If it can work for London buses, then why can’t it work in Bristol?

WHILE regular bus users are aware of the problem of repeated delays and cancellations due to driver shortages, there is one remedy that I wish First Bus would consider.

It would ease some of the frustration that many of us experience when, after waiting for buses that don’t turn up, two, or even three, buses then arrive together.

One solution to this is something that is used regularly by buses in London, and that is to terminate one of the buses (or two if three are travelling together), transfer those passengers onto one bus (obviously providing it’s not already overcrowded), enabling the other(s) to turn around and head back the other way on the route.

I have no idea whether this is practical on all Bristol routes, but it certainly would be on the Number 8 route that I use on a regular basis.

The Number 8 is one of the more important services in Bristol, running as it does from immediately outside Temple Meads Station, through to Cabot Circus and Broadmead, the Centre, Park Street, University, Clifton Village and the (now closed) Zoo.

Often the majority of passengers – a mixture of tourists, students, locals etc – alight at Clifton Village but then both or all three buses carry on around in a convoy through to Bristol Zoo before heading back to Clifton Village.

So, a very simple remedy that would reduce waiting passengers for buses on the return route, would be for just one bus to continue on the rest of the route, while the others turn around at Christchurch Green.

I spend a lot of time in London and use buses frequently, and obviously with the city’s traffic problems this is something that happens on a regular basis.

Drivers are told by Bus Control via their two-way radio that the front bus will wait at the next stop, while the same message is given to the driver of the bus behind. That driver then plays a recorded announcement that says, ‘this bus is terminating’ and a sign confirming this flashes up on the overhead screens. The driver will call out and explain to people what is happening and assure them that tickets will still be valid.

I’ve mentioned this on several occasions to long suffering First Bus drivers, who often say they get fed up with passengers complaining about long waits when two or more buses then arrive together.

I’ve written and emailed First Bus on three occasions asking why this doesn’t happen but, as usual, there’s never any reply or acknowledgement.

So perhaps a representative of First Bus could tell us via the Post why they are unable to carry out this simple procedure, which would benefit so many frustrated passengers.

What is more, it would reduce the pollution caused by empty buses travelling in convoy.

If it can work in London, then why can’t it in Bristol?

N Berry

Bristol