In message , Iain Archer
writes

Meanwhile someone at the Independent had a bright idea, resulting
in an article today by Jonathan Brown based on a journey
on the 0845 No. 30 _from_ Hackney Wick:
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/transport/article297934.ece.

The BBC is today carrying a story of a survivor of the No.30 incident,
who had caught the bus after leaving the tube system at Edgware Road -
she was travelling east:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4669793.stm

So I think there can be no doubt that the No.30 was travelling to
Hackney Wick (as on its destination board), despite every source I've
seen claiming that it was coming *from* Hackney Wick.

The origin of the report of the wrong direction seems to have been a
statement from TfL. I wonder if Paul C may be able to clarify?

--
Paul Terry

On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 08:45:13 +0100, Paul Terry
wrote:

So I think there can be no doubt that the No.30 was travelling to
Hackney Wick (as on its destination board), despite every source I've
seen claiming that it was coming *from* Hackney Wick.

The origin of the report of the wrong direction seems to have been a
statement from TfL. I wonder if Paul C may be able to clarify?

I cannot say for certain as I don't work for Buses. The general
consensus is that the bus was heading east bound for Hackney Wick and
was on diversion - hence why it ended up in Tavistock Square.

Just because a newspaper features someone travelling from one terminus
as opposed to the other one does not have any bearing on the underlying
"facts" of this incident. I think people will have to wait for final
official statements to be made about exactly what happened when or if
people actually reach a reliable conclusion.

Most of the press coverage has, in my opinion, shown how little is
understood about London's transport network.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

In message , Paul Corfield
writes

On Mon, 11 Jul 2005 08:45:13 +0100, Paul Terry
wrote:

The origin of the report of the wrong direction seems to have been a
statement from TfL. I wonder if Paul C may be able to clarify?

I cannot say for certain as I don't work for Buses. The general
consensus is that the bus was heading east bound for Hackney Wick

Thanks. I have now discovered that Stagecoach published that information
in a press release on Friday.

Just because a newspaper features someone travelling from one terminus
as opposed to the other one does not have any bearing on the underlying
"facts" of this incident.

Indeed so. However, it was a bit more than just one newspaper - every
source I looked at, be it BBC website, TV, radio or newspaper, was
repeating this same piece of incorrect information until today.

I can understand much panic and confusion on Thursday, but the article
in Saturday's Independent was very unfortunate in its series of
incorrect suppositions - had the journalist concerned applied the logic
pursued in this newsgroup on Friday (or simply looked at that day's
press statement from the bus operator) he might have realised that his
house was built on sand. I used to think better of The Independent.

Most of the press coverage has, in my opinion, shown how little is
understood about London's transport network.

On that I will certainly agree. Much of the coverage seemed to me to be
more akin to "Chinese Whispers" that any sort of journalistic rigour.

--
Paul Terry

"Paul Terry" wrote in message
...
The BBC is today carrying a story of a survivor of the No.30 incident,
who had caught the bus after leaving the tube system at Edgware Road -
she was travelling east:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4669793.stm
So I think there can be no doubt that the No.30 was travelling to
Hackney Wick (as on its destination board), despite every source I've
seen claiming that it was coming *from* Hackney Wick.
The origin of the report of the wrong direction seems to have been a
statement from TfL. I wonder if Paul C may be able to clarify?
Paul Terry

This adds weight to the possibility that the bomber got on this bus after
leaving the bomb at Edgware Road, only to be hoist by his own petard.
Baz

In message , Paul Terry
writes

The BBC is today carrying a story of a survivor of the No.30 incident,
who had caught the bus after leaving the tube system at Edgware Road -
she was travelling east:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4669793.stm

I emailed the BBC this morning to point out that Stagecoach (the bus
operator) released a press statement on Friday saying that the No.30 was
going from Marble Arch to Hackney Wick (not from Hackney to Marble
Arch):

http://www.stagecoachgroup.com/sgc/m...05/2005-07-08/

The Beeb have now corrected the direction of the bus at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/h.../tavistock.stm

(No cigar for Jonathan Brown of The Independent, though!)

--
Paul Terry

Paul Terry wrote:
In message , Paul Terry
writes

The BBC is today carrying a story of a survivor of the No.30 incident,
who had caught the bus after leaving the tube system at Edgware Road -
she was travelling east:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4669793.stm

I emailed the BBC this morning to point out that Stagecoach (the bus
operator) released a press statement on Friday saying that the No.30 was
going from Marble Arch to Hackney Wick (not from Hackney to Marble
Arch):

http://www.stagecoachgroup.com/sgc/m...05/2005-07-08/

The Beeb have now corrected the direction of the bus at:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/h.../tavistock.stm

(No cigar for Jonathan Brown of The Independent, though!)

--
Paul Terry


Rather revealing about the nature of journalism though.