I wrote to TfL about this, giving a long list of examples. They replied as follows:
Dear Customer
Thanks for your email on 10 March with a list of buses operating in service without destination blinds and with the wrong route number. I’m sorry for any confusion caused.
I’m grateful to you for bringing your concerns to our attention, which we have relayed to [operators].
We have asked them to repair any blinds that are not working and to remind drivers to ensure the correct information is displayed before the bus goes into service.
Thanks again for contacting us.
That was back in March. Of course, nothing has changed.
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ABOVE LEFT: Transport UK 8880 (SN17 MOU), an ADL Enviro200, is working route 195 (not 350 or 481), when seen at the Iron Bridge on Sunday 15 December 2024, whilst, RIGHT, in the early morning of Tuesday 17 December 2024, a Wright New Routemaster passes Leicester Square working roue 24 to Hampstead Heath, not route 27 as indicated on the front.
Correspondence and Freedom of Information Requests
TfL's handling of correspondence and Freedom of Information (FOI) requests leaves a lot to be desired. I have already shared the response, above, that I got to my complaint about buses running around without proper displays. But that was the second response.
I originally wrote enclosing three photographs as evidence:
I originally wrote enclosing three photographs as evidence:
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ABOVE: The three pictures I sent to TfL back in March 2024. The two buses LEFT and CENTRE are both in the same spot, outside the King's Hall in South Road, Southall, working route 427 (Uxbridge to Southall). ADL Enviro400H MMC 2561 (YX17 NVH) is minus a route number on Monday 13 November 2023, whilst fellow 2560 (YX17 NVG) disgraces itself with the wrong route number (and a night route number at that) on New Years Day, Monday 1 January 2024. On the RIGHT, ADL Enviro200 MMC 8877 (SN17 MMX) can only manage a route number when seen at the Iron Bridge in Southall on Sunday 10 December 2023.
I felt that these three pictures would be sufficient to put in front of an operator to say "there is a problem here". But no. TfL came back to ask:
You have highlighted three examples, however as I am sure you know we have lots of routes across the London area run by different operators.
You have said in your feedback that there are an increasing number of buses, so we would need further information as follows:
Date and time of incident (s)
Bus route numbers
To that end, we would need more information overall so that this can be investigated and action taken. If this is related to your local area, then we can concentrate on that initially.
I was also sent a feedback form: "I’d love to hear your opinion about how we responded to your contact". I enjoyed filling that in!
Back in September, I raised a specific concern about some local roadworks affecting buses in West London, where I live:
The roadworks in Hamilton Road, Southall, finished last Friday, 20th September, and the roads in the vicinity are all now open again as normal.
I'm trying to understand how route 95 has been able to return to its normal route, whilst routes 482 and H32 remain curtailed short of Southall Town Centre, reportedly for the best part of another three weeks.
I think my question was pretty clear, but TfL clearly didn't understand it, based on what came back:
Thank you for taking the time to contact us about the disruption you experienced. We really appreciate you sharing your feedback with us.
We aim to run a reliable service on all our routes, so it’s disappointing to hear you didn’t experience this. There are a range of reasons as to why we did not meet your expectations and we need to get to the bottom of this. We’ve taken your feedback and passed this onto the bus operator for this route, who will look into why this incident occurred. If it is an operating issue, this will enable them to fix the problem and if it is an external issue, such as road works or an accident, the operator will look at ways they can improve communicating these issues to you going forward.
I do want to assure you that our operators take each and every complaint very seriously and will investigate your concerns thoroughly. Thanks to your feedback, we are able to continuously improve the service we provide to our customers.
I hope you have a great day and that your future journeys with us are trouble free.
Perhaps I should have asked this question under the FoI Act instead. I don't generally make FoI requests, because I know people who have to deal with them, and I know what they have to go through in order to do so!
But the Act is in place, so TfL has to live with it in the same way as all other public bodies do. With that in mind, its approach should be a little more welcoming than what appears on its website:
Answering FOI requests requires the use of limited resources and the attention of staff who could be supporting other essential activity.
My translation: "If you insist on submitting an FOI request then we will have to deal with it, but we would rather that you didn't."
If someone makes such a request then it must be answered by law - however spurious or nonsensical it might be. For example, someone recently asked about pollution caused by the New Year's Firework display in central London - a matter for the Greater London Authority rather than TfL. How that would be a transport matter I don't know. But TfL was still obliged to make a 'search' for the information, and to write back to the correspondent.
More interestingly, someone else asked for confirmation that the Piccadilly Line was disrupted on 31 December 2024, for a "travel insurance claim for a missed flight". They were sent a complicated extract from a database (22 rows of data across five columns) with a lengthy explanation of how to interpret the data.
All that they probably needed was a "We can confirm that there were severe delays on the Piccadilly Line between Acton Town and Heathrow that morning, due to an earlier signal failure at Boston Manor". Perhaps TfL should publish details of disruptions, as this correspondent can't be the only one who needs this kind of information for an insurance claim. Probably too embarrassing to do so, though.
Admin First, Passengers Second (2)
So what was all that stuff earlier on about merging routes 1 & 2, then? Let me reproduce the maps, but now with slightly more detail:
In February, TfL will extend route 118 (currently Morden - Brixton) over part of route 45 (currently Clapham Park to Elephant & Castle). Route 118 will be preserved in its entirety, with the Brixton to Camberwell Green section of route 45 bolted on, and the two limbs of route 45 discontinued (other services are available over these sections - this is London).
Which is the easier explanation for customers?
- Route 118 will be extended from Brixton to Camberwell Green, via route 45, which will no longer run.
- Route 45 will be diverted at Streatham Hill to run via route 118 to Morden. Route 45 will no longer serve Clapham Park. It will also be withdrawn between Camberwell Green and Elephant & Castle. Route 118 will no longer run.
In my view, the merged service should be numbered 118, as the whole 118 route remains intact. But TfL will be numbering the revised service as the 45. It's connected to contract management, but will confuse an awful lot of people in the first days, especially along the long section that is currently purely route 118!
ABOVE: Go-Ahead London General E144 (SN60 BZS), an ADL Enviro400, passes along Streatham High ROad, working the soon-to-be extinct route 118, on Sunday 29 December 2024.
Summary
In summary, TfL has allowed a huge decline in its services over the last few years, both in quantity and quality. It needs to start thinking about how to grow its business, rather than allowing it to shrink still further. London used to have a World Class transport network but, above ground at least, this is no longer the case.
TfL must also think about its messaging. This walking map gives a sublimnal message of what feels like it ought to be TfL's buses slogan at the moment:
TfL must also think about its messaging. This walking map gives a sublimnal message of what feels like it ought to be TfL's buses slogan at the moment:
I could go on ("ooh, doesn't he go on")! But I'll stop there.
If you do want a decent map of London's buses by the way, then you can buy a good, high quality one from www.busmap.co.uk/. A shame that one has to go to an external supplier to find a map that should be provided by TfL. But that's just another symptom of the decline of this once-great organisation.
And someone needs to make it great again, to justify all the aspirations that others have on being like it!
So my apologeesh for keeping you in the corner while I had my little rant. Thankssh for lishening! I promished you a drink - what will you have?