On Wed, 22 Dec 2004 20:25:52 -0000, "A H"
wrote:

Is it just me or does anyone else think this expensive new 'bus station'
doesn't live up the hype made during the planning stages?

I've not used Vauxhall since the new bus station opened but I do use
Walthamstow's similarly new bus station every day. It looks very pretty
and is more spacious but I'm not very convinced that it works very well.

I now find I have to walk from one end to the other when alighting from a 44
or 344 bus to reach the tube, quite a long way really (i.e. further than
from the old 'temporary' stop outside the hideous St George Wharf
development).

After initially grouping the stops so that I had to wait in the middle
of the bus station and then run to one of three possible stops (!) they
have now rationalised it to two stops which are beside each other. The
other stop groupings are now less logical than they were. Anyone with a
slight clue could have got it right first time.

Naturally my stops are the furthest from the tube and you cannot see if
a bus is on the stand as you exit from the tube station. This means I
have more chance of missing a bus than catching one.

Meanwhile, the 'interchange' between overground/underground/bus remains as
crap as ever (still exposed to the elements). What happened to the plan to
enclose the whole thing and provide escalators connecting the different
modes of transport? Even the new lifts tonight were 'out of order'.

We have a nice unfinished hole in the ground with absolutely nothing
being done to finish it. For the sake of balance I believe the delays
are down to LUL and not London Buses. Having used the lovely side exit
from the One platforms last night and been accosted by drunk, swearing
"finished with your travelcards" girls I look forward to a more suitable
interchange link - although it looks like it will be stairs only.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, loads of staff were standing about upstairs
doing apparently nothing.......When I asked if this was the new, improved,
long promised transport interchange they shrugged their shoulders and one
said "I know, it's absolute crap. So much for progress".

Oh we have lots of staff but none of them seem to do very much. We used
to survive with one inspector at the old bus station - now we can have
as many as 4 London Buses plus multiple people from the operating
companies.

I think it must the only bus station I've ever come across where there
are no clocks - I'm convinced the bus station is still unfinished
although the contractors have now moved off site.

What is the point in spending millions on something which has made foot
journeys between the different modes even longer than before? Is this 'major
new transport interchange' merely the latest manifestation of all that is
wrong with Blair's Blighty?

I think there are a couple of issues. One is a laudable desire to
provide some nicely designed "different" buildings. This is fine
provided you don't spend huge sums achieving it - I'm not sure this has
happened with the bus station schemes. The second is the quality of
TfL's project management for these schemes which is not as good as it
could be in my view. Recent TfL tenders in OJEC have requested
additional project management expertise so perhaps TfL have recognised
this weakness Future schemes should therefore be provided on time and
to budget - we all know these bus stations have been late but I've not
seen anything about costs. Finally there will always be some losers on
where stops get allocated within a bus station - it's a shame if you're
one of the ones with the longest walk!

--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!