In June 2002, new Mercedes-Benz Citaro O530Gs were introduced on Red Arrow services 507 and 521. While articulated bus operation had been standard in several other countries for over 20 years, their use in the United Kingdom had been limited with their introduction in London gaining a lot of press attention. They were later introduced on routes 12, 18, 25, 29, 38, 73, 149, 207, 436 and 453, which were among the busiest routes of the TfL bus network.
Withdrawn buses have found their way to other parts of the UK. Some went to Arriva Midlands in Leicester and Arriva North West in Liverpool. Go-Ahead Group transferred some to its Brighton & Hove, Go North East and Go South Coast divisions. Some were sold to CT Plus, Bristol and McGill’s Bus Services, Glasgow. Arriva also exported 81 to Malta in 2011 for use by its Arriva Malta subsidiary.The introduction of articulated buses increased fare evasion as passengers were able to enter through any door, leading to the buses becoming known to Londoners as “The Free Bus”. On other UK buses (including articulated buses outside London), entry is only permitted via the front entrance, which is monitored by the driver and thus discourages evasion. As a result, Transport for London recruited an extra 150 Revenue Protection Inspectors to police revenue collection. In 2006 it was reported that conventional buses (i.e. single and double-deckers) accounted for £3,636 of fare evasion in a year, compared to articulated vehicles at £6,333 per year.
Research by London TravelWatch indicated that such a withdrawal could prove costly to TfL. A study conducted in September 2008 found that replacing articulated vehicles on routes 38, 507, and 521, whilst maintaining overall route capacity, would cost an additional £12.6m per annum, due to the additional vehicles necessitated. Additional cost was also incurred with the need to pay early termination fees on leases.
The first articulated vehicles to be replaced were on routes 507 and 521, which were replaced by twelve-metre long single-deck buses in July and September 2009 respectively. Articulated buses were replaced by double-deckers on route 38 in November 2009. Route 207 was the last route to operate articulated buses on 10 December 2011.
The buses were brought back into service after engineers replaced and modified problematic pipework in the bus engines. A later fire was ruled out as unconnected. The problem resurfaced with ex Arriva London buses in Malta in August 2013.
During the 2008 mayoral campaign, victorious Boris Johnson pledged to withdraw articulated buses on the grounds that they were unsuitable for London, and to introduce a modern version of the AEC Routemaster. Withdrawals began in July 2009, when articulated buses on routes 38, 507 and 521 were replaced with conventional single and double decker buses, and a prototype for the New Routemaster was promised to be on the streets by 2012. The last articulated buses were withdrawn in December 2011.The increased vehicle size meant they were more likely to block junctions and cause difficulties for other road users. Press coverage regarding cyclists and motorcyclists was generally negative due to the reduced viewpoint of the driver and greater likelihood of cyclists to enter blind spots.
Articulated buses took up more road space per vehicle (18 metres compared to 9.1 metres for a Routemaster and 10 metres for a double decker), although in terms of road surface used per passenger, there was little difference between double decker buses (which stack passengers vertically on two floors) and articulated buses – 11.8 cm road surface length per Routemaster passenger against 12.8 cm per articulated bus passenger: 8.7% more.In August 2008, following the election of Boris Johnson as Mayor of London, it was announced the articulated buses would be withdrawn as their five-year operating contracts expired, starting from May 2009, and completed by 2013 (or 2015 depending on contract extensions). This was brought forward to December 2011.
In September 2007, Boris Johnson, the Conservative Party candidate for the 2008 Mayor of London elections, said that his first act as mayor of London would be to “scrap” articulated buses and replace them with a “modern-day AEC Routemaster” with an open rear platform and a conductor. The New Routemaster first entered service in February 2012.Articulated buses with multiple doors and simultaneous boarding arrangements were capable of loading passengers in less time than conventional double decker buses and Routemasters. They had a much higher passenger capacity, being able to carry over 140 people per vehicle compared to 77 in a Routemaster, although with far fewer seats.
Articulated buses were introduced on several high-capacity routes in the 2000s, coinciding with withdrawal from passenger service of the AEC Routemaster. The Routemasters, involving a step upwards and poor accessibility did not conform to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. There was also the risk of litigation over accidents involving the Routemaster’s rear open platform.
During the initial stages of deployment of the articulated buses, between December 2003 and March 2004 there were three similar fires on the new Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses, causing concern over the possibility of an in-built risk to the public. In one incident, a bus caught fire on its delivery route to its operator. The fires caused the temporary withdrawal and modification of the entire fleet of 130 buses.
Does the 427 bus go Southall?
London Buses route 427 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Uxbridge station and Southall, it is operated by Abellio London.
Articulated buses, popularly called “bendy buses,” were introduced to London in October 2001 when two Wright Eclipse Fusion bodied Volvo B7LAs were hired from First Hampshire & Dorset, one of which was repainted into First London’s red livery, and six Wright Fusion bodied Volvo B10LAs from First Glasgow for a trial on route 207 between Shepherd’s Bush and Hayes-By-Pass.London Buses route 427 is a Transport for London contracted bus route in London, England. Running between Uxbridge station and Southall, it is operated by Abellio London.
Is the 40 bus gone?
40(Bus Átha Cliath – Dublin Bus) 40 (Charlestown) is operational during everyday.
On 8 April 2017, the route passed to Abellio London operating from Hayes garage. This contract was only for three rather the usual five years to allow Transport for London the option of restructuring services after the Elizabeth line opened. On 11 April 2020, Abellio London commenced a new contract.The conversion of route 207 to articulated buses resulted in the route no longer being able to serve Uxbridge, due to tight turns in the town centre, so the route was split into two sections on 9 April 2005 with the western end between Uxbridge station and Acton renumbered 427, running from Acton (AT) garage using Dennis Trident 2s cascaded from route 207.
Are bendy buses still in use?
The baycar service 6 changed over to smaller vehicles and 604 was painted into standard fleet livery. The remaining 15 bendy buses continued to work Ely routes 17 and 18. Operation of these distinctive vehicles have finally come to an end, with the last day of operation being the 29th January 2022.
On 4 March 2023, the section between Acton and Southall was withdrawn. The route was also extended from Southall Town Hall to Southall, Merrick Road via South Road and Southall Station on the same day.Transport for London were proposing to build the West London Tram between Shepherd’s Bush and Uxbridge, running along Uxbridge Road. The tram would have replaced routes 207, 427 and 607. Transport for London claimed that trams would carry more passengers and be more reliable, but due to the Crossrail project going ahead the plans were scrapped.Upon being re-tendered, First London commenced a new contract on 10 April 2010, with new Wright Eclipse Gemini 2 bodied Volvo B9TLs. From the same date the route was due to be extended to Acton Town Hall in place of the former Horn Lane terminus, which was eventually put in effect in January 2011.Route W4 operates daily between Deanwood station and Anacostia station mostly operating between Northeast and Southeast. The line mostly runs along Division Avenue NE, Benning Road SE, Southern Avenue, and Alabama Avenue SE connecting multiple neighborhoods. Additional trips from Ballou High School are operated during school days in both directions. Select trips also end at Malcolm X Avenue & Newcomb Street SE, though passengers can remain on the bus as far as Malcolm X Avenue & South Capitol Street.Due to security concerns at Bolling Air Force Base, route W4 could not enter the base beginning on March 21, 2003. The route would have to be rerouted South Capitol Street between Firth Sterling Avenue and Malcolm X Avenue. Passengers will be able to alight at stops on South Capitol Street at the Navy′s Firth Sterling Gate, walk through the security checkpoint, and access an internal military shuttle bus which will follow the W9 routing around the base to reach destinations within Bolling Air Force Base and the Navy′s Anacostia Annex.On March 24, 2013, W4 service between Deanwood station and Capital Plaza Mall via Craftsman Circle and Prince George’s Hospital was discontinued due to low ridership and to improve on time performance. Alternative service was provided by routes A12, routes F1, F2, F8, F13, R11, R12, V7, V8, V14, and V15. There was no alternative service to Craftmans Circle however.In 2019 as part of WMATA’s FY2021 budget, it was proposed to reroute the W4 to Fort Drum and D.C. Village in order to discontinue the A4 and W5, Service to Anacostia station would be discontinued with alternative service will be provided on routes A2, A6, A7, A8, A9, and W2. Fort Drum and DC Village residents would lose direct service to Anacostia station if the proposal goes through. However WMATA later backed out the proposal on March 31, 2020.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Route W4 was reduced to operate on its Saturday supplemental schedule during the weekdays beginning on March 16, 2020. On March 18, 2020, the line was further reduced to operate on its Sunday schedule. Weekend service was later further reduce to operate every 30 minutes on March 21, 2020. Regular service was restored on August 23, 2020. On December 3, 1978, route W4 was rerouted to Deanwood station via Minnesota Avenue in the middle of its route shortly after the Orange Line began service. The line would terminate at Deanwood station during the off peak-hours and would serve Capital Plaza during the weekday peak-hours only. Route W4 currently operates out of Southern Avenue and Shepherd Parkway divisions. During the weekday peak-hours, the line utilizes articulated buses due to its high ridership volume from Shepherd Parkway. Route W4 used to operate out of Bladensburg until Shepherd Parkway received articulated buses.Route W4 originally operated between Capital Plaza Mall in Landover Hills, Maryland and Bolling Air Force Base via Craftsman Circle and Prince George’s Plaza Hospital. The line mostly operated along Division Avenue NE, Benning Road SE, Alabama Avenue SE, Kenilworth Avenue, and Baltimore–Washington Parkway. Off peak service would terminate along Kenilworth Avenue.
In February 2021 during the FY2022 budget, WMATA brought back the W4 reroute to Fort Drum and D.C. Village to replace the A4 and W5 if WMATA does not get federal funding. However, the terminus would be changed to terminate at Minnesota Avenue station instead of Deanwood station. Service to Deanwood would be replaced by a modified Route 96 while a modified A8 would replace service to Anacostia station.
Are 427 buses running?
427 (Uxbridge) is operational during everyday.
The Deanwood–Alabama Avenue Line, designated Route W4, is a daily bus route operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority between Deanwood station of the Orange Line of the Washington Metro and Anacostia station of the Green Line of the Washington Metro. The line operates every 12 minutes daily between 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM and 30 minutes other times. Route W4 trips are roughly 60 minutes long.
Route W4 originally operated under the Capital Traction Company under streetcars lines and later became a bus line on December 23, 1924. The line then was operated under DC Transit and then WMATA when it acquired DC Transit in 1973.On January 13, 2001, route W4 was rerouted along Alabama Avenue to serve the new Congress Heights station. Alternative service to 11th Place and Congress Street is available on the W2 and W3.
Is there a BMW bus?
BMW has partnered with Turkish manufacturer Karsan to electrify its new bus, called the Jest. The Jest will run using the i3’s electric motors and its batteries. The bus is designed to sneak through inner-city streets, where a small footprint will aid its mobility.
In 2011, WMATA proposed to eliminate route W4’s routing between Deanwood station and Capital Plaza Mall. This was because route W4 was suffering from low ridership with large Portion of the Line in Maryland runs on Congested Roadways, impacting on-time performances with extended run times in Maryland that creates scheduling inflexibility in DC, where overwhelming majority of boardings occur. It was also proposed to improve the frequency of buses during all hours of the day.An Orbital is a name given to the type of route that provides connections between suburbs, without having to travel into the city centre. Some examples of Orbitals are routes N4 and N6.
When did bus 39 change route?
Service 39 will be amended to ply Pasir Ris Industrial Drive 1, Punggol Central and Punggol Way from Sunday, 24 October 2021. This will enhance commuter connectivity between Pasir Ris, Punggol and Yishun. Commuters travelling between Pasir Ris and Yishun can continue to take the amended Service 39.
The TFI 90 Minute Fare applies to most journeys in the Dublin area, along with some parts of East Kildare and North Wicklow. It allows you to transfer between Dublin City Bus (Dublin Bus and Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin city services), Luas, DART and commuter rail (zones 1 to 4 in the Short Hop Zone) for free during 90 minutes when using a TFI Leap Card. You must touch-on every time you board a service to demonstrate you hold a valid ticket for each journey. As long as you touch-on your last service within 90 minutes of the first touch-on, you will qualify for the TFI 90 Minute Fare.
Where did London bendy buses go?
Articulated buses were replaced by double-deckers on route 38 in November 2009. Route 207 was the last route to operate articulated buses on 10 December 2011. Withdrawn buses have found their way to other parts of the UK.
Due to Irish Water works on R405 between Dublin Road and Shinkeen Road, the following diversion will be in place for route W61 in both northbound and south bound directions. For map view, please select the below link.W orbitals run, on average, every 15-30 minutes on weekdays and every 30-60 minutes on both Saturday and Sunday. To download or view the frequency guide for all routes, please click the link below.
