On Wed, 31 May 2006 16:23:57 -0500, "Tristán White"
wrote:

With the news of the new N281 (or to be pedantic, 281 as it's simply a
"24-hour" route), who does one petition for a new one?

East Londoners will agree with me that the route from Stratford to Plaistow
Greengate (currently served in the daytime by the 473, the 262 and in a
round-about way the 276) is in desperate need of a nightbus route.

So the 69 and a N15 is no good then? Yes it involves a change but you
can do the journey.

The 281 change is a bit of a rip off really. It is only being created
off the back of changes to the N77 and N22 which are being chopped about
to create some justification for the N281. In other words it is partly
financed by savings elsewhere and it will make some trips from Central
London to beyond Fulwell much worse than they are now as it will involve
a change off a frequent service into one every 30 minutes with no
guarantee of a connection or a safe place to wait.

So I'd like to petition London Transport to provide a night route (or 24-
hour route) that covers the section between Stratford and the Greengate.
I'll use the arguments I have given he safety for local inhabitants,
etc.

Who would one petition? Arriva? Transport for London? My local Mayor (Sir
Robin Wales)?

You should write to TfL Buses asking if they have any plans for such a
service. The other people to raise it with are your local councillor and
GLA member. It is worth checking how Newham Council work with TfL in
terms of their regular liaison and consultation process. TfL must
consult local councils over changes and the better authorities typically
post information about such issues on their websites - e.g. transport
committee minutes.

Without wishing to sound too pessimistic there are few funds available
for significant improvements to the bus network - TfL are simply
tinkering around the edges with the exception of the West London
congestion charge related stuff. The obvious time for such changes to
be made would be if there was a retendering exercise due - unfortunately
for you all of the routes you quote are not due for renewal until 2009
as two of them have just had a two year extension to the contracts. By
then TfL will be taking a view about what is needed to support Olympic
events and to deal with the local DLR extensions that will come into
play. I would expect to see significant changes from 2010 onwards - in
the meantime don't hold your breath.

--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!