On Jan 10, 3:08*pm, "Mizter T" wrote:

Others will correct me, but AIUI bus services such as this used to be run
within Greater London under a regime called 'London Local Service
Agreements' (LLSA), but are now run under slightly different regime called
'London Service Permits' (LSP) (both were/are granted by TfL). There's a bit
more info he
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/businessandpartners/busoperators/1228.aspx

In the latest "London Service Permit Bulletin" available from the above
page...
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/businessandpartners/lsp_bullet...
...the Metroline 84 service features on page 20 under the heading:
"2 January 2012 - Application for a new London Service Permit to replace a
London Local Service Agreement".

So it would appears as though the service has shifted over from the old LLSA
regime to the new LSP regime for licensing purposes. The blurb does say:
"NOTE: Operation of service transferred from LLSA to LSP with no changes to
routeings, picking up and setting down points, terminal points, vehicles or
timetable."

I doubt if this is means anything to the average passenger, who now
sees a red 'London' bus, running in London, charging them a "reduced"
£1-35 for a journey for which they have already paid through their
oyster or travel card.

There's not many advantages to growing older, but the freedom pass is
definitely one of them!

Peter

As an aside Peter,have you noticed if the Busdriver's "customer service"
skills are in somewhat more demand on the 84,as he/she explains,ad nauseum
the significant shift in TfL's customer focus for the area ?

Paul Corfield wrote

recognised that TfL fare levels are so far below what is charged
elsewhere that commercial bus companies cannot afford to charge them
on a wholesale basis although some do what Metroline are now offering
which is charge a cash fare which gives them money in the bank today
rather than a lot less money in the bank at some time in the future.

You'll note that where TfL do run "over the border" that there are no
competing parallel commercial routes - it would be commercial
suicide.
This is one reason why Ensign won't run into Greater London from
Lakeside or Grays - they leave it to TfL routes 370 and 372 - and the
punters have to change buses rather than have a through route which
might be the logical thing to provide.

as to competing parallel commercial routes

Is your terminology quite right ?

Thus from Kingston to Staines TfL 216 and Abellio Surrey's 458 (once
218) are 'parallel' but have no other points in common. I assume
everyone who pays prefers £1.35 to £3.90 for the full journey.

Abellio 461 (Kingston-Molesey-St Peters H) in fact a commercial route,
again I assume everyone who pays prefers £1.35 on the TfL 411 to £2.40
for the Kingston-West Molesey journey

Kingston-Esher has TFL K3 via Claygate which takes 35 minutes, 15
minutes longer than the Abellio 458/459 at £2.40

--
Mike D