Helen Deborah Vecht wrote to uk.transport.london on Sun, 15 May 2005:

"Chris!" typed


Some of the new deckers have a CCTV camera peering out the front window
with a display on the inside. Also, on all deckers you can see out the
front windows upstairs but of course some people are unable to get
upstairs

Some people are unable to get up the stairs. Far more are unwilling.
There'd be little downstairs crowding if those who could go upstairs
did...

The trouble is that if you are only going a couple of stops (and the use
of passes encourages this, I'm afraid), it's hardly worthwhile going
upstairs, since by the time you have, it's time to turn round and come
downstairs again, given that bus drivers don't believe you want to get
off if you aren't standing by the doors when the bus pulls away from the
stop before yours! And if you have a lot of shopping, or luggage, then
you don't particularly want to go upstairs (although if I'm coming back
from the West End I do, since I wouldn't enjoy such a long bus journey
downstairs). And, as you so rightly say, not everybody is able to climb
the stairs, particularly when the bus is moving.
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 3 April 2005