Debendified Bus Route Will Have Less Capacity

Rachel Holdsworth
By Rachel Holdsworth Last edited 148 months ago
Debendified Bus Route Will Have Less Capacity

The antepenultimate bendy bus route goes out of service today - that's the 436 from Lewisham to Paddington - and the double deckers coming into service on Saturday will have the effect of reducing capacity.

Whereas earlier debendifications have resulted in more buses, the 436 timetable isn't changing. Bendies have a capacity of 120, double deckers around 85, and the London Lib Dems have calculated that this will result in 180 fewer places per hour during morning rush hour, 145 fewer places per hour during evening rush hour, and 280 fewer places per hour for off-peak weekday services. The 453, debendified in September, is also experiencing a reduction in capacity.

Caroline Pidgeon put this to the Mayor on Wednesday, and Boris Johnson conceded that the 436 would have less room - and also that capacity has fallen on some other routes. Which is bizarre surely: the DLR is having capacity added, tube upgrade work has the specific aim of increasing capacity. Why the chuff are bus routes OK to cut back?

Photo by steve_w from the Londonist Flickr pool

Last Updated 17 November 2011