Mizter T wrote:

Barry Salter wrote:
On Sun, 28 May 2006 19:39:25 +0100, "Chris Read"
wrote:


Why was this route withdrawn?

And when was it withdrawn?

A quick bit of Googling suggests that it was expensive to operate
compared to the number of journeys undertaken, plus with the Rotherhithe
Tunnel being closed for roadworks I would suspect it would have meant a
fairly major diversion compared to the short route.

Searching the tfl site shows nothing about its withdawal, and the search
results include several spider maps where it's still included. This
suggests that it may be temporary. However, the bus tender results page
list of routes does not include 395.

Don't know why it was withdrawn, can only suggest it was never that
busy.

When bus services terminate short of where people want to go, it's not
surprising they don't get passengers. Before the Jubilee, the buses
through the Rotherhithe Tunnel did serve Canary Wharf (and not just the
part nearest the station) but when the JLE opened they cut it back to
Limehouse, even though the stretch of tube between Canada Water and
Canary Wharf quickly became overcrowded!

Canary Wharf's not at all well served by buses, so it's hardly
surprising that the tube and DLR are overcrowded - and rather annoying
to see the Mayor (and almost everyone associated with the project)
claiming that because of the overcrowding, Canary Wharf should get
Crossrail before other parts of London with genuine transport problems.

But even if they wanted ot keep it away from Canary Wharf, they could at
least have diverted it up Burdet Road to Mile End. TfL are well aware
that buses attract many more passengers when there are significant
destinations at both ends of the route, so there was really no excuse
for finishing at Limehouse.

Talking of diversions, I'm always amused to see instructions posted up
at Canada Water bus station on how to get to Canary Wharf by bus.
Obviously whilst route 395 was in operation the instructions were to
catch this bus and once north of the river alight on the Commercial
road for one of the buses to the Wharf - the notices gave an estimated
journey time of 45 minutes plus, and compared it to the 5 minute
journey on the Jubilee line.

Since the 395 has been wqithdrawn new notices advise people to travel
via the City, with an estimated journey time of an hour plus.

I joked with one of the bus station staff at Canada Water about this
once, and he said they were asked the "how do I get there by bus"
question so often they'd just put up the notices. He said that they
just weren't interested in going by Tube as they had a bus pass.

I can quite understand people being on a tight budget, but it's a great
shame they ain't figured out that a zones 2&3 weekly Travelcard costs
£14, a mere 50p cheaper that a weekly London Bus Pass.

But aren't they more likely to be on one day bus passes?

--
Aidan Stanger
http://www.bettercrossrail.co.uk