"Brian Blandford" wrote in message
news

Yes, but when are they going to add more stops along routes (e.g. Oxford
St)
to take on the passengers who used to hop on between stops? There is no
reason to have so few stops especially when traffic moves so slowly.

Oxford Street is a road which ought not to have any buses going along it. A
free shuttle bus, taking people to the places where routes cross the street,
would probably be a simple way to make the street a pedestrian precinct, and
could probably handle all those who don't want to walk to a stop in a
parallel street.
--
Terry Harper
http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/

On Sat, 08 Nov 2003 12:23:16 +0000, "Steve Naïve"
wrote:

Oxford Street is a road which ought not to have any buses going along
it. A free shuttle bus, taking people to the places where routes cross
the street, would probably be a simple way to make the street a
pedestrian precinct, and could probably handle all those who don't
want to walk to a stop in a parallel street.

Or the old 'travellator' idea?

I was on Oxford Street today, and noticed that it seemed to be moving
rather more quickly than in the past. However, most of the problems
were being caused by inappropriately-stopped taxis than anything to do
with buses, which themselves seemed not to be any problem, especially
with the faster boarding due to off-bus ticketing[1].

This would suggest to me one of two courses of action:-
1) Ban taxis from Oxford Street and make it bus-only; or
2) Provide sufficient laybys (other than bus stops) in which taxis may
stop, and prohibit them from stopping in any other location, with this
being strictly enforced.

Some changes to the traffic light phasing may also help - perhaps
transponders on buses could be used to allow the main bus flow to get
priority over crossing flows to keep things moving?

[1] As an aside, those machines seem not to be too reliable; I've seen
a number of people using violence against them to try and get
"swallowed-up" money back. Seeing as they're based on parking
machines which generally seem quite reliable (IMX), this needs dealing
with.

Neil

--
Neil Williams
is a valid email address, but is sent to /dev/null.
Try my first name at the above domain instead if you want to e-mail me.

In message , Neil Williams
writes

[1] As an aside, those machines seem not to be too reliable; I've seen
a number of people using violence against them to try and get
"swallowed-up" money back. Seeing as they're based on parking
machines which generally seem quite reliable (IMX), this needs dealing
with.

My (limited) experience watching people use the machines is that they
don't read the instructions and expect them to dispense tickets anyway.

In many cases, they will try to put their money in first, which is
immediately rejected as a ticket type hasn't been selected. They don't
realise the money is in the reject tray and select their ticket anyway.
Then they look at the machine for a while until they realise their money
is in the reject tray. Of course, when they start this process again,
they put the money back in and the machine promptly issues the ticket
from their last selection.
--
Steve Fitzgerald has now left the building.
You will find him in London's Docklands, E16, UK
(please use the reply to address for email)

Steve Fitzgerald ] writes:

In many cases, they will try to put their money in first, which is
immediately rejected as a ticket type hasn't been selected.

That is just stupid. These days with computer controlled machines,
there is no reason to be inflexible like this. The same goes for BR
ticket machines that only accept notes in one orientation.

On Sat, 08 Nov 2003 23:23:41 GMT,
(Neil Williams) wrote:


[1] As an aside, those machines seem not to be too reliable; I've seen
a number of people using violence against them to try and get
"swallowed-up" money back. Seeing as they're based on parking
machines which generally seem quite reliable (IMX), this needs dealing
with.


Last month I had my first visit to London in five years, and my
first effort with these machines almost resulted in violence as you
described.

They demand that you select your ticket before you put your money
in, which I found counter-intuitive. Once I'd mastered that, the
machines and I had a much more friendly relationship. I
particularly liked being able to put in two quid for a one day bass
pass rather then needing to go to a station or newsagent.

--
Bill Hayles

http://billnot.com

On Fri, 7 Nov 2003 22:57:35 -0000, "Brian Blandford"
wrote:


Yes, but when are they going to add more stops along routes (e.g. Oxford St)
to take on the passengers who used to hop on between stops? There is no
reason to have so few stops especially when traffic moves so slowly.

I still don't understand why there isn't an Eastbound stop on Oxford
Street at Bond Street station!

On Fri, 7 Nov 2003 23:43:39 +0000 (UTC), "Terry Harper"
wrote:


Oxford Street is a road which ought not to have any buses going along it. A
free shuttle bus, taking people to the places where routes cross the street,
would probably be a simple way to make the street a pedestrian precinct, and
could probably handle all those who don't want to walk to a stop in a
parallel street.

And a free shuttle bus isn't a bus, because....?

"K" wrote in message
...

And a free shuttle bus isn't a bus, because....?

You tell me. It's a bus.
--
Terry Harper, Web Co-ordinator, The Omnibus Society
http://www.omnibussoc.org
E-mail:
URL: http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/

On Tue, 11 Nov 2003 14:38:58 +0000 (UTC), "Terry Harper"
wrote:



And a free shuttle bus isn't a bus, because....?

You tell me. It's a bus.

You just said Oxford Street shouldn't have any buses then you said it
should have free shuttle buses. Or did I misunderstand you?

"K" wrote in message
...

You just said Oxford Street shouldn't have any buses then you said it
should have free shuttle buses. Or did I misunderstand you?

What I said was that bus routes should not go along Oxford Street. It's
virtually nose-to-tail with lightly loaded buses crawling along, held up by
traffic lights and pedestrian crossings, then waiting to get on the stand at
their own stops.

If they either crossed Oxford Street, or ran parallel, the street could be
made pedestrian, and a shuttle could run along the street, maybe one of the
"train toastrack" variety, for anyone who didn't want to walk along the
shops. You could probably save 4 or 5 buses on each service with the
reduction in delays.
--
Terry Harper, Web Co-ordinator, The Omnibus Society
http://www.omnibussoc.org
E-mail:
URL: http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/