On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 12:43:54 +0100, Annabel Smyth
wrote:

I mourn the demise of the conductor

I don't. Having a conductor means they have to move around the bus,
and that means crush-loading isn't possible, and you can't stand just
because you want to because you're only going two stops.

Off-bus ticketing is the answer, though those TfL machines are of a
very poor design; counterintuitive and unreliable. Oyster will
certainly help matters, though it'd be good to push the Saver 6 a bit
harder as well.

Granted RMs are awkward for pushchairs, and
impossible for wheelchair-users, but those who have other forms of
disability used to be able to rely on a helping hand from the conductor,
who would get them on and see them safely seated before allowing the bus
to move off. Sigh....

It's sad that in London and the other big cities there's such a safety
issue with the driver emerging from his cab to help with such things,
as you often see elsewhere. However, merely waiting for someone to
sit down before departure will probably cover that in most cases.

But no, not bendy buses - they make me
feel sick

Why? They're only elongated single-deckers.

Neil

--
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
To e-mail use neil at the above domain