On Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:07:33 -0000, "Andrew Heenan"
wrote:

"Mizter T" wrote ...
Anyway, the idea of having express bus routes (more than the
meagre three current ones) was actually championed by your
best mate Boris during the election!

TfL's phobia about express routes even predates Ken; the excellent X43
(fast, and full every day), was hampered from the outset by having just one
set of doors, uniquely among central routes, which slowed boarding in a
pre-oyster era. Also, LT didn't have the sense to send it fast from Highbury
Corner to Old Street using the 271 route, which would have saved another 7
minutes by cutting out upper street and Angel, which was a wasted diversion
as the bus was usually already too full by then.

It was really a LT phobia because they also effectively killed off the
177E and the X15 as well. I'm sure there are other examples but those
spring immediately to mind.

How it could have been considered to have 'failed' when it kept amazingly
good time and was full from Holloway to the city, I'll never understand (and
we were never told). They even used the best buses of the time - NI-built
Olympians.

I thought they were super speedy Scania N113s with Alexander bodywork?

But Boris's Master Plan isn't for radial routes (proven need), but for
outer-London links, bypassing the centre (may well be a need, but unproven).

I don't think they have any plans - it all appears to hinge on the X26
frequency enhancement experiment - but I agree with the general policy
direction you cite.

--
Paul C