New Arriva bus 382 - whoops!
 

Kind of infrastructure problems - more like nimbys, though. Winchmore
Hill Residents Association (along with local councillors) decided that
The Green was "unsuitable" for double deck buses and so vetoed the
plan for the 125 (via Church Hill, The Green and Station Road and then
via Green Lanes to Enfield) without coming up with an alternative. As
the 125 is DLA and every 10 mins presumably tfl didn't want to
substitute with a Dart every 15 mins along this section.

"John Rowland" wrote in message ...
Hi all,

Bus 382 started today (Saturday). It was supposed to serve Parkside Gardens
in South Barnet, and since I happened to be in the area for an unrelated
reason and noticed the 382 plate on a bus stop, I decided to park the car
and wait to see the new bus. After 2 buses in each direction failed to
materialise, I asked some locals who informed me that the buses couldn't fit
through Parkside Gardens and had been diverted via Osidge LaneThere was no
warning on any of the bus stops.

At Southgate I asked the Arriva inspector, who stated that the problem was
not Arriva's fault. His tone of voice suggested that further questions were
not welcome. Subsequently I met a 382 in Chase Side, and I waited close to
the kerb so that the bus would have enough room to pass, but the bus would
not pass until I had reversed and created a huge gap. I have passed enough
buses in my time to know what to expect, and the unusual event made me think
"the bus driver must be new". Putting it all together, I am guessing that
Arriva have employed brand new drivers for the new route, and although the
experienced driver who did the route test was able to get the bus through
Parkside Gardens, the inexperienced drivers that Arriva are using for the
service are not up to it - in which case, the blame lies very much at
Arriva's door.

Incidentally, the 382 was originally intended to run on from Southgate to
Winchmore Hill via the current 125 route, and the 125 was to be diverted via
Winchmore Hill station and extended to Enfield. This seems indefinitely
postponed - perhaps for similar infrastructure problems?